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Choosing a modern wood stove can be a very big step for heating your home, one that is well worth the time and money involved. Having an independent heat source such as a fireplace or a wood stove can help you to save considerable on your heating bill. Just like you don’t leave the lights on in a room you’re not using, why should you have to heat the entire house just to be comfortable in 1 or 2 rooms. By strategically placing an independent wood stove in the most frequented areas of home you can save from heating every single room that you don’t even spend time in.
Burning wood is one of the most effective ways to heat your home, modern wood stoves can come equipped with fan assisted convection vents to better spread heat to other areas of your home so that you do not solely rely on radiant heat. Building a brick structure around a wood burning or insert will better help hold the heat even after the fire has gone out. Carbon dioxide emissions which come from pretty much every fuel source we expend are the lowest in wood burning; the only drawback for some would be the smoky emissions.
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Even the smoke has become better now that the Environmental Protection Agency has stepped in and required manufacturers to implement new designs lowering the grams of particulate matter emissions per hour. Burning wood is most valuable if you live in a rural area where the smell will not bother the neighbors and your fuel is essentially free.
Pellet stoves use small compressed pellets made from recycled wood, grass or corn. You can only use the designated material that will be listed on the pellet stove. Pellet stoves use electricity to feed pellets via a feeder to the fire according to a thermostat; other electric parts include air induction and exhaust.
One major advantage of pellet stoves is that the exterior temperature stays relatively cool compared to wood stoves, making them safe for children to be around. You can still get all the benefits of a wood burner in a pellet stove such as low CO2 emissions except without having to deal with the hassle of having to cut down wood, stack and move it.
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You also have the satisfaction of knowing you are using only recycled fuel when you own a pellet stove. Pellet stoves can be slightly more expensive that normal wood burners, but the cost is worth it for some people. You can even purchase a compressor to compress your own fuel for you pellet stove.
The EPA is offering tax rebates for the purchase of an EPA qualifying model wood burner. You can see some products that qualify at choosefireplacesandstoves.com or get more information about the program at the EPA Energy Star Program website. When buying a pellet stove, wood burner or fireplace insert, be sure to always look for the EPA sticker. These models will guarantee not only cleaner emissions, but better heat production as well.