Recent price surges in home heating oil, natural and propane have renewed the interest in alternative fuels for home heating. Alternative fuels in the recent past were often overlooked but are now getting much attention.
Wood heat has been used since the earliest of times in America. In the past half century or so, central heating systems fueled by oil or gas-fired furnaces have been the heating choices for most homeowners. However, in recent years, wood stoves have been making a strong resurgence.
Attractive stoves by Vermont Castings, Lopi, Waterford and other manufacturers have taken their place in common living areas like kitchens, dens and living rooms to supplement heat while creating a warm, cozy ambiance to the rooms. Wood furnaces, both indoor and outdoor, have new designs based on the latest technology, provide many hours of central heating before needing more fuel added. Burning wood, at least in rural areas, has the advantage that it can be easy obtained. People in urban areas can also purchase wood for less cost than many other heating fuels.
Fuels like wood pellets and corn can also provide heat when used in a specially designed, clean-burning furnace or stove. Also, more and more people are taking a look at bio-diesel which is a fuel manufactured from vegetable oils, mainly soybean oil. Most furnaces can use B20, a fuel made of 80 percent traditional heating oil and 20 percent bio-diesel, without any adjustments. Some people are even getting their furnaces specially adapted to burn B100, a fuel made entirely of vegetable oil. Bio-diesel burns much cleaner than home heating oil, but has it’s shortcomings such as it tends to cause rubber gaskets to erode more quickly. Do thorough research before you opt for B100 as it’s not for everyone.
If your furnace will handle it, and you decide to use B100, you have several options. B100 is becoming more readily available in many parts of the country. You can easliy check on the Internet to find suppliers near you. An interesting note is; waste oil, which is used vegetable oil discarded by restaurants - can be filtered and used in some furnaces. Several furnaces available have been specifically designed to burn waste oil. B100 has an additive that keeps it liquid at low temperatures, which recycled vegetable doesn’t contain, so do your research before you attempt burning used vegetable oil.
There are many new technologies now available such as: wood gasification, wood pellets and biodeisel, which can help us ultimately move away from our long dependence on the non-replenishable fossil fuels.
