As long as there has been wood to burn, man has used it to stay warm. Our ancestors who discovered fire had the edge on a renewable heating source that is not only cost-effective, but also an environmentally friendly way to heat the home.

Still, many of today's homeowners rely primarily on oil, gas, and propane oil to heat their homes rather than looking to wood. Why? It could be because they don't have the facts about burning wood efficiently or are unaware of today’s high-efficiency wood-fired home heating appliances.

Here is some information about using wood to heat your home that may surprise you.

1. Wood is environmentally friendly. It may seem that cutting down trees for fuel would be counterproductive to the green movement. However, trees are a renewable resource that, like other biomass, is carbon neutral. While growing, trees absorb carbon dioxide; when they die they release carbon dioxide regardless of whether they burn or decompose. Fossil fuels by comparison are a one-way street, releasing greenhouse gasses in a matter of minutes that have been captured deep in the earth over millions of years.

2. Wood can save money. When burning logs in the new generation of high efficiency hydronic heater (more commonly known as a wood furnace or wood boiler), like those offered by Greenwood® Clean Energy, the heat generated is more intense and little is lost up the chimney. These central-heating furnaces can be used in lieu of standard heating systems featuring gas or oil during the heating months, or as an add-on when homeowners prefer to use other heating sources as their primary method of heating. This reduced need for oil, propane and natural gas means a reduction in monthly heating bills. In fact, many homeowners using a Greenwood system have seen energy bills reduced by up to 80 percent during winter months. One of these heating appliances pays for itself in energy bill savings in just a few years.

3. Wood can be a clean way to provide heat. There are plenty of people who have wrestled with cords of wood to feed wood-burning stoves or fireplaces, only to find that the mess left behind in the way of bark and ashes leaves much to be desired. However, homeowners who use the next generation wood boilers, like the Greenwood will find that there is little to no mess involved. That's because they burn wood at such a high temperature (2000 °F) that no discernible smoke is created. What's more, because of the high burn temperature, very little ash is generated, meaning the firebox only has to be cleaned once a month rather than once a day. Also, the furnace can be installed indoors or sheltered outside and be set up to heat the entire home, eliminating the need to transport logs through the house.

4. Wood is a safe heating method. Using a wood boiler can be just as safe as any other traditional heating source. Just as with other furnaces, proper operating procedures should be followed. In the case of the Greenwood, safety is the company's primary focus. It was certified for indoor use to strict UL and CSA standards and is as safe as using gas or electric appliances. Very few competing wood furnaces or boilers meet these stringent safety standards.

When upgrading your home and heating system this season, make sure you consider the benefits of today’s clean, safe, efficient wood heating appliances like those offered by Greenwood Clean Energy.

For more information on Greenwood heating appliances, please visit: www.GreenwoodUSA.com