Much ado has been made about "solid fuel" heating devices. A solid fuel heating device is, simply, a fireplace or chimney--a unit in which something is burned and the heat from that fire is transferred throughout the house while the dangerous components of the fire (smoke, soot, etc) are transferred out of the house via a chimney or piping system. You might consider a fireplace and chimney system to be old fashioned (and a lot of work) when compared to other heating systems, like underfloor heating, which have become popular in the last few decades. The truth is that solid fuel heating systems can help reduce your carbon footprint and global warming.
Solid fuel heating devices offer quite a few benefits that other types of heating devices do not. Here are just a few of them:
* Solid fuel is cheaper than other types of heating systems.
* A solid fuel heating device offers the homeowner more versatility than other types of heating devices.
* A solid fuel heating device is easier to control than some of the more modern versions of heating devices.
* There is nothing more reliable than a solid fuel heating system.
Of course solid fuel is not without its risks. If you do not have your chimney cleaned regularly, you could risk carbon monoxide poisoning as the chimney is the mechanism through which carbon monoxide and other dangerous materials are passed from the home. It is important that you do everything you can to keep your chimney unclogged and in working order. Today there are many mechanisms built into a chimney to help keep it clean, but it should still be inspected by a professional on a regular basis.
The nice thing about solid fuel burning devices is that they do not use power or raise your electric bill when you use them. You simply need to find something that is safe to burn to heat your home.
Some people find wood burning fireplaces and pellet stoves a great "in-house recycler" as it allows them to use their junk mail or other unwanted burnable items as kindling when a fire is built and the heat from a fire is much easier to control than the heat from a wall unit. Simply build a smaller fire or add more fuel to decrease or increase the heat.
Finally, the biggest benefit offered by solid fuel heating devices is their already mentioned lack of dependence upon electricity. Homeowners do not have to worry about utility bills rising in the winter. They also do not have to worry about heating their homes in the event that the power goes out! Even better, these devices help to reduce the homeowner's carbon footprint.
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