"People love chopping wood. In this activity one immediately sees results." - Albert Einstein

During the chill of a Wisconsin winter, there are few things more satisfying than a warm fire. Heating your home with wood can be less expensive than other sources of home heating energy, and firewood is a renewable resource. Prices of heating fuels vary considerably, but non-renewable fossil fuels and electricity are commonly 2 to more than 10 times more expensive than firewood for the same amount of heat.

Success heating with wood depends on one thing, selecting the right wood. But there are a few other things to know before you start. What's a cord of wood? Where do I get wood? And what kind of wood should I choose? More on firewood basics

While heating with wood can be pleasant and cost effective, it has a reputation for being "dirty" and producing a lot of air pollution. Old equipment and careless users can combine to produce nasty conditions, and the health concerns associated with excessive exposure to wood smoke are real. However, a conscientious firewood user can safely enjoy the benefits of heating with wood. Small hot fires built from well-seasoned split, clean, and dry firewood produce minimal smoke if any. Additionally, modern equipment is significantly cleaner. Modern air-tight high-efficiency wood stoves produce roughly half the smoke of stoves built as few as 10 years ago. Combine a modern stove with a conscientious firewood user, and you can produce heat that is significantly cleaner than many common heating optionsincluding coal and electricity. More on firewood burning and health effects

Outdoor Wood Boilers are an option some are considering. The boilers heat water in an insulated shed and underground pipes carry the heated water to one or more buildings for heat and for hot water use. This tempting choice doesn’t involve the bother of handling wood inside a home, but outdoor wood boilers can be a major problem because they emit a lot of air pollutants. Better options for outdoor wood boilers include:

• Checking for the EPA Phase 1 (orange) or Phase 2 (white) tags

• Making sure the stack is at least as high as the chimney on your home
• Using only dry, seasoned wood

Outdoor Wood Boiler & Air Quality (fact sheet, 67KB)

Wisconsin Dept of Health Services- Outdoor Wood Boilers
www.outdoorwoodfurnaces.org

Additional valuable resources available at:
www.woodheat.org
http://www.epa.gov/burnwise/

EPA-Certified Woodburning (fact sheet, 271KB)

Responsible Wood Burning (fact sheet, 91KB)

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This site administered by: Kris Tiles Central Wisconsin Basin Phone :715/261-1254 Wisconsin's Basin Initiative University of Wisconsin Extension UW Cooperative Extension Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Wisconsin Natural Resources Conservation Service An EEO/Affirmative Action employer, University of Wisconsin-Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, including Title IX and ADA requirements

Photo courtesy of US EPA