Stories from Participants
Why Should You Consider a Pellet Stove?
Jimmy Cariss:
"I moved here from a hot climate and I’ve been freezing to death since the day I moved. I’m comfortable for the first time."
"This year I spent a lot less on pellets than I would have on oil. A lot less."
Lisa Ferguson:
"We’re saving some serious money over what we were paying for propane. And the best thing is that we’re warm."
"I can’t say enough how much more pleasant it is to live through a winter in Ithaca when your house is warm."
Todd Noyes:
"With the insulation I did notice it. I noticed that the heat was staying here a little bit longer, by a couple of degrees, you could tell the difference. And when the pellet stove came into play, you could definitely notice that it got a lot hotter."
Participants' Stories
Jimmy Cariss:
"In 2008 I moved into this house and shortly thereafter I ordered my first tank of oil. It cost me $800 for about ¾ of a tank. So, I started thinking about alternative heat sources that day."
"The first year, I had the thermostat at 65. My hands would get cold and I couldn’t warm up. I put gloves on and nothing happened! So, I had to turn the thermostat up a little bit. So, I burned more oil. And then, when I got the pellet stove, it all changed, because I wanted to use the furnace as little as I could. I set the pellet stove at 70 and it heats the whole house."
"I’m comfortable for the first time."
"When it’s cold outside – well under freezing – I use a little more than a bag a day. It works out to about four tons, plus or minus, in a heating season."
Lisa Ferguson:
"We knew that we had some weak spots, so the idea that this program was also going to include some retrofitting was attractive. And the interest-rate buydowns – an attractive thing. So, all of those things kind of played together and made it a possibility. "
"We’re saving some serious money over what we were paying for propane."
"And the best thing is that we’re warm!"
"The house was very cold when we moved in …
