Will Oil Prices Stay Low, and What to Do About It?
If you’ve lived long enough to own a car or a house, you have probably noticed there’s one thing (besides taxes) that we can count on: fluctuating oil prices. Fuel prices may be low this summer, but you can be certain that when winter comes, sometime after the election, and maybe just in time to ruin your holiday plans, oil prices are going to rise again. If you depend on gas for home heating this may present a problem for you.
Fortunately, there are alternatives to gas heating! If you don’t want your budget to be subject to the rise and fall of oil on the other side of the planet, we understand. You might want to convert your heat system to wood!
What’s the Difference Between Gas and Wood
Both gas and wood are organic fuels, meaning they’re natural products of the earth, and therefore offer a clean burn. However gas burns more clean than wood, creating a more efficient heat system with very little byproduct left behind. Wood heat is a viable alternative to gas, however, because it is a fairly easy conversion, and wood appliances and fireplaces can heat large spaces.
Some benefits of wood heating:
- You can use the same chimney to vent both wood and gas appliances. If you switch from gas to wood, you won’t have to replace the chimney liner (although it should be checked for needed adjustments whenever an appliance is added or removed).
- You will not run out of fuel as long as you are able to chop wood. You can chop your own wood, buy rank wood, or buy pellets (if you have a pellet stove). Wood is one thing that doesn’t often fluctuate in price.
- Heating an entire home with a wood appliance is definitely possible, depending on the size of the home and the appliance. A fireplace doesn’t have the capacity a furnace does, however.
Make the Switch Before the Fall Rush
During the “Fall Rush” you can count on your chimney sweeps being busy. It’s generally harder to schedule appointments during the fall rush, and it’s also not the time to make changes that require an inspection, and conversion of or work on the chimney. If you are making these changes in the fall, you might find yourself in the cold while waiting for it to be ready. Furthermore, if you switch to a wood furnace or fireplace, you need to burn only properly seasoned wood. This means the wood must sit for a given amount of time and dry out. If you wait until fall to make the switch to wood, you will end up buying wood that is seasoned.
At Beach Stove and Fireplace we put our customer’s safety and comfort as our top priority. We want you to be warm and safe, and we do our best to make sure of it. If you are considering a switch from gas to wood home heating, call a Beach Stove chimney sweep today. Our certified chimney sweeps are experienced with conversions, installations, repairs, and more. We offer the best wood heating products the industry has to offer, and are experienced and skilled in installing and maintaining them.
Before you run out of summer, call Beach Stove and Fireplace today, and discuss your fireplace conversion.