Frequently asked questions about pellet and grain burning stoves
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Will it heat my house?
The answer to this question is quite complex. How well is your house insulated? How cold does it get where you live? The best way to answer this question is with another question "what do you use now?" Our stoves are BTU rated. If you know the BTU rating of the heat source you are currently using, you will be able to better compare this stove to yours. Click here for specs on BTU's per stove.
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How much pellets will it burn?
We've found the Magnum Countryside on a low setting to burn about a half a 40# bag of pellets in a 24 hour period. It will burn up to 2 bags in 24 hours on it's highest setting.
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How much barley will it burn?
Some of the barley will fall through the burn pot without being burned. Because of the size of the grain it seems to be more "fluid like" and flows faster out of the auger. For this reason the Magnum Countryside burns a little more barley per 24 hour period than pellets. We've found it will burn about 1 bag on low heat setting, and about 2 bags on high heat setting, per 24 hours. Barley comes in 50# bags.
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Can I burn anything else in this stove?
Yes, there are several other biomass fuels. Most of them are not readily available in Alaska.
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Where can I get pellets?
As of now there are no operating pellet plants in Alaska. There are several that are being installed, but are not yet operational. Pellets are being shipped in from Canada and a few different places. There are pellets available at Sams Club in Fairbanks and we are trying to get some stocked locally as well.
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Where can I get barley?
There are tons of barley available in Delta Jct. AK from the growers there.
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Can I use my existing stove pipe?
No. If you leave your existing wood stove pipe in place you will also need to have the same amount of pellet pipe to go inside of it. These stove use a 3" pipe and are not recommended to be used with anything larger. Most installations have the pipe exiting through the wall, then up about 5 feet outside then topped off with an elbow to keep the rain an snow out.
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What happens when the power goes out?
The stove will not burn without power. You may purchase an optional battery pack to run the stove while the power is off. The stove does not use much power and may also be attached to a battery backup UPS system.
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What if my hopper runs empty?
The stove will turn itself off.
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Can I get a tax credit for buying a biomass burning stove?
Yes, there are federal tax credits available for installing energy efficient appliances. Check with your tax professional for more details.
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