Unfortunately, buying the best wood pellets won’t do you any good if you’re not storing them properly.
Wood pellets, in general, are made of natural hardwood, which makes it easy for them to absorb moisture. When this happens, your wood pellets lose the flavor they give to your meat, and the energy-efficient feature would be useless.
Therefore, a bad wood pellet can ruin your pellet grilling experience.
But, don’t worry. Because as long as you can store your wood pellets properly, they will last much longer.
In this article, we’re going to share with you how to:
- Store Indoors
- Store Outdoors
- The best way to store throughout the seasons
We’re also sharing effective storage tips that you should never forget to keep wood pellets in good conditions no matter where or when you’ll store them. So, if this is something that you know can help you, read on…
Storing Wood Pellets Indoors
Indoors is probably the safest place to store wood pellets. That is, if the area meets the right conditions.
It doesn’t matter if you store your wood pellets under a shed, inside your garage, in your basement, in your kitchen, etc. What matters is that you need to make sure that the place is not prone to flooding or humidity.
If it is and you don’t have any other places to store your wood pellets, you can use dehumidifiers to help control the humidity of the room. If it’s a flood you’re worried about, you can place the wood pellet container on top of shelves or anywhere else but the floor.
Storing Wood Pellets Outdoors
Outdoors may not be the safest area to store wood pellets because there are more external conditions that you’d need to think about. This includes rain, strong winds, dust, etc.
However, there’s also no denying that storing wood pellets outdoors is more convenient as they are more accessible, especially when you’re out in the backyard and grilling.
So, if you want this convenience, there are three things you need to do to keep your wood pellets in good condition:
- Store your wood pellets in an airtight container to ensure that no water or dust can get inside.
- Cover your airtight container in case it rains.
- Keep the container off the ground in case it floods.
- Monitor weather conditions.
The fourth one is very important. You need to monitor weather conditions so that if you think it’s going to rain hard, you have the option to move your wood pellet container indoors or place extra protection on them like a tarp.
Storing Wood Pellets Throughout the Seasons
You can choose to either store your wood pellets indoors or outdoors. But regardless of which locations you prefer, storing ideas may also differ depending on the time of the year, aka the season.
As we know, weather conditions are different depending on the season. Summer is probably the most favorable season for wood pellets, so you wouldn’t need a lot of extra precautions, while winter is when you need to double your effort.
See how you can protect your wood pellets through each season below:
Spring
Spring is the season when the temperature slowly rises. It’s the transition between winter to summer, which means that you might not be needing your heating pellets for a while.
During this season, an airtight container is highly recommended to store your pellets. It’s also highly recommended to keep them indoors, like in your garage or basement, as it might take a few months before you’ll need them again for summer and winter.
As mentioned above, place the containers in elevated areas, so they don’t get wet in case of a flood. This is especially if springtime in your area is prone to rain. Cover the containers with a tarp, too, to make things more secure.
Summer
Summer is the hottest season, which means the chances of rain and flooding are very minimal. This is also the perfect season to store your wood pellets outside, so it’s easier for you to access them when you need to fill up your hopper.
Just remember to keep your container away from the pellet grill. You should also make sure that they’re away from any water sources like the pool, hoses, etc. It’s still highly recommended to keep containers covered and keep them in elevated areas.
Fall
Fall is the transition from summer to winter, which means it’s the time of the year when the temperature starts to go down.
This also means that the grilling season is over, and it’s time to store your wood pellets away. And make sure to keep them in an airtight container and a room with less moisture because you might not need them until after a couple of months. You want to make sure that you still have good wood pellets to use for the next grilling season.
You might also want to get your heating pellets out now to prepare for the cold winter season. However, since the room might be prone to moisture and humidity, keep them in airtight containers and use dehumidifiers if you must.
Winter
The winter season is the coldest, and it’s probably best if you keep all your pellets indoors during this time. It’s also the most convenient for you when you need to use your heating pellets.
If you have no space inside, then you can keep them out but make sure to keep them elevated and covered. Make sure to continuously shovel the snow away from your storage so that when it melts, there’s very minimal risk that you would damage your wood pellets.
Storage Tips
Now that you know where to best store your wood pellets through the different season, here are some general storage tips that you should remember:
1. Always Store in Dry Environment
Remember always to store your wood pellets in dry environments. Even if you’re using airtight containers, it’s best to remove any possibility of moisture getting in and ruining the wood pellets.
Between indoors and outdoors, indoors would be your safest solution, especially during the colder season. It’s also best not to store wood pellets in damp basements or sheds that leaks when it rains.
Dry garage and a clean cabinet is your best choice.
2. Avoid Warm Places
As mentioned above, keep your wood pellets away from the stove, even if that means it’s more convenient for you. In fact, keep wood pellets away from any warm places.
These wood pellets are flammable. And if it comes in contact with any heat source like near fireplaces, water heaters, or inside cars during a hot day, they can start a fire.
3. Elevate
Keep containers off the ground. Floors are the easiest part of the house that can get wet, regardless if there’s a flood or spilling. So, make sure to always store containers on cabinets, or you can make use of a pallet or a chair.
4. Open Only When You’re Going To Use Them
Every time you open containers, you’re risking moisture to get into your wood pellets. So, make sure only to open the container when you’re about to refill your hopper or when you need them.
If you’re storing wood pellets in several containers, don’t open a different container every time you need a wood pellet. Make sure that one container is emptied before you open another one.
Remember the first-in, first-out rule, as well. This means that when you’re buying new wood pellets, use them last, and use your old wood pellets first.
5. Stacking
Don’t stack bags of wood pellets on top of each other as this will only cause them stress which may lead to ruining their quality. Instead, stack wood pellets in a criss-cross pattern to relieve any sort of pressure between them. At the same time, you’re allowing good airflow, reducing the risk of getting more moisture.
How Long Does Wood Pellets Last?
Wood pellets do not necessarily have an expiration date. As a matter of fact, if you follow the guidelines above, they can last for up to 6 months.
Before using the wood pellet, remember to test them to ensure if they are still of the best quality. You can perform a snap test.
Pick up a couple of pellets from your container and snap them. When you hear a sound, they’re still good to use. But if you don’t, then that means moisture got into them, and they’re no longer fresh.
You should also look if they are shining. Because if they seem dull and crumbling, that’s also another sign that the pellets are bad.
