Monday, December 17, 2007

Pellet stove in Maine

How many pellets do you burn ? This is a pretty common question from people. The answer? During the Fall and Spring, maybe a bag every two or three days. During the coldest days of Winter, close to two bags a day.

It's too much work to burn pellets ! Yep, compared to twisting the thermostat, and burning oil, it is more effort to burn pellets. Not as much as burning wood, but yes, there are chores to do.

Everyday I get to open a forty pound bag of pellets, sometimes two, and pour the pellets into the hopper on the back of the stove. Sometimes the wife does this, but usually I do it. Hard to do? Nope, and some days, when my shoulder is acting up, I simply use a little scoop, and empty the bag that way. Takes a little longer, but no big chore.

Everyday, I get to open the front door of the stove, and scrape back the few ashes in the front of a little burn area. Necessary ? Usually not, but it allows the stove to burn better, and takes all of 10-20 seconds.

Once a week, I scrape down that same burn area, with the metal scrape the company supplied, or sometimes with an old wood chisel. The book will have you turn down the stove, let it cool. But, once the door is open, the fire basically dies right down, and it isn't really hot. Time spent? Oh, maybe 30 seconds.

Once every 50 bags of pellets, or when the urge strikes me during a weekend day, I let the stove cool for 10-15 minutes, use Windex to clean the windows, empty out the ash pan, and vacuum up the ashes on the sides and bottom. Time spent ? After it cools , about 3 minutes, and a couple minutes to carry the ashes out to the back yard. I mix them with some compost in the Sping, and it works well. Do I always let it cool ? Nope, usually not, I have one of those white high temp cooking gloves, and I use that. Now there is almost no cooling time.

Saturday, December 15, 2007

Living with a pellet stove , in Maine

It's 4 degrees outside, the house is 72 degrees,. My furnace hasn't run in three years. Yep, I have a pellet stove.

I often have people ask how I like my stove. I really like it. And, usually, somewhere in the conversation, people assume I'd recommend one. Often I do suggest they look into one, but it greatly depends on the people. Just as often I suggest that some people, many people, don't get one. Why ?

I think I'll spend some time, and explain my cautions about the pellet stove.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

This guy came by often,
and always stayed a second, and looked around at me .
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Waterboro birding 2

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Waterboro birding

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Anyone want to start a pool, see how long that line lasts ? !!!
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Broken line ?

Looks like one of the warning buoys broke loose, and is heading over the dam
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Broken lbuoy line ?

Looks like one of the warning buoys brooke loose, and is heading over the dam.
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Below the dam swirls

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Repairs ?

Interesting watching the section of the Ledgemere Dam that didn't get repaired this year. It's not like this dam has much high pressure, but the constant flow of water, and then freezing seems to be making headway.
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Ok, one more

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Last one - this morning !

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Darn, he see's me !

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another

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Doesn't stay long !

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Morning bird 2

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Morning birds

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Wednesday, December 05, 2007

Snow curves

No idea why. The light and the snow just caught my eye
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Damn dog again

Poor Bill is at a loss why I'm up to my knees in snow, looking at snow covered plants.
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Crystals 2

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Crystals

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Tracks

Two paths , must be a story here somewhere.
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Tracks

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Stll happy

Yeah, I know, another picture of the damn dog. Tough, he's hard to get the way I see him. That dark black just makes it hard to get the right shot! But, he's having fun, and I am.
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Happy Bill

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Snow curves

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Uncooperative neighbors

Hey, would you hold still while I get
the sun behinds me, please !
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