Wood heat, a bad name?

[Vic99]

Articles and set ups like this always make it challenging for me to explain why I'll use cord wood to heat my house. I rarely see newspaper write ups on the modern stoves that many of us use. I imagine that it could be tougher to put in a set up for heat both the home and water, but still . . .

http://www.cnbc.com/id/21917457/for/cnbc

 

[James04]

I just hope that these towns that ban OWB's will be willing to make new rules that allow clean burning versions. Its just incredible how they just out write ban something like that.

James

 

[Vic99]

I concur . . . incredible. Massachusetts, though.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

It is a shame but a lot of us could see this coming.

The last 3 or 4 years have seen a huge amount of OWB's installed here in Michigan. They sound great but when a neighbor put one in and I started paying attention to them, my immediate thought was, "What about the neighbors?" Most, but not all of them emit such a terrible smoke that it is almost unbelieveable. It does not help that the sellers state that you can even burn green wood in them. That only adds to the smoke.

When one has an OWB and you see this huge cloud of smoke you can only imagine what any close neighbors think of it. This is worse than neighbors burning leaves every fall. To put it mildly, they stink and nobody should be forced to breath that air. But what to expect with such a short chimney and also a stove that has the automatic open and close draft system and the fire just smolders for a time. Then when the draft opens you get this terrible smoke. I doubt a taller chimney would help though. It would on some days but other days the smoke just hangs near the ground.

btw, we know of more than one who have installed these expecting to use less wood but found that indeed they do burn more for the same amount of heat. I think most like them mainly because they do not have to stock them up with wood as often nor do they have to tend them constantly. It does get the "mess" outside and they also should be safer as far as a fire hazard. But we also know of lots of people who have had major problems with the welds leaking. We know of one who has now had 3 different ones in as many years! Fortunately it does look like the last one is okay; at least at present.

So, I am happy we decided on our soapstone stove rather than an OWB. But, each to his own. Just be aware of what you might be doing to your neighbor. That is what brings on these rules.