Outdoor Wood Furnaces Can Lower Heating Costs

Outdoor wood furnaces have become popular with the rise in heating bills. The idea of being able to heat your home with wood may not seem like a real possibility. Outdoor wood furnaces are built to not only heat your home, but to do it efficiently. The cost of firewood is much cheaper than natural gas or fuel oil. Even electric heat has become extremely expensive. Wood is a natural resource that can be replenished. It only makes sense to consider installing an outdoor wood furnace.

You must be careful when selecting the outdoor wood furnace. Not every one is made the same. Each manufacturer claims to have the best furnace on the market. You have to choose the best outdoor wood furnace for your specific needs. You also need to know the work involved in using and maintaining this type of furnace. Outdoor wood furnaces come in different sizes and vary in price. You will also want to ensure proper installation of the outdoor wood furnace.

You must look at every aspect of the outdoor wood furnace when choosing the right model. Here is a list of what to look for when comparing furnaces.

Heating Capacity: This can be difficult with the outdoor wood furnace because of many variable. The dryness of the wood, the hardness of the wood, the outside temperature, the location of the furnace, and much more can affect how much heat the furnace actually puts out. It is best to review the actual test reports than to rely on the manufacturers spec sheet. Actual BTU’s can not accurately be listed. You can get a good idea of what the furnace will produce with the test reports.

Efficiency: Efficiency can be determined by the type of wood you can burn. Hard woods that are well seasoned (dried) will burn longer and with greater heat. A furnace that allows you to burn several types of wood is better than one which limits your choices.

Chimney Length: The outdoor wood furnace needs a long chimney to allow air to pass over the fire to keep it burning well. The problem is the chimney length can also be a liability due to creosote build up. It is best to find a furnace which does not have extra chimney length.

Construction: The outdoor wood furnace which is made of stainless steel is less susceptible to rust and corrosion. Being an outdoor furnace, the elements will affect the surface. Maintenance will be necessary to keep the furnace in proper working order. Some manufacturers claim to have stainless steel construction. It is the grade of steel which will ensure a low maintenance furnace. Choose one that is constructed of a high grade steel.

This is just a general overview of the outdoor wood furnace. By researching a little more, you should be able to make an educated decision about which furnace you might choose to help lower your heating bill.