Wood burning stoves are an alternative, traditional heating method for your home and make use of wood as a fuel source as opposed to natural gas or electricity. They offer a number of advantages that other types of heating units do not. Understanding the benefits of wood burning stoves can help you decide if a wood burning stove is the right heating option for your home.

Cheap Fuel

Wood is fairly inexpensive as a fuel source, and depending on where you live, can cost less than using natural gas or electricity to heat your home. It's also important to note that if you live in the country or have a large quantity of trees near your home, it is extremely easy to find dead wood that can be used to heat your home. This free fuel will help cut down on your long term costs of heating your home.

Environmentally Friendly

Wood is a renewable and sustainable fuel source, which means that the environmental impact of heating your home with wood is minimal. It is also important to note that wood does not release the pollutants that natural gas does when it's burned, helping you reduce your greenhouse gas emissions as well.

Speedy Heating

Wood burning stoves produce a lot of heat very quickly, and can warm up a room or your entire home within minutes. Some wood burning stoves come equipped with a fan and blower that can help circulate the heat throughout your home, preventing drafts from developing.

Flexible

Wood burning stoves can be used either as the sole source of heat for your home, or instead used to heat up a room that the central heating unit or furnace is never able to properly keep warm. This largely depends on the model that you choose, but the flexibility of wood burning stoves to either fulfill a main or secondary heating role means that you can fit a wood burning stove exactly to the needs of your home.

Energy Independent

In the event of a power outage, which can be a common occurrence in the countryside or in areas with poor infrastructure, your wood burning stove will continue to work, something that traditional furnaces and central heating units are unable to do. This can help keep your home warm during an emergency or natural disaster, and prevent your home from freezing in the event of a power outage during the winter. 

For more information about wood burning stoves and other heating options, contact a local HVAC company in your area, like Nebraska Heating & Air.