Woodburning stove (logs not pellets) vs. Corn stove...Pros /Cons?

Question

I currently have a woodburning stove that needs to be replaced. A friend of ours says he has a corn stove and seems to be persuading my husband towards that. I need to know more before making a decision. I had never even heard of a corn stove. Any advice or suggestions?

Answer 1

The first corn stove was a modified wood pellet stove . It was done by a farmer in Iowa, when corn prices were low (~ 15 yrs ago?). He saved more by burning corn, instead of wood pellets, than he could have made on the corn. Soon , many other farmers in the area were doing it . Now it's fairly widespread . Which you should use, depends on the price(long-term).


Robert & hounddog are right about ethanol & effect on corn prices , IF things stay the same . The only reason that it is viable, is because of massive federal subsidies . Sugar cane, Switch Grass, and several other things are much more efficient for producing ethanol . The subsidies are the result of pandering & legalized bribery, & is foolishness on a grand scale . As such, it might not last , but it could . - ?????? Best bet would be a stove that could burn whatever you put in it, or one that is convertible.

Answer 2

Corn Stove Vs Pellet Stove

Answer 3

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Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Woodburning stove (logs not pellets) vs. Corn stove...Pros /Cons?
I currently have a woodburning stove that needs to be replaced. A friend of ours says he has a corn stove and seems to be persuading my husband towards that. I need to know more before making a decision. I had never even heard of a corn stove. Any advice or suggestions?

Answer 5

SHOPPING FOR A CORN-BURNING STOVE OR BOILER? -- QUESTIONS TO ASK

As you consider the purchase of a corn-burning stove or boiler, you will undoubtedly have many questions. Below you will find questions that are designed to help you gather the necessary information for making an informed decision. The answers to these questions may vary from model to model, and are also dependent on personal preferences and the anticipated location and function of the stove. However, satisfactory answers to all questions should be received from the dealer before committing to a purchase.

Does the corn-burning stove have UL or CSA certification on the testing label?


Does the operator's manual for the stove state that 100% shelled corn can be burned or must the corn be mixed with wood pellets for good combustion?


Are there any other fuels that can be burned in the corn-burning stove? If so, what adjustments or stove modifications are required to burn some other fuel?


How often will the supply hopper need to be filled when the stove is burning at full capacity?


What are the maintenance requirements of the corn-burning stove compared to other stoves? How often do clinkers need to be knocked loose and removed? Must an additive (such as oyster shells) be burned along with the corn to ease the cleaning requirements?


Are sugars from burning corn likely to accumulate in the combustion chamber? If so, what is the recommended way to remove the sugars?


Where can shelled corn be purchased in this area? Be sure to have a plan for storing the shelled corn you purchase for the heating season and perhaps beyond. (See the link on the web site to “Storage Requirements of Shelled Corn.”)


What is the recommended moisture content for the shelled corn in order to get good fuel combustion?


What type of exhaust ventilation system must be provided for the corn-burning stove? What are the local code requirements and insurance requirements for handling the combustion exhaust?


What size corn-burning stove is needed for the intended application? Is the house layout appropriate for the convective movement of the heated air throughout the whole house? You need to decide if the stove is intended to be the primary heat source for the building or if it is intended to serve as a supplementary or back-up source.


Can the corn-burning stove be connected with an existing hot water or hot air distribution system?


How much experience does the dealer have with installing and servicing corn-burning stoves and boilers?


Which stove models are intended for residential applications and which models are for commercial and industrial applications?


What warranty comes with the stove? Under what conditions will the warranty be voided?


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For more information please contact:
Dennis Buffington
Professor of Agricultural and Biological Engineering
Penn State University
Email: [e-mail]
814-865-2971 (Voice)
814-863-1031 (FAX)

Good luck, hope this helps.

Answer 6

I have seen a corn stove. You will use probably a ton of dried corn to heat your home all winter (you usually get great prices if you know a local farmer who will sell it to you), and your home will stay dry and warm all winter. Corn puts out excessive heat, so it doesn't take much. One of the best pros that I've seen is that if you start your fire in the morning, you don't have to keep it going all day - it just goes. My husband and I have been thinking about getting a corn stove just because it's cheaper, less work, cleaner, and holds heat for a longer time than having to poke and move wood all day to keep a fire going. The one con that I see may be that you have to have LOT of space to store the corn....but probably not much more than wood, if that.

Answer 7

Being from the West Coast (Sierra Nevada's), I have never heard of a corn-stove... though I would guess you'd get good BTU's out of shelled corn.

SUE is alittle off on her price comparison. To generate 1,000,000 BTUs it requires and costs:

Corn - 125 pounds and $20.44
Wood - .06 cords and $20.23
Pellets - 125 pounds and $15.65

However, I'd look at the YOUR cost of corn as a fuel. With the push to Ethanol and the many uses of corn-cobs in feed, silage, etc... I would think it might be expensive. I certainly know of no location where I could get sufficient corn... I guess it's a Midwest thing.

We have two log-stoves on the Ranch... and we are self-sufficient with 25 acres of oak and fir that tend to fall in winter storms. Those stoves have saved us thousands each year in our electrical bill (too rural for street-gas), even counting the time we have to put into bucking downed trees into stove length rounds, putting up for a season, splitting rounds into fire-wood, and letting season another year.

HERE is a website dealing in alternative fuels, and their comparison of fuels: http://www.alternative-heating-info.com/fuel_comparison.html

We ONLY had to BUY wood the first year.

Answer 8

we live in the cornbelt right in illinois..i tend to talk to a few farmers ...lets just say that they are happy..corn prices are going up and willl keep going up..around here there are about 4 etheanol plants also going in..that means higher corn prices..so what is a deal now..will not be for long.stay with the wood..the indoor ones smell at times but nothing beats a romantic night by the fire..and if you do get the corn stove..get a small grain cart to hold all that corn in..mice love corn

Answer 9

I never understood why people use wood stoves instead of fireplaces. Yeah we all need heat but no matter the quality of the stove it never gives the ambiance of a real log fire. As far as using corn, pellets etc. I think that those products are really just a fad. If you need heat and don't care to gaze upon the flames thenyou might as well sit in front of your clothes dryer.

Answer 10

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