The great thing about pellet heaters is they are “smart” heaters. You can control when your pellet heater comes on, when it switches off, what temperature to heat your room to and much more. You could potentially save hundreds of dollars a year or more on your heating bill by knowing how to use your pellet heater properly. I always tell people new to pellet heaters that they shouldn’t run it like a wood heater, meaning 24/7. Generally speaking pellets cost more than firewood, as covered in pellet heaters vs other types of heaters, so running a pellet heater 24/7 is a bad idea. However, knowing how to use a pellet heater properly will help you save money while still saying warm.
So how can you save money with a pellet heater if wood pellets cost more than firewood? Here’s a quick breakdown of how to save money with a pellet heater. Read on below for more detail about each tip:
- Set the timer to save wood pellets
- Heat your room to a set temperature
- Don’t run your pellet heater 24/7
- Don’t use your pellet heater like a wood heater
- Buy a budget pellet heater
Use the Timer
Unlike a wood heater, you don’t need to run your pellet heater run 24/7 to keep your house warm. Most modern pellet heaters have a timer function built in that lets you switch the heater on and off at a set time, just like a heat pump. Want to wake up to a warm house in the morning? Switch your heater off at night and set the timer to turn the pellet heater on an hour before you wake-up, say 5 am. There’s no need to let a pellet heater run and burn pellets while you sleep, like most people do with a wood heater. Using the timer means you only burn pellets when needed, thus saving money, but you still wake up to a warm house.
Most people are used to letting a wood heater burn all night. Many people do this because once a wood heater goes out it can take a while to bring a house back up to temperature because they are primarily radiant heaters. However, you don’t have to do this with a pellet heater because they are convection heaters. Pellet heaters start automatically and can quickly heat up your house when compared to a wood heater. Pellet heaters start automatically, unlike a wood heater, so switch it off before you go to bed. Switching it off at night and having it come on automatically in the morning you are not wasting money burning pellets while you are sleeping. This is how the timer helps you save money with a pellet heater.
Set the Temperature
Another great way to save money with a pellet heater is to heat your room to a set temperature. Wood heaters offer very limited heat output controls compared to a pellet heater and it’s not uncommon for wood heater owners to open doors or windows to let out some heat to cool their house down. Pellet heaters work much like a heat pump in that you can set a desired room temperature and let the pellet heater do everything else. Once the room reaches the set temperature the pellet heater can switch off or go into eco mode, which is the lowest level of heat output.
Most people have their pellet heater go into eco mode. This way the pellet heater decreases heat output, which reduces how many pellets are being burnt but still continues to heat the room. Eco mode is essentially low heat mode, which helps maintain the temperature of the room. If the room temperature drops too low, then the pellet heater will switch back into high heating mode and bring the room back up to your desired temperature. If you want to save even more pellets then pellet heaters can switch off completely once the room reaches the set temperature. This will save even more pellets but it’s not recommended due to the extra wear and tear on the pellet heater igniter.
Switching off or going into eco mode means the heater burns fewer pellets, thus saving you money. Set a comfortable temperature and let your pellet heater save you money by switching off or going into eco mode.
Turn it Off
Going to work for the day or going down the street for a few hours to go shopping, then switch your pellet heater off. This is another super easy way to save money with a pellet heater. Many people with wood heaters have the habit of letting the wood heater run non-stop. This makes sense because for wood heaters you can’t really switch it “off”. Instead, you turn the dampers down and let the fire die out. Also, wood heaters can take a long time to heat an area, so it’s just easier to let the wood heater burn so your house doesn’t get cold. None of that is an issue with a pellet heater.
There’s no need to worry about coming home to a cold house if you switch off your pellet heater. You can easily switch a pellet heater on before you come home by using the timer or WIFI, so there’s no need to worry about a cold house with a pellet heater. A common wood heater habit is to let it burn while you are out but there’s no reason to do this with a pellet heater. Pellet heaters start heating within minutes of being switched on and quickly heat up an area thanks to the fan that circulates hot air around. Switching off your pellet heater when you aren’t home will save you pellets and money.
It’s Not a Wood Heater
The best way to save money with a pellet heater is to NOT use it like a wood heater. Wood heater habits are bad habits when applied to a pellet heater, such as letting it burn all night, letting it run while you aren’t at home and not heating your room to a set temperature. Pellet heaters can easily save you money and reduce what you spend on winter heating if used properly. If you are used to a wood heater, then the best thing you can do is DON’T treat your pellet heater like a wood heater. Use the features of a pellet heater to your advantage and you’ll easily reduce how many pellets you burn and save money.
Burn Budget Wood Pellets
Another simple way to save money is to buy budget wood pellets. This might be easier said than done depending on where you live, but in Tasmania we have multiple retailers selling wood pellets, so prices are competitive and do vary. I burn at least 80 bags of pellets a year, so if I bought a cheaper brand of wood pellets and saved $2 a bag, then that would save me $160 a year. That money could then be spent on getting my heater serviced, buying more pellets if needed or just saving it for a rainy day. Some people prefer to burn more expensive pellets because they burn cleaner, and I totally understand that, but by switching to a cheaper wood pellet brand then you’ll save money and be able to run your heater more often.
Buy a Budget Pellet Heater
It’s worth mentioning but probably the easiest way to save money with a pellet heater is to buy a model that suits your budget. There are some beautiful European made pellet heaters like Piazzetta heaters and Palazzetti pellet heaters which cost twice as much as other cheaper Chinese models. If you really want to save money then go for a Chinese brand. There’s nothing wrong with pellet heaters that are made in China because I think what’s more important is retailer support, service and warranty.
Check my top pellet heaters in Tasmania if you are looking to buy a pellet heater in Tasmania and wondering what are some good models to consider. If you live outside of Tasmania then I also created a best pellet heaters in Australia which recommends some pellet heater models for those who don’t live in Tasmania. I think in either of these posts you’ll definitely find a pellet heater that suits your needs or at least give you something to think about when you go looking at heaters.
Save Money with a Pellet Heater Summary
If you want to save money with a pellet heater then don’t use it like a wood heater. Pellet heaters heat up areas much more quickly than wood heaters do, so you don’t need to run a pellet heater 24/7. Now, in America and Canada some people do because it gets VERY cold and if they don’t have a heater running their pipes freeze. However, we’re lucky in Tasmania and Australia with our warmer weather and that’s not a problem, so there’s no need to run a pellet heater all day and night, unless you want to.
Switching your pellet heater off when you aren’t using it will mean you aren’t burning pellets, which means you are saving money. Also, use the timer to switch your pellet heater on and off as you need and heat your room to a set temperature, like you do with a heat pump. And lastly, if you are looking to buy a pellet heater get one that is within your budget. Pellet heaters all work the same, so there’s no need to get an expensive, luxury European brand unless you want to.
