How Many Bags of Pellets to Heat a 1,000 Square Foot House?

A 1,000 sq ft house heated only by a pellet stove takes about 115 bags of 40 lb (2.3 tons) for a winter in a moderate climate, with average insulation and a typical 80% stove. That is about 0.8 bags a day over a 150-day season and $805 at $7 a bag.

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Pellets for the winter

115 40 lb bags

2.3 tons

What to buy

In pallets (50 bags each)2.3 pallets
Bags per day, on average0.8 bags

In tons: 2.29 tons
In pallets (50 bags each): 2.3 pallets
Cost at your bag price$350.00 per ton: 805 dollars
Bags per day, on average: 0.8 bags
Heat to come from pellets: 30.0 million BTU

A rough planning estimate: winters, houses and burn habits differ. The kBTU per ft² climate figures and the insulation factors (0.8 well insulated, 1.25 poor) are rough planning values, not published standards. Most stoves use more in cold snaps and less in mild weeks. Buy a little extra, and keep pellets dry, off the floor and out of the damp.

Before you buy: round up to whole packs, check the size printed on the label, and add a little spare. Your supplier has the final say.

Pellets for 1,000 sq ft, by climate

Pellets as the only heat, average insulation, a typical 80% stove and pellets of about 8,200 BTU a pound. Bags are 40 lb, and the cost is at $7 a bag.

Climate	40 lb bags	Tons	Bags a day	Cost
Mild (15 kBTU per sq ft)	58	1.1	0.4	$406
Moderate (30 kBTU per sq ft)	115	2.3	0.8	$805
Cold (45 kBTU per sq ft)	172	3.4	1.1	$1,204
Very cold (60 kBTU per sq ft)	229	4.6	1.5	$1,603

By insulation, as the only heat or half of it

Bags for a winter in a moderate climate. Use the half column if a furnace or another heater does the rest.

Insulation	All the heat	Half the heat
Well insulated	92	46
Average	115	58
Poor or drafty	143	72

Insulation changes the number more than you might think

For 1,000 sq ft in a moderate climate, a well-insulated house needs about 92 bags a winter, an average one 115 and a drafty one 143. The gap between the tight house and the drafty one is 51 bags, about $357 a year at $7 a bag.

Sealing drafts around doors and windows and topping up attic insulation is the cheapest way to cut that number, and it helps every winter after. See the attic insulation calculator for how much it takes.

These are planning estimates: the climate and insulation figures are rough values, and a stove burns more in a cold snap than on an average day. Buy a little extra and keep the bags dry and off the floor. For wood heat, see how much firewood to heat a 1,000 sq ft house.

Want to change anything else? The calculator above is the full How Many Pellets Do I Need for Winter?: edit any number and the results update instantly.

Tools & materials for this project

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Wood pellets (40 lb bags)Pellet stove ash vacuum Pellet stove glass cleaner Carbon monoxide alarm Pallet dolly or hand truck

Frequently asked questions

How many bags of pellets to heat a 1,000 sq ft house?

About 115 bags of 40 lb (2.3 tons) for a winter in a moderate climate, with average insulation, an 80% stove and pellets as the only heat. That is about 0.8 bags a day over 150 days.

How many tons of pellets for a 1,000 sq ft house?

About 2.3 tons (115 bags) in a moderate climate with average insulation, from 1.1 tons in a mild climate to 4.6 tons in a very cold one.

Does insulation cut pellet use?

Yes. For 1,000 sq ft the estimate falls from 143 bags in a drafty house to 92 in a well-insulated one.

Related sizes and guides

Related sizes

Estimates only. Results assume standard materials and simple shapes. Supplier products vary, and the final call on quantity, structure and safety is yours. Check your local code and your supplier's guidance before ordering.

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