Frequently Asked Questions
Why Wood Pellet?
The answer to that is the simplest of all the questions: wood pellets are an abundant natural resource, viewed as carbon neutral, made here, locally, and cost as much as 70% less than other fuels.
What are Wood Pellets?
Wood pellets are manufactured from compressed sawdust and other waste wood products, and compressed to a uniform size. The fuel has no additives and is bound together by the woods own natural glue called lignin. The pellets are extremely high in energy content..
Cleanliness
Wood pellet fuel is very clean. Only 0.05% of the fuel ends up in ash. The pellet is relatively dust free and can be bought in bags or in bulk deliveries. Wood pellet ash is a high-grade fertilizer, contributing to the renewable cycle of this fuel.
Why are Pellets considered a Renewable Fuel?
Wood is a plentiful and renewable source of energy, particularly in the Northeast. Not only are forests replanted as they are harvested, but growing trees absorb C02, storing the carbon effluent of other fuels, including pellets. Thus wood pellets are considered carbon neutral, and a clean environmentally friend way of heating
Fuel Equivalency and Comparisons?
When we price shopped on September 5, 2008, we found pellets burned n a Woodpecker to be 62% cheaper than fuel oil, and 75% cheaper than propane. See the results of our research here.
Where can I get Wood Pellets?
Pellets are widely available from stove shops, lawn & garden companies, and mass merchandisers such as Home Depot by the bag. Companies are now being established to deliver pellets in bulk direct to the home. By 2009 we expect companies to be advertising and competing for the right to deliver pellets in bulk directly to your home.
What are the cost savings of pellets compared to oil?
The cost savings depend upon how you purchase your pellets, and the ever-increasing cost of oil. By mid-2009 we expect the majority of our customers to be purchasing pellets in bulk, with several Northeastern suppliers competing for that business. Thus, we expect the price of pellets to be stable, or even decrease, while the price of oil is expected to continue rising.
Where can I buy a Woodpecker?
Blodgett Supply is the exclusive supplier of Woodpecker Boilers to specially trained dealers. Blodgett can suggest a qualified dealer, or you can contact your local heating professional contractor. These units are only sold to heating professionals who have completed rigorous training. The required level of training reflects Woodpeckers’ commitment to customer service considering the sophistication of the unit, and the manufacturer’s commitment to customer satisfaction.
What does a Woodpecker boiler cost?
The model currently available is a 30KW unit that includes top of the line features such as a self cleaning boiler and burner, and automatic de-ashing. Utilizing the low cost energy loans now available from the Chittenden Bank and others, the Woodpecker would cost about $290 a month for a loan totally paid off in five years. For a home using 1200 gallons of fuel oil per year, with oil at $4.25, our case studies predict a fuel savings of $255 a month, suggesting a net investment of $35 a month for five years. That assumes no increase in the cost of oil. (And who believes that’s a real possibility???? ) Additional models, without these step up features will be available in October. The models yet to come will bring the monthly cost down to about $200 a month, an amount which should be totally paid off through energy savings!
How does the Woodpecker compare to other units now available in the US?
The Woodpecker is a true boiler, built as such, and not a stove modified for use as a boiler. Its efficiency and safety features far surpass other brands currently available. In addition, the Woodpecker has been tested by an independent lab to UL and CSA standards, which may not be the case with other brands. The Woodpecker is self-igniting, and does not require a pilot light, like other models, thus saving fuel. Some other models now on the market require a pilot light, which limits energy savings: the Woodpecker is a true, year-round boiler that can heat your hot water winter and summer, as well as provide your winter heat. With respect to efficiency, the Woodpecker has been tested to 94% efficiency, while the leading competitor has not been tested, but claims under 85%.
What is the After Sales Service like once I install a Woodpecker?
Blodgett and Woodpecker recommend a close and continuing relationship between the consumer and their installing contractor. In fact, we encourage an annual service contract in order to insure years of trouble free operation. Woodpecker’s national agent maintains a help desk, as does Blodgett.
I don’t have the space in my boiler room for a Pellet System?
The Woodpecker takes little more space than your existing heating system. The boiler can be installed in your current boiler room, or in your garage. In addition, bulk storage of pellets can take place in your garage, or outside, up to 40 feet away from the boiler. An automated system delivers the pellets directly to the boiler.
Should I choose to burn wood…or wood pellets?
This is a question of personal preference. Burning wood in a central heating boiler such as the units sold by Blodgett requires some degree of interaction by the homeowner: acquisition of the wood, splitting, stacking, handling, frequent fueling of the wood boiler, and ash removal. Depending upon how you engineer a pellet boiler, most of this entire process can be automated; that is, pellets can be delivered to your remote storage unit, and then automatically fed to your Woodpecker as needed. Unless you own a woodlot and gather and treat your own firewood, we expect pellets to be cheaper in the long run. Pellet boilers are also true year-round central heating units (commonly heat and hot water), whereas wood boilers are primarily winter only appliances.
What’s the difference between a pellet boiler and a pellet stove?
A pellet stove is a space heating appliance like a wood stove, and provides space heating for a localized area. Temperature output is controlled by manually regulating the amount of air allowed into the combustion chamber. Of course, the stove must be placed in the living space you wish to heat, and it must be stoked and cleaned like a wood stove. A pellet boiler either supplements or entirely replaces your current central boiler or furnace. Its output is controlled by your existing thermostats, and it heats your entire house. Most people configure their pellet boilers to also provide domestic hot water; the boiler is a year round unit, and self ignites, only when heat or hot water is needed.