Buying a wood stove is much like buying furniture. As you search online or visit retail hearth and fireplace dealers you find a wide choice of wood stoves, including antique, traditional, classic and modern. While narrowing down your list of favorite designs and styles, you also want to consider the environment.
In addition to researching the right size, heating capacity and look of your wood stove, compare the green qualities of each stove.
Here are five eco-wise tips:
1. Similar to grocery shopping, seek out the equivalent of an “Organic Section” in your local fireplace store to compare eco-wise content among the preferred green-savvy stoves.
2. Look for an eco-friendly seal and a recycled ingredients label that lists the many ways that a stove manufacturer has gone the extra mile to produce the highest quality and most energy efficient wood stove, possible.
3. Only consider approved wood stoves equipped with a non-catalytic combustion system that exceeds EPA standards and are currently tax credit qualified, until December 31, 2010..
4. Download educational videos that demonstrate how to fully realize the renewable benefits of local wood energy, without beginner missteps or old-school methods. There are five free videos that teach how to choose, install, operate, maintain, and fuel your wood stove that are available on http://www.morsona.com, Facebook, and YouTube.
5. Review stove manufacturers’ literature and web sites to learn more about the company’s recycling, clean-burning technology and company-wide conservation practices.
Also, if you are thinking about buying a second-hand wood stove or using a hand-me-down family wood stove, you should know that a 10-year old or older stove might not measure up to today’s EPA standards, which means it’s time to invest in a new high-performance wood stove. This simple change can minimize your carbon footprint, reduce fossil fuel use, lower your heating costs and even enhance your home value.
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