You want the most significant outcomes whether you use your wood pellets for your stove or grill. The best wood pellets should be used as a starting point for the most outstanding results, but wood pellet storage should also be considered. So how are wood pellets stored? It could initially seem a little scary because they’re sometimes offered in 40-pound bags. Still, these wood pellet storage instructions will help keep your wood pellets fresh and ready to use.
WOOD PELLETS STORAGE
Wood pellet storage doesn’t have to be complicated. To safeguard the material and extend its lifespan, you only need to be aware of the ideal environmental conditions. Use a pellet storage container that keeps out ecological elements like pests and water to achieve the best protection.
Whether a little wood pellet or a massive beam in a building, moisture can destroy any kind of wood. Your wood pellets’ quality will be compromised by humidity or water exposure, which affects how well you can regulate temperature and how much smoke you can produce. Moisture destroys your entire batch of pellets and whatever you’re trying to prepare if you use them for grilling.
A five-gallon bucket with an airtight top, which you can buy at your neighbourhood home improvement store, makes the ideal wood pellet storage container. Put your fresh wood pellets in the bucket after removing them from their box, then tighten the cover. The bag your pellets arrive in works well for transferring the material. Still, it’s not ideal after you open it for storage. Unsealed pellet bags allow all kinds of airborne pollutants, such as dampness and fungus, to enter.
The bags must be stacked opposite if you retain your pellets in their original packing. Allowing air to pass through guarantees that the pressure is the same on every bag and prevents moisture buildup between loads.
All the above information is applicable regardless of when or where you keep your wood pellets. Still, you’ll need to take a few extra precautions for specific places and seasons of the year:
STORING WOOD PELLETS INDOORS
If the circumstances are ideal, indoor wood pellet storage is the best way to keep your pellets secure. A basement, garage, or shed is a great storage location since it keeps your pellets out of the way yet close by. Make sure the inside rooms are appropriate for storing wood pellets.
Suppose your basement is susceptible to flooding or humidity. In that case, you might want to look for another location to store your pellets. If the basement is your only choice, don’t give up. Use a dehumidifier and keep the containers off the ground by placing them on shelves or in another elevated location.
If you have access to alternative storage facilities, make use of them. If you have room for it, your garage or shed can be the ideal location to store your wood pellet containers. They could be out of the elements yet conveniently adjacent to your stove or smoker. Even if you cover your containers, you should maintain them sealed since it will help keep pests out.
WOOD PELLETS STORAGE OUTDOORS
If you don’t have space indoors, you may store your wood pellets outside, albeit more environmental conditions could create issues. If you use wood pellets in a smoker or outdoor stove, you’ll also have easy access to them. Keep them in the following places for outdoor wood pellet storage:
- In a container that is sealed
- Rain-protected under a cover
- above ground
If you need to bring your wood pellets inside, keep an eye on the weather. Put your pellet storage containers on wooden pallets or other raised surfaces and cover them with tarps if you don’t have the room. You should seal your containers, but you don’t want to take the chance of having water go inside and damage your pellets. Tarps will also keep your storage containers dry, saving you the time and effort of opening them up to get the pellets after drying them off.
WOOD PELLETS ARE STORAGE THROUGHOUT THE SEASONS
You might need to make minor alterations to your storage plan when the seasons change, depending on your storage option and the area where you reside. To safeguard your wood pellets in storage throughout the year, take into account the following adjustments:
Spring:
Pellet fuel storage is essential because you’re almost done with your stove. You won’t need your heating pellets until the following winter, so keep them in an airtight container in a hidden location like the basement or garage. Protect the pellets from moisture if spring is a wet season where you live.
Summer:
If you cook with wood pellets in the summer, chances are good that you’re making some delectable smoked BBQ. Pellets should be kept away from water sources and your smoker. Your wood pellets may be at risk from lawn sprinklers, hoses, swimming pools, and other spots where water likes to collect.
Fall:
You might want to get your heating pellets back as the weather becomes cooler. If the location where your heating pellets were stored was suitable, put those away and move your heating pellets back to a convenient location.
Winter:
It’s preferable to keep wood pellets indoors throughout the winter since snow might potentially contaminate them with moisture. Since you won’t have to venture outside into the chilly weather to fuel your pellet stove, it will be convenient. If you must leave your pellets outside, however, make sure to keep them off the ground and covered. Move the snow out of the path of your storage bins so that it won’t affect your pellets when it melts.