| With oil prices soaring daily, and no price-gouging | | | | · Ease of Use |
| rest in sight; many homeowners are looking for | | | | A wood stove can be used anywhere where |
| alternatives to home heating to stave off the | | | | there is a proper chimney ventilation and there is |
| blustery winter this year. Oil, electric, | | | | enough space. This way, you can use it in the |
| propane...Who can afford it? Enter the | | | | kitchen or any other room that has a chimney or |
| time-honored ingenuity of woodstoves. Wood | | | | draft alternative. Oil/propane heaters are typically |
| stoves have been efficiently heating homes | | | | set up in one place-usually in the basement |
| since-seemingly-the beginning of time, with one of | | | | and-unless you are looking to invest a lot in |
| the most base natural elements there is, wood. | | | | outside labor-cannot be moved easily. |
| Though many of the wood stoves you'll find out | | | | · Unit cost |
| there still retain the same traditional look, smell, | | | | The woodstove or wood burning unit itself, is |
| and basic scientific principles; much has been done | | | | priced at anywhere from $500 to over $2000. |
| to improve and modernize the efficiency, | | | | New furnaces or boilers typically start at $1500 |
| capacity, and design to accommodate the needs | | | | and move upwards from that, and usually need |
| of today. Below, are the most basic benefits of | | | | replacement once every 10-15 years. |
| choosing to invest in a wood stove this fall/winter, | | | | · Clean burn |
| to help you make your own home energy | | | | Whereas a furnace or boiler burns fossil fuels at |
| decision. | | | | an indiscriminate rate, a new woodstove will burn |
| · Availability | | | | wood much cleaner, and with much less harmful |
| Number one reason for choosing a soapstone or | | | | residue. |
| cast iron wood burning stove, is just that: that it | | | | · Localized heating |
| burns wood, instead of oil or propane. Oil is at | | | | The typical furnace is located in your home's |
| record prices due to over-consumption and | | | | basement, and will heat indiscriminately throughout |
| price-gouging; whereas wood is an all-natural | | | | the whole house, or one on each floor (typically). |
| resource that is in much less demand, and | | | | Wood stoves, however, can be regulated by how |
| certainly doesn't require so many politics and | | | | much wood you burn, and your ability to monitor |
| malfeasance. Less dependency on foreign and | | | | through the front glass panel the status of your |
| private national interests, offers a more solid | | | | home's heating source. |
| ground for the nation as a whole. | | | | · Safety |
| · Economical | | | | Due to the fact that you can easily monitor and |
| Less demand allows for much lower prices. Due | | | | regulate your heating source at all times with a |
| to the fact that wood is not in a third of the | | | | wood stove, you are therefore more aware of |
| demand as oil or propane, it is still very reasonable | | | | any issues that might arise; whereas you won't |
| price-wise. Moreover, it burns much slower and is | | | | know there is something wrong with your furnace |
| then able to give off more heat for a longer | | | | until it shuts off or makes a dramatic noise, etc |
| period of time; whereas oil or propane burns | | | | that you can hear from upstairs. |
| through at an alarming rate. | | | | |