About Pellet Heaters

The solution to pollution

Wood heat is the best heat without a doubt, however the many disadvantages of having to collect wood and light messy fires are well known and hence the recent trend to more convenient forms of heating derived from gas and coal. But these are fossil fuels and the effect on our environment is well accepted.

 

So the answer is a wood pellet fire which produces the same heat as a wood fire but is fueled by waste sawdust in the form of pellets, derived from the milling of plantation timber. This means that native trees are not cut down just to provide home heating and as the fuel comes from plantation timber only, and we know that new trees are being planted all the time, it follows that the carbon emissions from burning pellets are brought back by the new trees.

This can be measured and audited and thus the use of this fuel is carbon neutral!!

In fact , it is better still, because these fires produce up to 10kw of heat which means that the equivalent amount of gas and coal stays safely underground thus reducing emissions even further.

Wood pellet fires also offer the benefits of self feeding, self igniting and produce no smoke. Added to this are programmable timers and thermostatic operation and there is no mess in the house.

You can view a number of wood pellet fires in our showrooms and there you can discuss your heating requirements with our expert staff who can take you through the purchase and installation of your fire as well as the servicing requirements and supply of pellet fuel.

Fuel

Typical consumption of wood pellet fuel in Victoria is one tonne per year which is far more economical and a lot less work than handling 5/10 tonnes of firewood. Fuel can be purchased from us by the tonne or by the bag and can also be delivered by courier. Wood pellet fuel qualifies for the Victorian Government Winter Energy Concession.

66 bags approximately = 5 tonnes of red gum!

Price

These fires vary in price from model to model but are similar to gas fires. Price of wood pellet fuel is *$17.00  per bag.

*this cost may vary dependent on supplier

Summary

Can you imagine all the charm and heat of a wood fire at the touch of a button or already running when you come home or arise in the morning, With no mess to clean up and the knowledge that you are improving the environment?
Wheel Heat is a distributor of various brands of pellet heaters and we are well placed to meet the demand for sustainable and economical home heating for Australians and the World. Mind you, the rest of the Planet has been doing this for many years and we, in Australia,  are the last to figure it out?

Commonly asked questions

How much electricity does a pellet fire use?
Pellet fires require a powerpoint nearby to run the fans and igniter etc. and these figures are typical – Low 54w / High 112w and 200w during ignition for several minutes.

What are the running costs?
Typical consumption of pellet fuel is about 1 tonne per year which costs *$17.00 per bag. This is much cheaper than LPG and firewood and is comparable to natural gas. This comparison will improve as the price of electricity and gas continues to rise.

*this cost may vary dependent on supplier

With the cost of natural gas expected to rise in the near future, there has never been a better time to look at a wood pellet heater.   

You can find some stories regarding the gas price rise by following the links below:-

 

How much ash?
Less than 1% of ash is produced which means emptying the ash pan only several times during the year.

Can my existing flue be used?

No, because pellet fires operate entirely differently to wood heaters, a dedicated pellet fire flue is required.   Wood heater flues are typically too long and of the wrong diameter which has an adverse effect on the pellet fire efficiency.

What are the emissions?
Less than 0.6 grams per kg which is the lowest of any solid fuel fire and 6x lower than EPA requirements. There is no smoke.

What is the heating efficiency?
Between 85 and 94%.

What about servicing?
We offer full service facilities for your pellet fire in your own home and recommend this to be carried out after 12 months or one tonne of fuel consumed and then generally place the fire on a two year or two tonne service cycle. For those remote from us we can suggest a self service routine or the fire can be returned to our workshop after several years for a factory service. We sell wood pellet fires, and we are able to repair many brands of pellet fires in our Wonthaggi workshop.

Typical Heater Installations