Apparently Gune kitty really likes being warm.
So I have the stove breakdown for you guys. I used a 10% off coupon and we got a pellet stove, vent pipe kit, and hole saw for drilling for $1250. Hearth pads run an average of $350-400, but I saw an ad on craigslist and got our beautiful solid stone hearth for $30 from the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. It panicked me to spend that money, right down to my cold, numb toes.
I have to be realistic about costs, though. With the inefficient heat pump, our electricity was fastly approaching over $300 a month. We estimate at the rate we’re currently burning pellets, we’ll save nearly $75-100 a month on our electrical bill alone. The stove we bought also qualifies for a $300 federal tax credit, so we should recoup our cost in total by the end of next winter. That even factors in purchasing the pellets.
We had been without heat for two weeks as our heat pump was so horribly inefficient that it was only blowing cold air into our home. Being warm is such a small thing, but so vital. It has made me appreciate more the roof over our head and the food on our table. If you have the opportunity this winter, please donate a blanket or a coat to someone in need. Everyone deserves to curl up someplace warm.
Andi B.