How long can I store the pellets before they start to decompress?

by Len Gattarello
(Katy, Texas, USA)

I purchased 6 bags of pellets approximately 6 months ago. Yesterday, I opened a new bag and the top quarter of it was all dust, and after opening up the other three I found that they too had the top 1/4 of the bags to be nothing but dust.

I love my Traeger, but I can't see this happening as they were unopened, and stored inside. I live in the Houston area so it does get hot and humid.

Should I have stored them in a cool dry place, other than my garage? And if so why don't you say that on the bag. Thanks for your time.

Answer:-

I don't use pellets so to get an answer for you I've thrown the question open to all our readers. The first three responses are listed below and then check the comments section at the bottom of the page for more opinions.

Looking at the answers myself there seems to be pretty good consistency in the fact that it is the moisture that is affecting them because Traeger use a water soluble binder.

by: Anonymous

Good to see another real BBQ'r using a Traeger out there! One great solution is at the Pet
Store. Get the rubbermaid/tupperware container made to store dog food in it. It has a screw-on lid with a rubber gasket. Pellets last forever in there and it keeps them protected from the humidity. Worse place for pellets is in the bag on a hard floor. Enjoy

by: Bob

I open the bags and store them in a Tupperware container outside and have never had a problem.
We live in Western Washington with lots of rain.
Maybe bugs somehow got into yours.
Bob

by: Susanne

The humidity is what kills them - they use a water soluble binder to keep them pelleted, and once it gets damp, your pellets return to dust.

We have a separate area indoors where we can store about a pallet worth of pellets that is also in an air conditioned part of the house, so they survive the humidity of summer OK. If you store them outside (which we did the first year, had a half pallet of sawdust), they may return to dust...