Wood stove and biomass heat

Our definitive guide to chimney sealing. Learn how to safely seal an unused fireplace permanently, or temporarily plug a working chimney to stop drafts. We cover chimney balloons, caps, insulation, different chimney types, and critical safety tips. Unused chimney? How to seal it successfully... That charming old…

Master the basics of outdoor wood boilers, from high-efficiency gasification technology and EPA standards to integrating hydronic heating for homes, garages, and workshops. Outdoor wood burning boilers: Is this the right home heating system? For homeowners seeking energy independence, outdoor wood burning boilers…

Known for their distinctive roar and heated cob benches, Rocket Mass Heaters offer incredible fuel efficiency. Learn how these permaculture favorites work and how to safely adapt them for modern airtight homes. If a masonry heater is the refined, commercially installed option for thermal mass heating, the Rocket…

​​​​​​​Standard wood stoves can turn an energy-efficient home as hot a a sauna if you're not careful. Learn how masonry heaters solve this problem by acting as a thermal battery and radiating heat in airtight Passive House, LEED and Net Zero homes. There is a specific quality of warmth that comes from a masonry…

Learn the critical requirements for installing a wood burning stove in an airtight house, including sealed combustion and correct low-output sizing for homeowners and builders. Can you put wood burning stoves in airtight homes? There is an inherent feeling of resiliency that comes with having a wood stove, in that…

Wood combustion – how firewood burns, the stages and processes, how to get the best heat for your money while being eco-friendly. Understanding how firewood burns, the technical details Stage 1: The evaporation of moisture – otherwise known as “getting the d@mn thing going” If you’ve ever tried to burn wet or…

Making sense of the best wood burning fireplace inserts and wood stove specifications and knowing how to choose the best one for you if you're looking to burn wood for minimum environmental impact & maximum heat output is easy with our guide. Wood burning inserts and stoves - which are best & which burn cleanest…

Short of a wood stove, pretty much all heating systems require power to operate. So in the event of an apocalypse (zombie, climate, asteroid, etc) these two pellet stoves can keep you warm when the power goes out. These wood pellet stoves need no electricity Burning wood to heat a home does not make you an…

Dense hardwoods like maple, oak, birch and cherry are some of the better woods for heating & burn hottest. Different species of wood are available in different areas, so the best firewood will vary by location, see below. First rule for choosing the hottest firewood? Before we get into which wood is best for…

Improvements in stove technology have made wood and biomass fuel a more popular and efficient heat source. There has been an increase in the use of wood and other biomass fuel for heating homes across the colder parts of North America & Canada for the last decade . In Eastern Canada and the USA in particular this…