Why heat with wood?
1. Wood heat is cozy.
There’s nothing, nothing, like the feel of wood heat. Unlike the shallow, surface-warmth of electricity or a forced-air furnace, wood heat permeates your favorite armchair and saturates your floors with friendly warmth. It’s lovely to look at. And there’s a satisfaction in a good crackling fire that you just can’t get from turning a plastic thermostat dial.
2. Wood heat is cost effective.
Depending on the source, energy is sold in different units. To compare sources of energy, you need to know their heat content per unit. In the U.S., the most common measure of heat content is the British Thermal Unit (BTU). One BTU is the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 pound of water by 1 degree Fahrenheit.
In rural western Oregon, it just makes sense to heat with wood!
3. Wood heat is good for our planet.
Firewood is a renewable energy source. Reforestation is Oregon law. Oregon forest landowners plant 40 million seedlings every year. More trees are planted than harvested each year in Oregon.
Wood is considered “carbon neutral,” because growing wood pulls the same amount of carbon dioxide out of the air as is released into the atmosphere when it’s burned. So, unlike gas or oil, it releases no net carbon. It is a closed-loop energy source, simply recirculating the carbon dioxide already within the Earth’s carbon cycle.
4. Wood heat is safe and reliable.
Rural folks like us often experience power outages; its part of living in the country. Luckily, a proper wood stove isn’t dependent upon outside power sources to keep your family warm. Just kindle your fire and enjoy!