Which is safer Gas/Oil or Wood?

[MishMouse]

For people who think oil and gas is more safer then wood.

I have a friend who has a resort up in Canada.
Most of it is heated by wood, expect for the main house (lodge).
He had a issue with the oil stove, it had an explosion and all that is left is the basement.

Each heating season you hear of more and more people getting killed in a stove explosions.
If you heat with wood and you have a house fire you have a chance of survival, which improves with smoke detectors and CO detectors. With a combustible gas like NG, propane or even Oil, if it has a failure your chances of survival are slim.

My firend escaped harm, but many people are not as lucky.

 

[BrotherBart]

I have said it before. I have heard of houses exploding from gas leaks and burning down from oil leaks but I have never heard of a woodpile exploding or leaking.

 

[steam man]

Since wood fires can run uncontrolled and overheat easier than gas or oil, bad things happen with them. A few years back in a neighboring town I heard that a wood boiler exploded (blamed on faulty relief valve) and took the house off the foundation. It was literally totaled. I don't believe anyone was at home. Though I love burning wood the number of people that die from fires every year attributed to wood stoves is sad. Probably due more to faulty installation than anything. I would venture a guess that the number of deaths far out weigh either gas or oil related ones. Consider the fact that most homes have oil or gas but far less have wood fired appliances and it makes the argument which is safer even more compelling. I'll have to check out the NFPA site to see if there are any stats available.

 

[begreen]

I would say solar is the safest, a heat pump would be next. But given the options, what is safest is a quality installation with quality products, inspected and done to code. Problems can occur with any system. Often they are the result of human negligence.

 

[webbie]

My guess would be that wood, coal and even pellets are statistically more dangerous than oil or gas. This is because of the lack of education of the users and improper installation. Also because any "space" heater which can ignite other materials upon contact is dangerous to some degree.

But as with everything else, your mileage may vary. I would not suggest that spaced out people burn wood, although I am sure many do. It takes a certain level of attention to keep it safe, and that might be one of the enjoyable aspects for some. A "center" of the home using a fuel that has been used for tens of thousands of years.

 

[BrotherBart]

But as with everything else, your mileage may vary. I would not suggest that spaced out people burn wood, although I am sure many do.

Like Eric Johnson asked last year:

"People do this kind of thing sober?"

 

[RedRanger]

Here is a chilling thought-"maybe no heat at all is safest" :lol:

 

[adrpga498]

I don't think driving an oil delivery truck is very safe nowadays either with the price being what it is.

 

[drizler]

I can't see how an oil burner manages to Explode really . Catch on fire yes but to explode it would take a lot of vaproization going on. Makes me wonder if someone had seriously tampered with the safety controls or just kept trying to light it for a very very long time and it finally took off. I have had a mobile home oil burner woosh off and give me a shot of soot on the nose once and quite often had it blow the little spring loaded inspection hole open after a bout of reluctant lighting. On the other hand I know a guy who flopped a semi into a cement culvert and crawled out as it began to burn. It knocked him flat 30 or so feet away while he was sitting on the guard rail collecting himself but I imagine the tank had cooked off and sprayed diesel into the air when it over pressured from the fire. You hardly ever get explosions with oil of any sort unless the conditions are just right.

 

[steam man]

I just read a quote from NFPA that said oil heat is the safest by far of any heating. I will say that a few years back everyone in my house almost got CO'd to death from a faulty oil burner not operating properly. But that can happen with about heating appliance save electric. Oil tank ruptures and fires do happen. Think ARSON.

 

[billb3]

Most of the oil and gas explosions I've heard and read about involved homes / businesses where no one was around to smell the build-up of vapors.

Most of the wood stove fires I've read or heard about were either chimney fires (that ruined just the chimney at most , fortunately) or human error mis-handling the fire , stove or ashes.

I'd wager oil safer than gas (lots of oil burners up here in the Northeast and you hear of gas explosions and electric space heater fires all Winter).

 

[Metal]

The easy answer is ask your insurance company since they pay people big money to calculate risk. I think we all know what they will tell you ; )

 

[savageactor7]

No expert here but of the 3 choices MishMouse mentioned I would think oil heat would be the safest.