| Recent rises in fuel prices have had most home | | | | traditional fuel-burning furnaces, there is no |
| owners--whether they use propane, natural gas, | | | | creosote buildup to cause a chimney fire. |
| or oil --seeing a substantial rise in their heating bills. | | | | Compared with oil and gas models, corn furnaces |
| These new financial headaches, coupled with | | | | certainly hold their own. One bushel of corn is the |
| increased environmental concerns over the gas | | | | equivalent to about 3 gallons of fuel oil, with the |
| emissions from traditional furnaces, have many | | | | average home requiring approximately 250 |
| clamoring for the development of new, safer, | | | | bushels per season. (Remember that most places |
| renewable energy sources. Odd as it may sound | | | | do not need heat year-round.) Most corn furnaces |
| as first, corn furnaces are actually leading the | | | | have a AFUE rating of around 85%, which is well |
| way to achieving this goal. | | | | above the United States federal minimum of 78% |
| Corn furnaces work by burning supplies of shelled | | | | and higher than many furnaces on the market |
| corn, which is a renewable resource. Oil and gas, | | | | today. |
| however, are limited, non-renewable resources. As | | | | Another highlight of adopting a corn furnace is the |
| time goes on and supplies of these | | | | chance to help financially-strained local farmers by |
| much-sought-after fuels dwindle, costs will only | | | | creating a steady and reliable market demand for |
| continue to skyrocket. Many people who already | | | | greater corn supplies. Many corn furnaces are |
| struggle to afford monthly heating and electric bills | | | | designed to accommodate other bio-fuels like |
| may find themselves unable to heat their homes | | | | soybeans and wheat, which are also renewable |
| at all. | | | | resources that help keep small family farms up |
| Using corn to heat a home is safe and simple. | | | | and running. |
| Most models require refilling only every ten or so | | | | If you're interested in trying corn as a heating |
| days, so there is no need to constantly keep an | | | | source, but not quite ready to give up your |
| eye on the machine. The only ongoing | | | | current model, you can always install a corn |
| maintenance need is emptying the ash tray once | | | | furnace as a supplementary heating source. This |
| a week. If the fuel supply runs out, the furnace | | | | allows you to fully experience the power and |
| simply shuts off. Owners report a light smell | | | | reliability of bio-fuels, while easily being able to |
| similar to that of a barbeque when their furnace is | | | | switch back to your old oil or gas furnace if you |
| running, which is far more pleasant than the odors | | | | want to. |
| emitted from oil furnaces. Most importantly, unlike | | | | |