How Many Pellets Do You Need This Winter?
Get tons, bags and pallets for your home and your climate, then order before the cold snap empties the stores.
Start the calculator
Pellet Stove Calculator
Your location
Outside the US, or your area isn’t listed?
Your home’s heating need
Your pellets and stove
Pellets are usually cheapest and easiest to find in spring and summer. Order early, before the first cold snap empties the stores.
How the Calculator Works
First it works out how much heat your home needs in a normal winter, either from last year's fuel use or from the size of the house and your local climate. Then it takes the share you want from pellets and divides it by the useful heat in a ton, which depends on the pellet grade and your stove's efficiency. It adds a safety margin and converts the result into bags and pallets, the way pellets are actually sold.
Get the Most From Your Pellet Stove
Practical advice to stay warm, safe and well stocked all winter.
Keep pellets bone dry
Store bags on pallets off the floor, under cover and away from damp walls. Wet pellets swell, crumble into sawdust and can jam the stove's feed auger.
Buy in spring or summer
Prices and supply are usually best off-season. Having the whole winter's pellets on hand by late summer protects you from shortages in a cold snap.
Choose certified pellets
Look for a quality mark such as PFI or ENplus on the bag. Premium pellets burn hotter and leave less ash, so the stove needs cleaning less often.
Clean the stove regularly
Empty the ash pan and brush out the burn pot every few days of use, and have the stove and vent professionally cleaned once a year.
Plan for power outages
Pellet stoves need electricity to run the feed auger and fans, so they stop when the power goes out. A battery backup unit or a safely placed generator keeps one running.
Keep the vent clear and fit CO alarms
Keep the exhaust vent free of snow, ice and leaves, and fit carbon monoxide alarms near sleeping areas.
Stop drafts
Weatherstrip doors, caulk gaps around windows, and seal the attic hatch. Sealing leaks is one of the cheapest ways to cut any heating bill.
Use free heat from the sun
Open curtains on south-facing windows on sunny days and close them at sundown to hold the heat in. Insulated or cellular shades make a real difference overnight.
Keep pipes from freezing
Insulate pipes in crawl spaces, garages and outside walls. On very cold nights, let a faucet drip and open sink cabinet doors on outside walls. Know where your main water shutoff is.
Run a generator safely
Never run a generator indoors, in a garage, or near windows and doors. Carbon monoxide from generators kills people every winter. Keep a battery carbon monoxide alarm working inside.
Common Questions
How many bags of pellets do I need for winter?
A home heated mainly with pellets in the northern US often burns 2 to 4 tons a season, which is 100 to 200 forty-pound bags. A small, tight house needs less and a large or drafty one more. Use the calculator for your own number.
How many bags are in a ton?
Fifty 40-lb bags make one ton. Pellets are usually sold by the ton on a single pallet.
How long does a 40-lb bag last?
About a day on a low to medium setting, and much less on high heat in very cold weather.
Do pellet stoves work in a power outage?
No. The feed auger and fans run on electricity. A battery backup unit made for pellet stoves, or a generator, keeps one running.
Are premium pellets worth the extra cost?
Usually. They give a little more heat per bag and much less ash, which means fewer cleanings and fewer problems with the stove.
Results are estimates based on average winters and typical values for pellets, stoves and houses. Actual use varies with weather, stove settings and pellet quality. Keep a reserve, and follow your stove maker's instructions and local fire codes.