Alternative Heating
Damariscotta Hardware provides a variety of fuels to fit all your heating needs. Whether you need fuel for a campfire or to heat your home, Damariscotta Hardware has just what you need. Our product line includes Premium Wood pellets for use in pellet stoves, anthracite coal (bagged or bulk)for use in coal stoves and BioBricks, Envi Blocks and firewood for use in woodstoves, fireplaces or firepits. Delivery is available for all of these products. Cordwood can be purchased through our strategic partner FRICK& FRACK FIREWOOD. The Stove Center at Damariscotta Hardware sells stoves for burning all of these fuels as well as propane.
Prices subject to change without notice
Bio-Fuel Bricks
These are an environmentally sound alternative to natural cordwood. They offer many benefits that cordwood does not. They're a compressed all wood product made from clean, dry recycled
hardwood sawdust and shavings with no additives. They are ideally sized for woodstoves. One pallet of these brings as much heat to your home as a cord of seasoned cordwood. They are
cheaper than fuel oil, burn cleaner and are greenhouse gas neutral. Damariscotta Hardware currently offers 4 types of bio-fuel bricks, Envi & Envi8 Blocks,and Made in Maine BTU Bricks and EnV Briq.
Wood Pellets
Wood pellets are an environmentally friendly, natural renewable fuel made from clean sawdust and other wood waste. They are made specifically for pellet burning stoves. Damariscotta Hardware stocks premium wood pellets from Barefoot Pellet Co., New England Pellet Co.and Inferno Wood Pellet Co. Premium pellets are made with hardwood sawdust which makes them extremely efficient in terms of low emission, clean burning and high heat. They also produce very low ash content due to the quality of the sawdust used. wood pellets provide the cleanest burn of any solid fuel. See the proof at the EPA site.
Coal
Anthracite(hard coal) is one of the cleanest and economic solid fuels today. It has an even heat flow and high BTU output which makes it one of the warmest and comfortable heat sources. It produces virtually no smoke or pollution, therefore making it an environmentally sound fuel. This is due to it's low sulfur and high carbon content. Damariscotta Hardware stocks on site 40lb. poly bags in rice, pea, nut and stove size. Coal is the least expensive fuel per BTU output. www.blaschakcoal.com/Advantage.htm
Green vs Seasoned vs Kiln Dried
The definitions of green wood or seasoned wood are difficult to nail down and generally you get into a long discussion of all of the variables involved in burning wood (type of wood, average
relative humidity, etc.).
Here are some of our thoughts, guided by considerable input from Peter Lammert, Project Forester, Forest Policy and Management Division, Maine Forest Service, Department of Conservation.
Green wood is freshly cut and split wood that has a moisture content of 35% or more.
Seasoned wood has been cut and split for at least 3 months and generally has a 20% to 35% moisture content.
Kiln dried wood has gone through a process of heating to extract moisture from the wood resulting in a moisture content of 19% or less.
The amount of moisture in the wood that goes into your stove plays a huge role in how much heat you get out. It is also a major factor in creosote buildup. Let's stick to the discussion
of heat and leave the creosote discussion for another day.
According to Tim Cork on his blog, one pound of very dry wood (zero moisture content) of any species has a calorific value of 8,600 BTUs. Moisture in the wood reduces the recoverable heat
because the water must first be vaporized and the vaporized moisture will carry heat up the chimney. Each pound of water vaporized uses about 1200 BTUs. When the math gets done it tells us
that wood that has 20% moisture has a heat value of about 7000 BTUs per pound.
Peter Lammert has stated that kiln dried wood is about 20% more efficient than seasoned wood. The cost difference between seasoned and kiln dried is justified on the efficiency alone.
Throw in that kiln dried has no bugs, will generate less creosote, is lighter to carry, and easier to ignite and kiln dried is the clear winner.
The moral of this story is simple. When it comes to wood, get the moisture out and keep it out.
Hazards Relating to Stove Appliances
FIRE
Chimney fires will be on the news this winter. There are two major reasons for chimney fires:
- Creosote build up within the chimney ignites. If it sounds like a freight train is in your chimney, shut down your stove and call the fire department. Intense heat can crack open a chimney and cause the fire to spread quickly.
- Cracks and crevices inside the chimney. Even if the chimney is lined with clay tiles. Age and weather may have worked their evil ways to open opportunities for the hot exhaust get into the structure.
Embers falling out of any stove can easily ignite combustible material such as rugs and furniture. That's why "clearance to combustibles" is very important to observe. Along the same lines, radiant heat from a stove can ignite walls, molding, etc. if the stove is too close. Get a smoke/fire alarm. Have a fire extinguisher handy. Use floor and wall protection. Observe clearances to combustibles.
CARBON MONOXIDE
Burning fossil fuels creates carbon monoxide. It is a colorless, oderless, tasteless, highly toxic gas.
- 0.1 ppm - natural background atmosphere level
- 0.5 to 5 ppm - average background level in homes
- 5 to 15 ppm - levels near properly adjusted gas stoves in homes
- 100-200 ppm - Mexico City central area from autos etc
- 5,000 ppm - chimney of a home wood fire
- 7,000 ppm - undiluted warm car exhaust - without catalytic converter
- 30,000 ppm - undiluted cigarette smoke
- Get a carbon monoxide detector and keep the batteries fresh
SMOKE
Smoke inhalation is the primary cause of death in victims of indoor fires. Get a smoke detector and keep the batteries fresh.
GAS
Propane is heavier than air. If a leak in a propane fuel system occurs, the gas will have a tendency
to sink into any enclosed area and thus poses a risk of explosion and fire. If you smell gas, shut off the gas and call your gas company from your neighbor's phone.
BURNS
Touching a hot stove causes burns. Duh. Wear stove gloves when adding fuel to wood stoves or coal stoves. Screens add a barrier and should be used if children are present.
| Fuel | Price | Pkg or Bag | Pallet | |
| WOOD STOVES | ||||
| Envi 8s | $5.99 | Pkg/6 | $310/ton | |
| Envi Blocks | $4.99 | Pkg/3 | $310/ton | |
| BTU Bricks | $3.99 | Pkg/9 | $269/ton | EnV Briq | $5.99 | Box/12 | $299/ton |
| PELLETS | ||||
| New England | $6.99 | 40lb. bag | $279/ton | |
| Barefoot | $7.99 | 40lb. bag | call for ton pricing | |
| Inferno Wood Pellets | $5.99 | 40lb. bag | $249/ton | |
| COAL | ||||
| Bagged (Rice. Pea, Nut & Stove) | $7.99 | 40lb. bag | $426.00/pallet (60 bags) | |
| DELIVERY CHARGE | ||||
| $2.00/loaded mile | pallet goods | $25.00 Minimum Delivery Charge | ||