Magnum Heat 

Did you buy enough bulk corn to make it through the winter?

Did you buy too many bags of wood pellets?

With winter gone and warm weather arriving soon, this is the perfect time to take inventory of how much fuel you needed this winter. While you “think” you’ll remember each fall, it’s likely you will be wishing you wrote it down. Taking inventory of how much corn or wood pellets you purchased each winter helps you calculate more accurately the next season and not purchase more than you need. Keeping record of your fuel quantity and fuel prices is also a great way to calculate your fuel savings. For some people who have been doing this for quite some time, the numbers can be astounding.

Whether you buy corn in bulk, a pallet of wood pellets, or switch it up each month all winter long, find a system that works for you to make notes of how much fuel you purchased and how long it lasted. Put it in a place you’re likely to find it next fall when the weather turns cold again. Keeping excess fuel isn’t recommended, and here’s an article that explores why.

Do you own an ash vac? Ash vacs are vacuums designed specifically to help with pellet stove and fireplace clean-up and maintenance. They do a wonderful job and make clean-up a snap. Ash vacs are powerful and can pick up even the finest of ash and soot. They are also designed and manufactured for this specific purpose, and when used properly they provide the safest option available.

However, with Spring here and projects around the home abundant, it may be tempting to use your ash vac for things for which it’s not intended. Make it your rule to resist using your ash vacuum for anything other than your fireplace or stove. This special vacuum has a dedicated purpose and is not intended to be used as a shop vac. Doing so can cause damage to its special make up and internal dust chamber bag, as well as make it unsafe for its intended purpose next fall when you need it.

By all means Spring clean your house, vacuum out your vehicles, and tidy your garage. Just use or borrow other vacuums to assist with your projects. Give your ash vac the summer off.

Pellet stoves know no age limit. People of all ages around the United States are finding comfort in Magnum brand pellet stoves, and Edna Parent is no exception. Edna is in her eighties, lives in Minnesota, and just purchased her second Magnum pellet stove for her single story home. Edna’s unique single story home is built into a hill side and features a spacious 30 by 30 foot family room where she recently installed her new Magnum Countryside pellet stove. “I just got a new one,” Edna says of her stove. “It puts out even heat, perfect for my home.”

Edna had a Winchester stove prior to her new Countryside, and has since given it to her son-in-law to heat his workshop. The Winchester put out almost too much heat for Edna’s home, so she switched. “My son-in-law has a Baby Countryside in their home, so he was happy to use the Winchester in his shop.”

What Edna loves the most about her new Countryside is the stirrer. “I burn wood pellets and thanks to the stirrer I don’t have hardly any ash in the pan. I really like how clean it burns and the even heat it puts out.” When asked about maintaining the pellet stove, Edna does it all herself. “I am able to manage to wheel the pellets in myself. When I need to clean out the stove, I just use the ash vac I bought. It makes the process very simple and easy to do.”

Quilting is one of Edna’s hobbies, and it’s the first thing she relates to her stove use in the winter. “I just finished the binding on a quilt yesterday. When I’m sitting here tying a quilt in front of my Countryside, I love the fact that I’m cozy. I want people to know just how much I enjoy the even heat of my stove.”

The United States Department of Agriculture announced their (REAP) Rural Energy for America Program grant application deadline has been extended. Up to 25% of eligible costs associated with a renewable energy project are available to qualifying applicants. This grant money is made available to rural farms and businesses looking to increase energy efficiencies or implement a related renewable energy project.

Since corn and wood pellet appliances are specifically listed in the information provided for the Rural Energy for America Program grant, we wanted to help spread the word to those who can apply before the deadline. The deadline has been extended to May 31, 2013. If you feel you may qualify, it is recommended that you apply right away. “An applicant’s renewable energy project cannot have purchased equipment or started construction before the grant application is received by the USDA. However, once USDA receipt is confirmed, a project may begin construction,” according to Clean Energy Resource Teams website.

You can find specific details about this grant and the necessary application forms here, on the USDA Rural Development website. Here is a specific .pdf of information mentioning corn/pellet burning appliances and a list of contacts in case you have questions during your application process.

The winters in Augusta, Maine can be brutal not only outside, but on one’s monthly heating budget as well. In February 2013, Jacob Michaud had had enough. He and his wife were burning through 200 gallons of fuel oil each month to heat their 3,500 square foot home. At current prices, this translated into a monthly heating bill of $700 or more. The thermostat was set to a modest 69 degrees, with every degree fluctuation translating into serious dollars. Jacob admits that they were hyper-aware of even opening the front door too long or warming the house another degree, in fear of what it would cost them.

Jacob grew up in a house that used traditional oil, with a supplemental wood stove. He was aware of the savings associated with burning wood, but definitely didn’t want the hassle. When several of his friends and co-workers switched to pellet stove heat, Jacob was intrigued. “I would go over to my friend’s house and see how warm and toasty they all were. I kept hearing how much people liked their pellet stoves, and what other people were spending. I did the math, and it really was a logical choice.”

Jacob continues, “I found a great deal on a Magnum Countryside display unit, and did my homework. I called American Energy Systems and the heating technician knew exactly what I needed to help me get the pellet stove home, installed, and pumping out heat. I can’t speak highly enough about their customer service. This company is personable, very helpful, and their follow-up is impeccable. I know there are other pellet stove manufacturers out there, but I’m certain I wouldn’t get the same level of care and concern I get from the staff at American Energy Systems.”

With this being Jacob’s first year owning and using a pellet stove, he’s experimented with several kinds of wood pellets. He’s found he prefers a quality wood pellet with a 35% soft wood content to generate the most heat in his stove. He’s considering giving corn a try, but is quite happy with the heat he’s getting now. Although he’s only had his stove a few short months, Jacob already estimates it has saved him hundreds of dollars.

His advice for others considering a pellet stove? “Do the math. Spend a few minutes in someone’s home who has a pellet stove, and you’ll understand how much heat is generated for considerably less money. This Magnum Countryside pellet stove is minimal work, but the payoff is big!”

With the weather hopefully turning warmer soon, our thoughts naturally turn in the direction of renewing the domestic space around us. Thinking beyond your run-of-the-mill spring cleaning, you can use this season to maintain, repair or replace systems, appliances and accessories around your home. What should you focus on?

Safety should be a paramount concern, and springtime is a good time to replace smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors. Take advantage of this go-round to replace the batteries with rechargeable ones, which will save you money in the long run over disposables. Make sure that your pellet stove, fireplace, or wood burning appliance  are cleaned and maintained according to your specific appliance to ensure that you’re getting everything out of them that you can. Don’t just shut it down for the season without giving it some attention. Take a look at your garage and make sure you’re not storing toxic or flammable compounds for no reason.

Your home can be better than ever heading into the climate and traditions of high summer. Ensure that your gutters are cleaned and clear for spring rains, and keep in mind that a rainwater collection system will not only help you in the garden, it will be a great benefit to your water bill as well. Ensure that your air conditioner filters have been replaced well before the heat wave so you’re not pushing the limits of your unit unnecessarily. Take another look at your garage – is this the year you replace you haul out and recycle old appliances or donate what you aren’t using?

This is also a great time of year to take strides toward saving money for next winter. Take advantage of when you empty your attic for the inevitable yard sale to eye the condition of your home insulation. As temperatures rise and your home stays warmer in the evening, this is a great time of year to replace insulation with newer, more energy-efficient materials, piecemeal if you have to. Now that you may not need them as much, this is also a good time to make sure your chimney, hood and flue (as applicable) are clean and clear.

Spring is a time of renewal, and it’s more than ever a time for new initiative, creative thinking and inspiration. Take a look around your house and use that energy today!

Greenhouses and nurseries have unique needs when it comes to controlling temperatures and heating vast spaces during less than ideal weather. Consistency is important, as are choices and control. When you mix in the need for finding environmentally friendly options that save money, your selection automatically reduces. That’s why greenhouses, nurseries, and garden centers around the United States are taking a closer look at using renewable energy for heat and turning to the solutions provided by American Energy Systems.

Our team recognizes the importance of protecting your plant investments, while reducing overhead. In colder climates, the demand for plants, trees, vegetables, flowers, and fruits doesn’t diminish just because the weather turns cold. The heat bill just gets higher, right? But it doesn’t have to. We want you to find the competitive advantage for your business. Call now to speak with our heating specialists who have helped other nurseries, garden centers, and greenhouses find a renewable energy solution that is cheaper and more effective (1-800-495-3196) and read through this helpful resource designed for greenhouses.

If you have a pellet stove or fireplace, then you’ve got some nice gardening products readily available come spring. The ash byproducts from your stove can be emptied right to your garden plot all winter long, or can be moved from their temporary spot to your flower or vegetable garden when the ground thaws. Clinkers (the solid ash you find in your fire pot) result from burning corn. Both clinkers and the ash from burning wood pellets make great organic fertilizer.

In addition to having readily available garden fertilizer to get your garden going naturally, here are some other organic gardening tips we’ve pulled together for you:

• Plant a variety of herbs and flowers that naturally repel various pests from your garden. It can be as simple as planting things like marigolds, dill, and basil close to specific other plants. There seems to be an bit of an art to it though, as placement makes all the difference. For a nice tutorial on deterring garden pests by planting specific items, visit Wellness Mama who has an excellent, detailed article on this.
• A series of sprays can be made to spray on leaves of plants using things like onions, garlic, and cayenne pepper. For some easy recipes and instructions, visit Organic Gardening.
• Another common recommendation is building a raised garden bed, bringing the growing area up off the ground. BLEND: Better Living and Exercise Daily shared a story of building these types of beds, along with pictures so you can visualize how you might take advantage of this option to help control pests and weeds.

Do you have a good organic gardening tip you’d like to share? Maybe you have a resource that is very helpful that you can recommend to someone starting their first garden. Share your comments below and post your pictures to our Facebook fan page, Heating Your Home with Alternative Energy.

We want to share one of our customer’s stories with you. Their story addresses their decision to burn wood pellets versus corn at the current rate (2012-13) per bushel, and they are willing to share their experience with you. This family is in the Upper Midwest and owns a Magnum Countryside 3500P.

Last summer when he watched the severe drought sweep across the country, Steve’s mind naturally wandered to our nation’s farmers and their crops. When the rain just didn’t materialize, crops failed and the price of corn steadily rose. By fall it was clear that the price of corn was going to be considerably higher than last year at the same time, so Steve started discussing his best fuel options with his wife.

Four years ago they purchased a Magnum Countryside, and immediately started burning corn. They fell in love with the hot, consistent heat that corn provides. No matter how cold or stormy the harsh Northern winter got outside, corn was able to keep their two-story home on a hill very comfortable. Yet, they bought the stove to save money and they needed to make sensible decisions.

After consulting a farmer, their local supplier of corn, the decided they should switch to wood pellets for the winter. Burning wood pellets would save them a little money, although they really debated whether or not they should just buy corn at the $7.50/bushel price. In the end, they opted to buy a good quality wood pellet with low ash content and give it a try. “He actually told us he wasn’t planning to burn corn in his own stove, so we thought we should strongly consider wood pellets,” says Steve.

The first thing they noticed was less ash in the pan, which was nice. However, wood pellets seemed to create more smoke and ash in the burning area (that just didn’t make it to the ash pan), and they continually fought to keep the glass clean. Eventually, they gave up trying to keep the glass clear and realized burning wood pellets would be a different experience than corn.

While the heat output was sufficient, it wasn’t near as hot as corn. When they usually burned corn in the stove on a level 1 for mild winter days and a level 2 for colder winter days, they had to burn wood pellets in the stove on a minimum of a level 3 to reach the same level of comfort. Higher levels burn through fuel faster, and while they knew they were saving much more than burning propane, they started to doubt wood pellets were actually saving them money from corn.

They report that their biggest struggle with burning wood pellets was an inconsistent flame and pellet build up that just didn’t happen with corn. They had to continually adjust air flow, shut down to clean up all the excess ash, etc. In hindsight, they wished they would have at least mixed wood pellets with shelled corn for a steadier and hotter flame.

It was a good experience burning wood pellets for an entire season, but Steve and his wife now appreciate the benefits of burning clean, dry shelled corn. Furthermore, they are thankful they decided on a flex-fuel appliance that will always give them options; leaving them in control of what they burn.

Do you have a story you’d like to share with us? We’d love to hear from you! Contact us today!

If you own a pellet stove, then you are used to regular maintenance, cleaning out the hopper, emptying the ash pan, etc. A part of your regular maintenance should include removing any dust from inside your stove, around the motor and internal parts. Just like dust can build up over time on your television or bookshelves, dust can accumulate on and in your pellet stove. We know what tough workhorses our pellet stoves are, but they still need preventative maintenance so you can enjoy warm, reliable heat all season long. Therefore, make sure you gently remove dust from inside your stove.

If you run your furnace fan to circulate air, make sure you change the filter to trap more dust. Also, if it’s been a while since you’ve had your house vents and duct work cleaned, doing so can greatly reduce the amount of dust in the air and around your house.

If you have other maintenance questions, you can consult your manual, check our YouTube channel for helpful videos, and connect with us on Facebook. Do you have a question we can answer for you?