Staying Warm with Wood Heat

While not possible for folks living in urban or suburban areas, those of us out in the rural regions still have the option of heating our homes with wood in the winter months. Contrary to what some may believe, wood heat can be a renewable and environmentally responsible source of heat if practised properly.

Newer technologies in wood stove construction in recent years have increased efficiencies and lessened environmental issues either by utilizing catalytic converters, which lower the temperature of wood smoke to the point where it becomes combustible and burning it twice as it’s recirculated back into in the stove or by employing masonry designs whereby one full hot burn per day heats the stone mass enough for it to warm your living space for the rest of the day.

Vermont based blogger and web developer Michael Martine did a post recently on his site on the subject of heating with wood and presented a healthy list of links to further resources on the art and craft of it. If you’re someone who’s living off the beaten track and currently dreading the coming winter with it’s high fuel prices, wood heat may be offer a better option.

Here’s the link to Michael’s post on wood heat.