Wood Burning Stoves

I remember seeing the antique wood burning stoves at the Henry Ford Museum when I was a kid. Back then, it looked like a quaint and cozy throwback. It was from some cabin built centuries ago, preserved as a way to demonstrate how life was back in the good old days. I certainly never considered a wood burning stove to be an efficient means of heating a house. After all, it looked so antiquated.

Recent events in my life, however, have given me cause to think about wood burning stoves more seriously. I never realized how efficient the traditional wood burning stove is until I moved out to rural Wisconsin. The Franklin stoves were incredibly efficient. Because they would radiate right into the middle of the house, they could heat a room and safely vent out the burnt wood smoke. Wood was a common resource for the pioneers, and a few hours of work could keep wood burning stoves going for days at a time. This was a big help in the cold winter.

As a matter of fact, for people like me who lived in remote areas of the country, wood burning stoves are still a viable solution. Things can get pretty cold in the winter, and it is always a good idea to be able to depend on yourself and your own resources as much as you can. Most of the people in my neighborhood own their own generators, and many run wood burning stoves. The thinking is that, if something happens to a gas line, you can still burn wood and keep yourself warm all winter.

My very favorite thing about wood burning stoves, of course, is the comfort and coziness they provide. Although most of the wood smoke is safely vented out, there still is that faint smell of burnt wood that always makes me think of childhood. Best of all, the burning wood stove is almost completely free to run. All I have to do is keep my ax sharp and I can cut as much wood as I want for nothing.

Of course, there are a few words of caution that need to be heeded if you are running wood burning stoves. Everyone knows about gas furnace safety, but few people realize the potential dangers of a wood burning stove. If your wood stove is not properly cleaned, sealed, and maintained you can fill the room with smoke. If this happens while you're asleep, it could be fatal. That is why it is important to take steps before anything goes wrong to make sure that your wood stove is in good operating condition.

Summary