Wood Heat Stoves & Solar — Educational resources

October is National Fire Prevention Month, with Fire Prevention Week being October 4-10. Below are some safety tips that homeowners should know to keep themselves and their families safe. Smoke Alarms:  An estimated 3 out of 5 home fire deaths resulted from fires in which no smoke alarms were present or did not operate. Alarms should be inside and outside each bedroom or sleeping area. They should be installed in every level of the home, including basements. Batteries should be replaced twice a year. Smoke alarms should be replaced EVERY 10 years. Stove Thermometers: A stove thermometer on any wood...

Pellet Stove Maintenance After The Winter or Before Take out all the fuel in the hopper and feed system. Pellets left in can become damp and cause problems later. Give the stove a "spring cleaning". The fans for the air inlet and exhaust should be brushed of accumulated debris. The air inlet should be checked for obstructions now, and again before re-lighting the stove. Pellet Stove Troubleshooting Pellet stove cleaning on a regular basis will prevent problems arising through lack of maintenance. A slow, orange or sooty flame can mean: Burn pot air intakes blocked Ash pan full Blocked flue...

              Pet owners know compressed paper pellets make good cat litter, and alfalfa pellets are good rabbit food. Either could also be considered biomass, and used for home heating. Advantages Pellet stoves burn small pellets of dry organic material, typically compressed sawdust or wood shavings. They are inspired by the old-fashioned wood stove, but improve on the idea in several ways. •  Pellet stoves are more eco-conscious. Instead of using new wood, most pellets are made from leftover sawdust, wheat hulls, and other waste and industrial byproducts. They are more efficient and clean, creating...

There are a few things you should think about doing prior to the next burn season. Late spring is an ideal time to schedule your annual deep cleaning. The company that provides you with this service will most likely send you a reminder with some sort of “Spring Discount”. Try and set up your appointment so the work is performed when you are done using the stove for the season, that way the stove should be in perfect condition at the beginning of the next burn season. If you wait until August or September to call and schedule your cleaning...

If you own a woodstove and use it regularly, preventing a chimney fire is something you need to know What Causes a Chimney Fire? When you burn in a wood stove, a byproduct called creosote builds up on the inside of the chimney. If you’re not familiar with what creosote is, here is a great explanation: "Creosote is a gummy, foul smelling, corrosive and extremely combustible substance that, if no precautions are taken, will coat the insides of everything it passes through. It is formed when volatile gases given off in the burning process combine and condense on their way...