The Warmth of a Fire

There is nothing quite like the warmth of a fire in the winter. I grew up with a wood burning stove in our home and have always loved the heat it provides. I believe it is one of the best, most economical and (can be) efficient ways to heat the home.

Just like any other source of heat, burning wood has its drawbacks. The danger of having a large 300+ degree metal box sitting in the middle of the living room where someone can touch it and be burned, or the open flame of a hearth where sparks can fly out and burn the floor or worse, catch the house on fire. (With the proper precautionary measures, these things can successfully be avoided.) Many complain of how dirty they are -  tracking sawdust, dirt and wood debris into the house from the door to the stove. As a boy, I often complained of how much work it was to cut the wood, split it, stack it, and carry it into the house.

Nowadays, I burn wood in my shop to keep warm while building cabinets and various other woodworking projects for my business. The one thing I cannot complain about is it's cost. As trees are abundant around here, the only expense I incur is the gas for the equipment, and my time one or two weekends out of every year. It is very rigorous work, the older one gets, the more taxing it becomes, but I know some who consider splitting wood to be rather therapeutic.

In my opinion, there is no greater heat source for a home. Sure, a central heat and air system can heat quicker and more evenly, but it cannot compare to the comfort a wood burning stove can create. Maybe, in a perfect world, we would have a wood burning stove with the heat circulated by a central heating system.

A wood burning stove may not be for everyone, but it is my first choice in home heating.