Wood fuel: Encyclopedia II - Wood fuel - United States use of wood heat

Wood fuel - United States use of wood heat

Use of wood heat declined in popularity with the growing availability of other, less labor-intensive fuels. Wood heat was gradually replaced by coal and later by fuel oil, natural gas and propane heating except in rural areas with available forests.

Wood fuel - 1973 energy crisis

A brief resurgence in popularity occurred during and after the 1973 energy crisis, when some believed that fossil fuels would become so expensive as to preclude their use. A period of innovation followed, with many small manufacturers producing stoves based on designs old and new. Notable innovations from that era include the Ashley heater, a thermostatically-controlled stove with an optional perforated steel enclosure that prevented accidental contact with hot surfaces.

A number of dual-fuel furnaces and boilers were made, which utilized ductwork and piping to deliver heat throughout a house or other building.

The growth in popularity of wood heat also led to the development and marketing of a greater variety of equipment for cutting and splitting wood. New products included the stickler log splitter, and hydraulic log splitters previously developed found greater popularity.

The magazine "Wood Burning Quarterly" was published for several years before changing its name to "Home Energy Digest" and, subsequently, disappearing.

Wood fuel - Today

Wood heat continues to be used in areas where firewood is abundant. For serious attempts at heating, rather than mere ambiance, stoves and furnaces are most commonly used today. In rural, forested parts of the U.S., freestanding boilers are increasingly common. They are installed outdoors, some distance from the house, and connected to a heat exchanger in the house using underground piping. The mess of wood, bark, smoke, and ashes is kept outside and the risk of fire is reduced. The boilers are large enough to hold a fire all night, and can burn larger pieces of wood, so that less cutting and splitting is required. There is no need to retrofit a chimney in the house.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "United States use of wood heat", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki