More Homes Adopt Wood heat

Data from the 2010 Census has confirmed a shift in home heating. According to an Associated Press article title -

Wood heat heats up as homeowners give boot to oil

- “Oil consumption has fallen as homeowners have found other sources of fuel, with wood being the fastest-growing alternative, according to census figures.”

The fact that energy efficient wood stoves have been gaining favor to lower home heating costs has been a quiet under-the-radar movement. With the publication of the 2010 census stats we can now see that households with primary wood heating increased 1/3 to close to 2.4 million.

This is really not surprising as many rural and suburban families have less money to spend and can no longer afford higher-than-expected heating bills. Locally-grown wood can be purchased in advance at a lower cost than oil.

Another motivator is that home-energy conservation, green building and weatherization improvements are now considered a priority. Nonetheless, let's not forget that a wood stove fire is also a really cozy and enjoyable heating experience.

Energy-Saving Game Plan: Convert Drafty Open Fireplace into Heating Zone

According to a recent Chicago Tribune article Get more from your fireplace, “an open-masonry fireplace might be only 15 percent efficient. But if there is no fire and the damper is left open, it can have a negative efficiency as warm air escapes.”

Hard-hitting homeowners, who have endured unexpected cold snaps followed by expensive fossil fuel bills, can step up their game by converting their open fireplace into a high-performance heating zone with a Morso fireplace insert.

Even homeowners without chimneys or fireplaces can score energy savings with a double play using both the Morsø Zero Clearance Enclosure and the Morso 5660 wood-burning fireplace insert. The Morso 5660 Zero-Clearance Enclosure is designed to be framed into the home. This is a popular choice for homeowners looking to update their homes with the advanced technology of a Morso 5660 fireplace insert and class A chimney.