Softwood Wood Pellets as Ice Melt

100% natural wood fiber to make ice melt a bit quicker and to provide tractionWe recently heard from a customer that he had run out of ice melt, but didn’t have anything to put down for traction on ice that had accumulated on his walkway overnight. He said his wife thought of throwing down some Cleanfire Pacific wood pellets on the snowy/icy area – and they were pleased with the outcome!

Of course, results and timing will vary based on the situation. But we think the idea of using a 100% natural wood fiber to make ice melt a bit quicker and to provide traction is great!

We decided to make a timelapse of wood pellets on ice to see what would happen. Here’s a sped-up close look of wood pellets soaking up moisture for about 20 minutes.

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How Heavy Snow Can Affect Your Wood Pellet Stove

Pellet Stove Vent BlockageThe venting on your wood pellet stove can be installed horizontally, vertically or both. The exterior vent allows for proper air flow within the stove, and for the escape of exhaust. If it’s blocked by dense snow – your stove’s ability to ignite and/or stay burning efficiently could be hindered.

A common exhaust setup is horizontal – straight through the exterior wall (See Fig. A). If your wood pellets aren’t burning through fully – this blockage could be the reason…because the exiting air is an important part of your stove’s operation.  (See Figure B).

A similar kind of venting is through the wall with a vertical rise (See Figure C). Vertical piping raises the exhaust further up the exterior wall. This kind of setup creates less risk of snow blockage. However, there’s a possibility of some blockage by strong snow drifts, or a very large snow accumulation.

Pellet stoves can also have exhaust vents exiting through the roof – with some variations  (See Figure D). If your roof has heavy snow piled up that hasn’t slid off or been pushed off, the vent could be blocked.

Proper air flow is key for efficient pellet stove operation. Make sure to check for blockage – no matter how your stove is vented.

Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns about your pellet burning experience. 

Woodpellets.com Quality Certified fuels are backed by a Quality Guarantee, which is valid for a full 30 days after your delivery date.

 

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