As prices for heating oil and gas go up customers are looking for alternative heating options—such as the old-fashioned wood stoves—according to Carol Turner, co-founder of the nearly five-decade-old Chimney Sweep Energy store in Orange County, New York.

Sales for wood and pellet stoves have both increased compared to last year, with total store sales up by at least a quarter, she told The Epoch Times on Nov. 4.

Turner’s daughter and salesperson Ruth Loria said the growth had to do with recent world events, such as the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which greatly disrupted the energy market.

According to the New York Home Heating Oil Monitoring Program, heating oil costs $6.18 per gallon on Nov. 7 for residents in the lower Hudson Valley region, including Orange County.

The price is up nearly 70 percent from the past year and more than doubling that of the year before.

Ruth Loria at Chimney Sweep Energy showroom in Orange County, NY, on Nov. 5, 2022. (Cara Ding/The Epoch Times)

Loria said in an energy crisis like this, people—especially those with conservative views—are looking for stability in non-manufactured fuels, such as wood.

Some rediscovered the value of a wood stove in an old house, others chose to install one in a new house—which could cost around $8,000, she told The Epoch Times.

Rich Staffer, a customer at the store, said he installed a pellet stove in addition to his propane heating system eight years ago when the price of propane quadrupled due to a severe shortage.

The decision saved him money, he said. “pellet [prices] go up and down but not as much as propane.”

Wood pellets on display at Chimney Sweep Energy showroom on Nov. 5, 2022. (Cara Ding/The Epoch Times)

supply crunch

Due to significant supply chain disruptions, the store orders have waiting times between 2 to 29 weeks, depending on the products and models, Loria said.

In February, Loria ordered 11 stoves—eight of which were already sold—but none of the stoves has arrived at the store yet; in August, she ordered another 24 stoves, which won’t arrive until March 2023.

That means some customers will not be able to use their purchased stoves until next winter.

Even so, Loria encourages them to plan ahead.

“Last year, I had customers walk out because of the waiting time. They come back this year to find the waiting time is even longer—they placed an order right away,” Loria said.

For stove installation, quality service providers in the area have a six-to-eight-week waiting time, she said.

A burning gas stove on display at Chimney Sweep Energy showroom on Nov. 5, 2022. (Cara Ding/The Epoch Times)

How About Gas Stoves?

Gas stoves remain popular for customers who like the ease of pressing a button to turn on the heat as opposed to the trouble of adding wood or pellets, Loria said.

Freestanding gas stoves do well at zone heating, perfect for resort-area cabins owned by people in New York, she added.

The Chimney Sweep Energy store was founded by Turner and her husband Jack Turner during the global fuel crisis caused by the Arab oil embargo in the 1970s.

They started with one stove in their basement and grew it into a full-service business carrying various hearth products and providing related services.

Cara is an Orange County, New York-based Epoch Times reporter. You can be reached at cara.ding@epochtimes.com

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San Francisco Giant and former Georgia pitcher Alex Wood didn’t get to make it to Indianapolis for the National Championship against Alabama.

But you better believe he was tuned in.

“My dad was at the game. I didn’t make it, but I sat in my basement and watched it completely by myself,” Wood said. “I was screaming my ass off the entire game, but when it was over, I didn’t say a word. I just couldn’t even believe what had just happened. I’ve been waiting my whole life for that to happen.”

When Kelee Ringo picked off the pass and returned it for a touchdown to seal the Bulldogs’ 33-18 win, Wood was like countless Georgia fans at that exact moment in time. He absolutely lost his mind.

“I screamed extremely loud. I jumped out of my seat, screamed, then I sat back down really quick. I was just thinking about what that meant, literally what just happened that, how that had just sealed the deal for us to take home the national championship for the first time in my whole life,” Wood said. “I was just really in awe. I just couldn’t believe that they finally did it. I could not have been happier for our program.

“I’ve played for a lot of great teams, seen some great fan bases in college sports, professional sports, but it’s really just a special group when it comes to the Georgia Bulldogs and our fans. It’s just really a unique place, and I just couldn’t have been happier for the team and everybody who is behind Georgia.”

Wood, a nine-year Major League veteran, was in Athens Saturday night where he served as the guest speaker for the Georgia baseball preseason banquet.

There he offered advice to the current Bulldogs, keys to remember as they pursue their own careers, along with motivational tools that have helped make him a success.

Recently, Wood signed a two-year, $25 million dollar contract to remain with the Giants after going 10-4 with a 3.83 ERA.

Under normal times, Wood would be preparing to head to Arizona for spring training with the rest of his teammates.

However, with the current lockout as the Major League Players Association and MLB still at an impasse over a new deal, Wood has no idea when that might be.

“We’re like the fans to some degree. Of course, we’re a little bit more in the know, but it’s really still a sit and wait game. Now I’m hoping it only turns into a one or two-week delay and we can knock something out,” Wood said. “But yeah, it’s definitely been a little bit frustrating from the union side, the players side of things because we feel like we’re at the table ready to get a fair, mutually beneficial deal for both sides.”

His fingers remain crossed that something will happen soon.

“It’s hard negotiating with yourself. We’ve done that a little in the past, and I don’t think we plan to do that right now and moving forward,” Wood said. “Right now, we feel we’ve kind of opened the door, but so far, nobody’s willing to walk through, so to speak. But we’ll see what happens. It’s business. People, everybody wants it to be a game, but it’s a billion-dollar business. There’s a lot of loose ends to tie up. But I’m sure we’ll get it done and the season will get on its way.”

As you might guess, Wood has a number of people to thank for helping get to this point in his career.

One is former Atlanta Brave pitcher Mike Minor, who Wood credits for showing him how to be a professional player.

Another is Rob Hill, the Director of Minor League Pitching for the Dodgers, someone Wood calls a “whiz kid” and one of his best friends.

“I credit a lot to him for my success over the last couple of years,” Wood said. “Otherwise, it’s hard to choose. I’ve had a lot of good teammates, a lot of good coaches, and a lot of good players, so you try to pull things from each individual and see people’s different perspectives.”

As for current and former teammates and coaches, there are obviously many. However, former three-time Cy Young Award Clayton Kershaw stands out.

Wood and Kershaw were teammates for five years with the Dodgers, five seasons the former Bulldog will never forget.

“It’s hard to find someone more focused that Clayton. Having kids eased him a little bit, but the guy lives to dominate,” Wood said. “There’s nobody happier on earth than him when he’s crushed it and won. The smile on his face is something I’ll never get erased from my memory, his work ethic, his determination. He’s just a special human, for sure. I’m really fortunate to have been his teammate and friend for as long as I have.”

Although he’s been away from Athens for some time now, Wood said he will always consider the Classic City home.

Wood spoke fondly of his time as a Bulldog, and how his development here, having the opportunity to play in the SEC, helped make him the player that he is today.

“I grew up a Dawg fan, so it’s not really so much about specifically baseball, but how much I love Athens. There’s just no place like it, no fan base like it. I’ve been in love with Athens from the first time I can remember coming up with my dad. All the way through college were some of the best years I can remember in my life,” Wood said. “I love this place like no other, so having gotten to play here and develop, to evolve into a player that’s worthy to be drafted, and going on to play professional baseball, I couldn’t have written it any better myself.”

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When bone-free temperatures and blizzards occur, people with wood and pellet stoves have an advantage in warming their living spaces. Wood stoves in particular also work when there is a power failure, as they do not need a power source to operate.

There are many other reasons why a wood or pellet stove might respond. They are comfortable, cozy, sustainable and economical, say the owners.

“The pellet stove is our meeting place,” says Brad Anderson, father of four in Mt. Lebanon, Pa. “We sit around and play board games, hang out.” He estimates he’ll save $ 50 to $ 75 a month in heating bills.

“There’s nothing more satisfying,” says Jon Turkel of Clarke County, Virginia of his wood-burning stove. “Sometimes I push the dog out of the way and put myself on the stove.” His savings? About $ 1,500 a year.

If you are thinking of joining the stove owners at the figurative fireplace, there is another incentive: buyers of qualified heating devices that burn wood or wood pellets can now receive a tax credit of 26 percent of all purchase and installation costs thanks to COVID -19 aid package Adopted at the end of December. The loan drops to 22 percent in 2023 and then disappears. (Some states and municipalities offer ongoing discounts.)

Whatever your reason for heating with wood or pellets – economy, convenience, off-grid grain, or a lack of alternatives – getting the most out of a stove requires planning. We’ve reduced the wisdom of wood stoves and pellet stoves to a few smart steps.

Make sure it works in your room

Before feeling warm and fuzzy with the idea of ​​buying a stove, check with your community to see if you can install one. Regulations can restrict or prohibit installations, especially in newly constructed homes. And remember, several states including Arizona, Colorado, and Oregon prohibit the use of wood-burning stoves on named days of high pollution. The EPA, individual states and private organizations make this information available on a daily basis.

The story goes on

Check your interior. For a wood-burning stove, federal safety standards require a minimum of 3 feet from walls or combustible materials. However, many pellet stoves only require 2 inches of clearance from a combustible surface behind and 6 inches from other sides. If you’re using a child safety gate, you’ll need a 3 foot radius around either type of stove.

Consider your needs

As a rule of thumb, you will need around 20 Btu (British thermal units) of heat for every square foot of space. If your stove is your main source of heat and you don’t want to maintain it that often, you’ll need a large wood-burning hearth or pellet stove funnel. The largest wood-burning stoves can burn for 10 to 12 hours, says Sam Halsey, co-owner of Yankee Doodle, an oven dealer in Wilton, Connecticut. The largest pellet stoves can run for up to 24 hours.

Get the right unit

A dealer can suggest models that are suitable for your space. However, choose one that has been certified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency for efficiency and clean burning. Also, look for a label from Underwriters Laboratories (UL) or Canadian ULC that shows the oven meets safety standards.

Pellet stoves offer homeowners a more environmentally friendly choice. The devices burn recycled sawdust that has been compressed and dried. You fill a funnel with pellets, set the heating level and the stove ignites automatically. An electrically driven screw feeds the pellets continuously into the furnace’s combustion chamber.

• Price: You can only pay $ 800, but good ones start at $ 2,000, says Adam Martin of Martin Sales and Service in Butler, Pennsylvania. You can’t always get replacement parts for the cheaper ovens, and they don’t. I don’t have as good a guarantee as more expensive models, he says. And sustainability has an advantage: According to Thumbtack, an independent national price database for products and services, pellet-generated heat costs around USD 200 more per heating season than cord wood.

• Convenience: There is no need to split, season, or load wood. Depending on the heat needed and the design of the oven, you may only need to refill the funnel once a day. You can use a smartphone app or a remote control to control advanced devices. But the pellet augers will not work in the event of a power failure. And bags of pellets can run short in winter, says Halsey. “We have a lot of people now calling for pellets.”

• Efficiency: Pellets contain less moisture than cord wood, so pellet stoves burn more efficiently. They dominate the EPA’s list of efficient units.

• Health and Safety: To refuel, do not open a combustion chamber or expose to flames, smoke and gases. And there are thermostats and switches to prevent overheating or underheating.

• Space Needed: You can buy 40 pound pellet bags individually or on a pallet. A 1-ton skid with 50 sacks of pellets – less than half a season of fuel for many – is about 4 x 3½ x 4 feet.

• Aesthetics: The flames of the pellet stoves, fanned by a fan, don’t look as natural, claims Halsey. “It’s a blowtorch look,” he says.

Traditional wood-burning stoves can burn any type of wood, although certain types – such as ash, grasshopper, maple, oak, pinyon pine, and walnut – burn more efficiently.

• Types: New wood stoves come in two versions. Both are designed to reduce air pollution by burning off the gases and tars left after the wood is burned. Catalytic furnaces use a platinum grid for this second combustion. These stoves are generally used for heating throughout the home and require more maintenance. Non-catalytic ovens direct exhaust gases into a chamber where they are re-ignited and burned. These ovens are more popular and cost $ 500 to $ 700 less than catalytic ovens, Thumbtack estimates.

• Price: New ovens cost anywhere from $ 100 to more than $ 2,500, according to Thumbtack. Cordwood costs about $ 200 less than pellets per heating season, the website estimates – and it’s free if it’s from your property.

• Comfort: A wood stove can burn even in the event of a power failure. You may not have to empty the ashes every day. You also don’t have to rely on store-bought fuel. Depending on the heat required and the size of the firebox, you may need to stoke several times day and night. Also, consider the work involved in splitting your own wood. And seasoning the wood itself can take a year or more.

• Health and Safety: Opening wood stove doors regularly to add firewood can expose you to burns, smoke and gases.

• Space Required: A wooden string is 28 cubic feet. For a 4 foot tall, neatly packaged stack, that’s roughly 4×8 feet on the floor. If you only heat with wood, you can run through several cables per heating season.

Install with a pro

While it can be expensive, this is a task best left to a professional. A professional should be familiar with local building codes and current and safe installation methods. Ideally, use a National Fireplace Institute (NFI) certified plumber. Installation typically costs between $ 1,000 and $ 2,000, depending on the device and location. In particular, homeowner insurance companies can refuse coverage if your oven hasn’t been professionally installed – and yes, some insurers ask new applicants.

Build your security arsenal

In addition to a fireproof range rug to place in front of your stove, you may want to purchase extras to keep your family safe and comfortable. An air purifier can help remove irritating particles. A humidifier can balance the dry air that wood stoves produce. If you need a security gate, find one that is suitable for use near wood or pellet stoves. Welding gloves or pot holders can protect you when emptying ash pans. A wood-burning stove fan distributes the stove’s heat around the room when you can’t use a central air conditioning fan. An ash vacuum – starting at around $ 100 – uses a special filter to pick up fine pellet ash more effectively than a regular vacuum cleaner. And if you choose a pellet stove, you can make sure it will run during a power outage if you have backup power or a generator.

Use your resources

Read the oven manual. It can tell you the best way to load wood without introducing too much smoke into the room. It can also explain how the temperature is regulated if it gets too roasted (this happens automatically on most pellet stoves). You can also join an online forum for help, advice, and troubleshooting. For example, Hearth.com hosts several user forums.

Check annually – and clean more often

Have a certified inspector inspect your device once a year, including venting and fittings. Spring is an ideal time of year to schedule an inspection as the inspectors are less busy and less likely to get snow or ice in their way. Find an inspector through the NFI or a Chimney Safety Institute of America certified chimney sweep. Expect $ 200 to $ 500 for inspection and cleaning, depending on where you live. This is also a good time to replace your smoke and CO2 alarm batteries. Do it again in the fall.

Twice a year – also once during the heating season – clean your stove pipe or fireplace. This fresh start prevents creosote from building up inside like a clogged artery that can trap exhaust gas, which can then exert pressure, heat up, and possibly cause a chimney fire. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) says fires in chimneys, chimneys, and exhaust burners account for 87 percent of residential fires caused by home heaters.

You need to remove the ashes from the stove every day. You can put them in your compost heap or sprinkle them on your garden. According to the NFPA, fire and smoke alarms should be checked monthly.

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