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.
