Rex says
Money math without the spreadsheet headache. Plug in your numbers and I'll show you exactly where the dollars land.
Try a scenario
Click to load — tweak from there.Inputs
Result
Seasonal fuel cost
$1,167
Fuel needed (cords or tons)
4.17
Cost per delivered MMBtu
$19.44
Unit
cords
Psst — share this and help Rex grow
One click, a permanent link with your numbers baked in.
How to use this
- 1Enter seasonal heating load (MMBtu).
- 2Enter fuel type.
- 3Enter stove efficiency (%).
- 4Enter price per cord ($).
- 5Enter price per ton of pellets ($).
- 6Read your seasonal fuel cost on the right — it updates as you type.
- 7Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone.
About this calculator
Compares seasonal heating cost between a cordwood stove and a pellet stove based on your heating load, each fuel's heat content, and stove efficiency (cordwood stoves run 65-80% efficient depending on age and EPA certification; modern pellet stoves run 75-90%). Cordwood is usually far cheaper per delivered Btu if you have access to it below market rate (or free/self-cut), but pellet stoves offer thermostat control and auto-feed convenience that cordwood can't match. This tool also converts your answer into cords or tons needed for the season so you can plan fuel purchases and storage.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Seasonal heating load: 60 MMBtu
- Fuel type: Seasoned cordwood (~20 MMBtu/cord)
- Stove efficiency: 72 %
- Price per cord: 280 $
- Price per ton of pellets: 260 $
Results
- Seasonal fuel cost: $1,167
- Fuel needed (cords or tons): 4.17
- Cost per delivered MMBtu: $19.44
- Unit: cords
What each field means
Inputs
- Seasonal heating load (MMBtu)
- The seasonal heating load used in the calculation, measured in MMBtu. Starts at 60 MMBtu so you have a working example on load.
- Fuel type
- Pick the option that matches your situation — the maths changes per option. Choices: Seasoned cordwood (~20 MMBtu/cord), Wood pellets (~16.5 MMBtu/ton).
- Stove efficiency (%)
- The stove efficiency used in the calculation, measured in %. Starts at 72 % so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 40–95 %.
- Price per cord ($)
- The price per cord used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 280 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Price per ton of pellets ($)
- The price per ton of pellets used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 260 $ so you have a working example on load.
Results
- Seasonal fuel cost
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars and shown as the headline result. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Fuel needed (cords or tons)
- Returned as a decimal number. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Cost per delivered MMBtu
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Unit
- Returned as a plain value. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
FAQ
How many cords does an average house burn per winter?
A primary-heat wood stove in a cold climate typically burns 3-5 cords per season for a mid-size, moderately insulated home; a supplemental stove used to offset a furnace might burn 1-2 cords. This scales directly with your heating load input and local climate severity.
Why is stove efficiency so variable?
Older non-catalytic stoves and open fireplaces run 40-65% efficient, sending a lot of heat up the chimney; modern EPA-certified stoves (2020 standards) run 70-80%, and catalytic or pellet stoves with combustion blowers can reach 85-90%. A 20-point efficiency gap roughly changes your fuel bill by that same percentage.
Is cordwood really cheaper than pellets?
At typical retail prices ($250-$350/cord seasoned hardwood vs $250-$320/ton pellets), cordwood usually wins per delivered Btu, especially if you can source, season, or cut your own wood. Pellets win on convenience: no splitting/stacking, consistent moisture content, and thermostat-controlled auto-feed.
Does wood moisture content matter?
Significantly — unseasoned (green) wood at 40-50% moisture can lose 30-40% of usable heat to evaporating that water instead of heating your house, and it also causes more creosote buildup. Properly seasoned wood (under 20% moisture, typically 6-12 months of covered outdoor drying) is essential for the efficiency numbers used in this calculator to hold.
Accuracy and limitations
- Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.
- Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.
- This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant.
Related tools
Cite this calculator
Writing about this topic? Grab a citation — every link helps keep these tools free.
RevenueLab. (2026). Wood & Pellet Stove Operating Cost Calculator. Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/wood-pellet-stove-cost
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/wood-pellet-stove-cost" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wood & Pellet Stove Operating Cost Calculator — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Source: [Wood & Pellet Stove Operating Cost Calculator — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/wood-pellet-stove-cost) (2026).