HOLDEN, Maine (NEWS CENTER) –
While many people are happy about the warm winter and low heating costs, that combination is putting some businesses in a pinch. They include pellet manufacturers and the people that sell pellet stoves.
The cost of pellet heat hasn't dropped like the price of oil. That's why some businesses in Eastern Maine say they've seen a drop in sales this season.
The general manager at Granville Stone and Hearth in Holden says pellet stove sales are off 80% at his store from the past few years. Normally, wintertime, which includes the end of the fourth sales quarter and beginning of the first is busy for the showroom there.
Evergreen Home and Hearth which has stores in Ellsworth and Brewer says its stove sales are off by only 10% from last year and pellets themselves 30%
Both stores say their gas appliances are becoming more popular, though.
According to a report from the governor's office released last week, gas is just slightly more expensive to heat with than pellets but oil is notably cheaper than both right now.
That means way fewer bags of pellets are being brought in and sold than usual.
"Last year we were calling our manufacturers to get more pellet fuel because people were looking for them," said Justin DiFrederico. "This year, it's the reverse. The manufacturers are calling us trying to give us incentives to buy pellets because they have quite a supply of them."
DeFrederico says his store is selling more natural gas products and is trying to diversify what it sells to make up for the low pellet stove sales.
