Wood Alternatives

Tending a fire is a labor of love. For those people who cherish the relaxing ambiance of a fire, but don't have time to fuss with a wood fire, other choices are available, such as manufactured firelogs, wood pellets, coal and oil stoves and electric fireplaces.

Wood Wax firelogs are made of recycled sawdust mixed with wax. These neatly wrapped logs are available at your local supermarket. They ignite easily and quickly, leave little ash and offer a longer more consistent burn than cordwood.

Pellets are a fuel option that answers the need for clean-burning, renewable energy. Pellets are made of compressed sawdust that might otherwise end up in landfills. The fuel is consistent in size, and comes in forty-poiund bags. Simply pour the pellets into a hopper which feeds automatically into the stove. A single load can burn 24 hours

Coal is clean burning, producing no visible smoke or creosote. Coal stoves can burn longer per fuel load than woodstoves and provides an even and controllable heat. Some stoves are "dual-fuel" and capable of burning both wood and coal.

Oil stoves offer powerful zone heating at about the same cost per hour as natural gas. Homeowners without natural gas now have an economical, convenient reliable room heating option. An oil stove runs quietly unattended without electricity as long as there is fuel in the tank.

An electric fireplace is a simulated gentle wood fire, but without a chimney or venting system. Electric fireplaces have a built in heater to provide the right amount of warmth controllable by the flick of a switch. These appliances can be installed into an existing fireplace opening or into a mantel. They are ideal for apartments, town homes, offices or even hotel lobbies and rooms.

Return to HPA Main Page