Heat your home with style and efficiency
There are several choices for heating your home with wood fuel. A pellet stove is one of the easier options to use and maintain. Installing a pellet stove requires extra care to avoid problems, and the project is difficult enough to be out of reach for most DIYers. However, learning how to install a pellet stove is an excellent way to help you make informed decisions when choosing your stove and hiring your contractor.
A pellet stove is an alternative to traditional home heating methods. Pellet stoves and fireplaces have little in common despite their apparent similarities. A fireplace burns raw wood and is at least partially open to the indoor air. A pellet stove, on the other hand, only burns processed pellets containing wood and other organic compounds in a sealed compartment that doesn’t allow interaction with the indoor air. You can also control the heat output by adjusting the pellet stove’s thermostat, unlike a fireplace that offers little heat control.
Pellet stoves combust the wood fuel more thoroughly for higher efficiency and produce none of the campfire smell of a fireplace. Additionally, many pellet stoves come with blower fans that can distribute the heat throughout the space better than a conventional wood-burning fireplace. Some models can work with your home’s existing ductwork to warm the whole house.
Pellet stoves are available in various sizes, ranging from small enough to heat just a single room to large enough to provide heating to the entire house. The three main types of pellet stoves are freestanding, wall-mounted, and fireplace inserts.
Before purchasing and installing a pellet stove, you’ll want to get answers to a few questions. First, determine how you’ll use your pellet stove. Will it function as supplemental heat for your existing HVAC, or do you want it to be the source for all your heating needs?
The answer to that question will help you answer the next question: How much heat or BTUs must the stove provide? Finally, you and your contractor will need to choose a type of pellet stove, create a plan for venting its exhaust, and obtain a building permit from your municipality.
As you may have already guessed, a freestanding pellet stove stands on its own instead of on a wall or in an existing fireplace. Freestanding pellet stoves take up floor space but are the most versatile type in terms of size and capability.
Pellet stoves require electricity to operate their thermostats and blowers, if yours has one. Install an electrical supply circuit to power these functions. Small stoves may be battery-operated, in which case you can go to the next step.
If your stove will rest on a combustible surface such as carpet or wood flooring, install a fireproof hearth or pad. Consult your stove's wall and other clearance requirements to determine its location. Use tile, stone, or another non-combustible material for your hearth. Otherwise, you can purchase a factory-built pad.
Your stove needs to vent to the outdoors. You may have to vent it through the roof, depending on the stove’s location and local code. If this is the case, call in a pro instead of trying to make a hole in your roof.
Create a hole in the exterior wall according to your venting ducts and wall thimble specifications. Install the wall thimble through the interior and exterior walls. Then, insulate and insert the vent pipe into the thimble. Next, you should install any additional exterior venting pipes according to your installation plan.
Secure the vent cap on the end of the vent pipe. Cut another hole through the wall and install the return-air vent at least 1 foot away from the exhaust cap.
Sound confusing? That’s because it’s a complicated process. If you’re scratching your head just reading these steps, it’s time to call in a pro to take over.
Back in the house, connect the exhaust pipe and fresh-air intake to the stove.
Make the electrical connections to the stove. Double-check that there is no power going to the wires you’re working on before you start. If you don’t have experience working with wires and electricity, put down the tools and call a professional.
Seal the intake vent edges with silicone caulk where it meets the drywall.
Wall-mounted pellet stoves are smaller units that vent directly to the outdoors through a hole in the wall behind the appliance.
Install a non-combustible floor protector below the stove’s final location to ensure that spilled embers don’t cause a fire.
Determine and mark the wall location of the stove. Most models require at least 18 inches of clearance between the stove and the ceiling and 6 inches from the stove to the nearest wall. Call a professional if you’re unsure of local regulations.
Run the electrical wiring to power the stove’s thermostat and blower. Make sure there is no power going to the wires you’re working on. If you’re not sure, step away from the wires and hire an expert.
Mount the stove’s installation plate to the wall studs.
Cut a vent hole to accommodate the wall thimble, allowing at least 2 feet of clearance from the ground to the exhaust. Install the thimble and insert the vent pipe with insulation around it inside the thimble. Extend the pipe at least 6 inches beyond the exterior siding.
Finally, you can secure the vent cap.
Mount the pellet stove onto the wall plate and connect the vent.
Connect the electrical circuit. If something looks wrong at this stage or you’re not sure if your connections are right, call in a pro to finish the job, and do not attempt to use your stove.
There are many types of fireplace inserts, including ones for pellets. Installing a pellet stove insert starts with determining if your chimney requires a liner to accommodate your stove. Consult your municipality for rules regarding pellet stoves and have a professional evaluate your chimney construction and condition.
Carefully measure your fireplace to determine the correct stove insert size.
Remove ashes and wood with a shovel and sweep up anything left over. Scrub the fireplace with a stiff brush dipped in a mixture of cleaner and warm water. Cleaning a fireplace can be a labor-intensive project, so consider hiring a professional for this part.
Install the necessary electrical circuit to your new stove. If it’s battery-operated, you can skip this step.
Flatten out the liner, attach liner insulation, and use spray adhesive to stick the liner to the inside of the chimney in 1-foot-long segments. Installing a flue liner is a step you really don’t want to get wrong, so consider hiring a pro, instead.
Now that you have a clean and prepped surface, you can push the stove into place. If your measurements were correct, this should be simple. If the stove doesn’t fit or is way too small for the space, call a fireplace pro for assistance.
Plug your stove into a standard outlet. If you plug in your stove and something isn’t quite operating correctly, unplug the stove and reach out to an expert for next steps.
If you have any decorative trim, now is the time to nail that into place around your new pellet stove. After that, you can sit back and enjoy the warmth.
Maintaining a pellet stove is simple but crucial to keep it functioning efficiently. During the heating season, remove ash and give your stove a once-over cleaning. Avoid burning low-quality pellets to keep soot and ash to a minimum. Once a year, or after burning 2,000 pounds of pellets, hire a local wood stove professional to perform a thorough inspection and give your stove a deep cleaning.
Hiring a local wood stove installer to install your pellet stove is the best choice because it ensures a safe installation and avoids any warranty issues that could arise from putting it in yourself. Hiring a professional to install a pellet stove also gives you confidence that you have the correct size stove and the necessary components to maximize the efficiency benefits.
A pellet stove costs $800 to $5,000, while installation adds another $200 to $2,000 to the project, depending on the installation complexity. Pellet stove inserts often require the installation of a chimney liner, which can add significantly to the overall price. As always, speak with at least three contractors to get a better idea of pricing for your specific needs and situation.
Burning wood and wood products such as pellets create carbon monoxide that’s poisonous to humans and pets. Pellet stoves need to vent to the outside through an approved vent or chimney to expel the exhaust.
Yes, you can put a freestanding one in a corner if you’re tight on space. Because pellet stoves don’t get as hot as other types of wood stoves, there only needs to be 3 inches of clearance from the wall on each side. Placing it in a corner should not impact the ventilation—you’ll still need to follow safety precautions by not installing too close to a window. Typically, it’s 4 feet from a window or 18 inches if the stove uses an external air source for combustion. Always check the owner’s manual for specific instructions.
This will depend on the size of the pellet stove and how much of the house you’re heating, i.e. just one room or the entire house. Many pellet stoves use anywhere from 80 to 345 watts of electricity per hour. In terms of the pellets, a 40-pound bag can cost $5 to $9. A bag of pellets will burn for about 24 hours.
