Woodpellets.com Driver Hit by Motorist During a Delivery Still Manages to Complete the Wood Pellet Delivery

“I received my delivery yesterday. Unfortunately we had a problem where the [Woodpellets.com] truck was struck by an oncoming car. The driver was fine and his truck just sustained a flat tire. The driver of the car was arrested and charged with DUI.

I wanted to tell you just what a fantastic job the delivery driver did. He was totally professional and courteous through the whole incident. At the time of the accident he had unloaded 3 of my 9 pallets. After the accident was cleaned up and the police left he continued with my delivery while waiting for help with his tire.

He was one of the nicest and most professional delivery drivers we have ever had. All in all he was there over three hours and I thank him for his delivery to us!”

-Chris, Massachusetts

New Customer Saves Time and Money Switching from Box Store Pickup to Woodpellets.com Home Delivery

I wish to take this opportunity to express how grateful I am toward your professionalism.

Before I ordered from you, I was suspect of the delivery process. This was due to my experiences from other vendors, as they either were late with the delivery or cancelled the order due to “Backorders”. But I decided to order from you and take a “chance”.

Back in June of this year, I ordered 3 tons to be delivered in September. Well, it started to get later and later in the month. This caused some anxiety on my part. Well, no sooner than I reached my peak, I received a text that delivery of the pellets was to be on Thursday, Sept. 24th.

When the truck pulled up, I could not have been more relieved. The delivery person dropped the pallets exactly where I requested them.

As I do not have a driveway, and live in a congested neighborhood, I had to have them placed in an “inconvenient” place. This made the situation such that I had to “carry” each bag into my backyard and took me over 3 hours. Although that sounds terrible, it was not nearly as bad as what I used to have to do.

Every year, I would have to:

1) Go to the local Home Depot or Lowes

2) Pick up 10-15 40-pound bags at a time due to my vehicle

3) I would have to drive home, only to carry them into my house.

4) Repeat this process 12-15 times.

The worst part is that [the box store] ran out of pellets in late February-early March. As you know, our winters go into March (sometimes into April). So I would have to turn on my electric heat for the remaining 2-3 weeks. I could have bought a pallet from them, but it cost $400 per ton with delivery. The other negatives were: the BTU value was 7,500, there was high ash content, and I was paying $7.00 per bag.

With [Woodpellets.com] and the 3-ton delivery, I paid only $935 (WITH DELIVERY), saving me a little over $120!

I do not have drive to the store anymore; I have a better quality product; and, strangely, there was a labor-savings on my end, as it took me only 3 hours to re-stack them in my yard and house (it used to take me 15 hours with driving to the store, driving home, and stacking them in my house).

To make a long story a little bit longer, your customer service is friendly, polite, professional and has a “family-oriented” feeling to it.

– Mark C. of Massachusetts

Delivery Slots Fill Up Quick as the Trucking Shortage Continues

Even before the pandemic hit, the trucking industry was in need of tens of thousands of drivers. Shutdowns and new regulations/precautions have disrupted supply chains, while social distancing and limited hours further inconvenience newly trained truck drivers seeking to obtain a license.

For years, there has been a growing shortage of qualified CDL-A drivers, and it has only gotten worse. According to the American Trucking Association, thereā€™s a shortage of 60,000 truck drivers nationwide with a predicted increase of over 100,000 by 2021.

Why is this shortage happening? Baby Boomer drivers are retiring due to age, stricter DOT medical certification processes, and frustration with newly required Electronic Log Devices (ELDs) which have created tighter hours of service regulations. This technology – which is designed to enforce limits on driving time without breaks – has not only pushed many seasoned drivers to quit, but also reduces the number of trucks available overall.

Additionally, millennials are far less enthused than previous generationsĀ to join the trucking force due to the arduous duty of long cross-country trips, away for days and weeks at a time. Furthermore, the men and women completing tractor trailer schools these days are not always accepted by insurance companies, which often require at least three years of driving experience.

What does all of this mean for wood pellet stove owners? Much like so many others, this industry has suffered ongoing trucking shortage effects such as price fluctuations, inconsistent supply transportation and difficulty maintaining a full staff of qualified home delivery drivers.

Our team is working tirelessly to schedule safe, convenient home deliveries for our customers across the Northeast. If you have not yet secured your home’s wood pellet fuel for the upcoming heating season, place your order online or call 1-800-PELLETS as soon as possible to get yourself into the delivery queue!Ā 

What Can We Expect the 2020-21 Winter Weather to Look Like?

According to the 2021 Farmersā€™ Almanac, this winter will have cold and snowy weather in the north, a drought in the west and a whole lot in between – which certainly explains why it’s described as the “Winter of the Great Divide”.

The almanac Editor Peter Geiger explains, ā€œOur extended forecast is calling for yet another freezing, frigid, and frosty winter for two-thirds of the country.ā€

Read >> How the Farmers’ Almanac Predicts Weather

Their long-range forecast is calling for a cold winter with normal to below-normal temperatures in areas from the Great Lakes and Midwest, westward through the Northern/Central Plains and the Rockies.

The region from Tennessee through the lower Ohio River valleys up to the north and east up through New England has been described as the “wild card”, where we can expect a rather intense weather system. This weather system will keep the storms active, delivering a wintry mix of rainy, icy and/or snowy weather throughout the season.

To read the full forecast and more helpful information, get your copy of the 2021 Farmer’s Almanac!

 

Guide: Wood Pellet Home Delivery by Woodpellets.com

Woodpellets.com Home Delivery of Wood Pellets by the TonThe forklift needs a lot of clearance.Ā It’s actually over 8 feet wide, and the highest point is also 8 feet tall. It’s mounted on the back of the truck, which parks in the road. The driver lowers it down to the ground, uses it to remove your fuel from the truck, and then drives it up your driveway to place the pallets where you need them.

Note: Due to the heavy weight of the load and the forklift itself, it can’t be driven across any leach fields, sprinkler lines, or soft lawn. Keep this in mind when you’re deciding where to have your pallets of fuel placed!

The forklift’s path must be clear.Ā Forgetting to move cars out of the way is a common mistake, and one that can really make for a more difficult delivery. Keeping a clear path (at least 8 feet wide, including any turns) for the driver is important, not only for saving time – but for protecting your belongings. Our drivers are very careful and skilled, but as we mentioned before, the forklift is pretty bulky and difficult to maneuver in tight spaces.

Note: Moving cars, toys, and equipment out of the way is important – but so is getting kids and pets out of the area! Keeping children and any pets inside during delivery is very helpful to the driver. There are already many variables to think about during a delivery, so avoiding the addition of small running bodies to the mix is crucial.

We love details, details, details!Ā Does your road have heavy construction going on? Is your driveway hard to find? Does your address not come up on GPS? If our drivers know ahead of time what to be prepared for, we can better serve you. It’s better to be up front about any tricky circumstances especially, so the delivery team can do all that’s possible to find a solution ahead of time.

Communication is key!Ā Our delivery team will send you an email, text your phone, and/or call you (whichever way you’ve indicated you prefer)Ā to confirm your delivery. Also, sometimes we reach out ahead of time to confirm your delivery instructions or to get clarification on something. If you get a message requesting a call or email back from our team, try to get back to us as soon as possible. Depending on the information we require from you, we probably won’t be able to schedule a delivery if there are unanswered questions pending.

Woodpellets.comSometimes it’s helpful to leave a sign or mark where you want the pallets. Many driveway deliveries have instructions like this: “Please place pallets by the garage door”. Does this mean the customer wants the pallets near the entry door, so he or she can bring the bags inside to hand-stack? Or should the pallet be placed in front of the bay door? Which one if there are multiple? If you want a much more specific location for placement, mark the space with a sign, or an overturned trashcan, and let us know your indicator. Our driver will do everything possible to safely deliver your pallets where you want them.

You do not need to be home to accept a delivery. If your schedule isn’t meshing with ours, it’s totally fine. As long as your instructions are clear and you let us know exactly where you’d like your fuel our driver can handle it in most situations without your physical presence. We also have your contact information in case something comes up, of course.

Note: Garage deliveries often involve the customer being at home, to open the door to allow the pallet jack to place the fuel inside. However, many customers are fine with leaving the garage door open if they can’t be home at the time of delivery. It’s all about whatever you are comfortable with!Ā 

Did you opt for a garage placement? Are we able to move around in the garage? Now that you’ve cleared your driveway for our equipment, have you cleared a path in the garage for the pallet jack? This is another overlooked step at times, unfortunately. The pallet jack, while smaller than the forklift, is still a heavy-duty piece of equipment. Make sure all the stuff that tends to accumulate in the garage is cleared out of the path of your fuel’s final destination. Also be sure to take note of how large your pallets are to be sure your space is ready.

We are always happy to answer any questions you might have. Please give us a call at 1-800-PELLETS to speak to a pellet expert, or visit Woodpellets.com for more information.Ā 

Grilling Season is Here: Steak Touch Test

Grilling season is here! Did you know you can check your steak’s progress without cutting into it or using a…

Posted by Wood Pellets onĀ Friday, May 29, 2020

 

Grilling season is here!

Did you know you can check your steak’s progress without cutting into it or using a thermometer?Ā Simply press your index finger into the base of your thumb and make these hand gestures to compare how the steak feels.

Even if you donā€™t have a wood pellet grill, you canĀ use a few different techniques to get that smoky BBQ infusion for your food.

Shipping is free on 20 pound bags of Bear Mountain BBQ Grilling Pellets!

 

DIY Projects: Wood Pallet Safety Guide

Woodpellets.com Pallet DIYs

We’re always encouraging our customers to try and re-use materials leftover from deliveries. However if you are planning to start a DIY project using wood pallets, it’s important to fully inspect them first.

Begin with checking for any suspicious spills or stains on the pallet. If you find any that aren’t sap, we don’t suggest using that pallet in case of past chemical contamination.

Next, check for the pallet’s stamp, which gives you information about the wood. Even if it could be completely safe, you shouldn’t use a pallet without one.

HT = Heat Treated.Ā Pallets manufactured in North America are heat treated to control pests. This is a good symbol to see on a pallet.
DB = Debarked. This simply means the wood sourced for pallet making has had any bark on it removed. Many pallets have this stamp, but it doesn’t matter either way.
KD = Kiln Dried. The use of ovens or kilns on the wood is to control factors like warping and fungal growth. You might also see a DH code to note the use of dielectric heating.
MB = Methyl Bromide. DO NOT make use of pallets marked MB! Methyl bromide fumigation is a chemical pesticide treatment that can be very hazardous.

According to 1001 Pallets, “In 1987, the Montreal Protocol aimed to regulate the use of methyl bromide, along with multiple other chemicals found to impact the ozone. This type of treatment is now banned in Canada and many countries because it poses health risks to workers handling the pallets. However, you can still find it in some places. If you find an MB pallet (likely from Asia or Oceania), please do not use it for your craft projects or as firewood, find a waste-removal company that can dispose of it properly.”

Learn more about pallet safety here, and check out this visual guide on reading pallet stamps. Stay safe and have fun with your projects!

 

How to Use Wood Pallets in Your Garden

Woodpellets.com Quality Manager Joy explains how she used wood pallets from a recent delivery to keep her family’s garden organized:

We start our garden every year by taking compost from our compost pit. The compost is made of ash from our stove and food waste. We also sprinkle in wet damaged fuel. We then mix the compost with soil and roto-till it into the garden.

The next step was to take our pallets and cut off the bottom layer. We place the pallets into the newly mixed soil. Under the pallets is a plastic barrier, the soil is added on top and then we push the pallets in.

The next step is to take our pre grown plantlings and place them spaced apart.

Using this combination of pallets and the barrier plastic (made from Woodpellets.com delivery shrouds) our peppers, scallions, peas and green beans won’t get strangled with weeds!

Have you re-used wood pallets in your garden? Share your projects with us on the Woodpellets.com Facebook page!

This New 3-Ton Wood Pellet Bundle Helps You Save Money and Burn Strategically

Woodpellets.com 3-Ton Blended BundleOur special Blended Bundle includes one ton of our popular new hardwood/softwood mix, Cleanfire Premium Blend, as well as one ton of the always reliable Cleanfire Hardwood and one ton our best selling softwood, Cleanfire Pacific.

This 3-ton wood pellet pack is not only economical – but strategic as well!

We suggest starting out the heating season with Cleanfire Hardwood, switch to Cleanfire Premium Blend along with lower temperatures, then bring in your Cleanfire Pacific for the coldest part of the winter.

Heating your home by matching the wood pellet heat output with the time of year will maximize your efficiency and your budget.

Read >> New Hardwood/Softwood Mix Available in 40lb and 20lb Bags

Learn more about the Blended Bundle and all the premium pellet fuel available in your area by visiting our website or call the experts at 1-800-PELLETS!

No Pellet Grill? No Problem! Use BBQ Wood Pellets on Any Grill

If you don’t have a wood pellet grill, that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the smoky flavor infusion of cooking with wood pellets. Lynn from Happier Than A Pig In Mud, a seasoned crafting/cooking/baking blogger, recently shared a healthy recipe using her propane grill and Bear Mountain BBQ wood pellets in a foil pan.

“I started by heating up my grill on high with the pellets in a pan right on top of the burner plates. Then I turned off the burners with the pellets, using more indirect heat for the pellets once the grill got hot. I cooked a grill pan meal with the lid down trapping the smoke. Since I was mostly curious to taste the smoky flavor, I only used olive oil and a little Montreal Steak seasoning. With pork tenderloin, peppers, onions and asparagus – this made one mighty fine meal.”

How to Use Wood Pellets to BBQ on Any Type of Grill

Want to add some smoky flavor to your grill game? Here’s a few ways to use bbq pellets without a wood pellet grill:

Sprinkle Method

Ideal for a charcoal grill setup, simply sprinkle a large handful of pellets on hot coals to get going. Close the lid to allow the pellets to smoke, not flame. Enjoy when your meat has reached the desired temperature.

Pan Method

Fill a small baking pan approximately 1/3 full with your choice of bbq wood pellets. Cover with foil and poke a few small holes in the middle of the foil. Place the pan on your grill’s heat source. Close the lid to allow the pellets to smoke – not flame. Enjoy when your meat has reached the desired temperature.

Foil Pouch Method

Fold a large handful of pellets in aluminum foil safe for grilling, and crimp the edges. Poke a few small holes in the foil pouch and place on or near the heat source.

If you really want to commit to infusing wood pellet smoke into your grilling, you could also consider using some stainless steel attachments made for this purpose. There are a wide variety of pellet smoker tubes designed to produce smoke for up to 5 hours.

Are you ready to grill like a pro? Bear Mountain BBQ Wood Pellets deliver the consistent quality you need to take your grill game to the next level. Order online for free shipping on 20-pound bags, available in 5 gourmet flavors!

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