Friday, September 21, 2012

Wood Heat Fact Sheets by the Alliance for Green Heat & UMD Extension Now Available



The University of Maryland Extension in collaboration with the Alliance for Green Heat developed several fact sheets on the topic of residential wood heating in the state of Maryland. The fact sheets in this five-part Wood Energy series are available for download.

The Wood Energy Audit Checklist is mainly designed as a tool for energy auditors performing appliance inspections but also contains useful safety tips for homeowners with wood burning stoves. The checklist covers a number of practical topics, including stove and chimney maintenance and how to inspect for clearances.

Buying and Storing Firewood & Pellets takes an in-depth look at how to buy firewood wood and pellets. The fact sheet covers properly seasoning and storing wood.  Nearly everyone who has bought firewood multiple times has been shortchanged. Even an experienced wood burner is likely to find something new and helpful in this guide.

Buying a Secondhand Woodstove explores a widespread - but scarcely written about - practice of buying a used wood or pellet stove. It cautions against buying a secondhand wood stove that is not EPA-certified and offers other advice to consumers, including how to inspect a used wood stove for damage and what questions to ask the seller.

How to Buy a New Wood Stove delves into the typical questions consumers have when beginning to shop for a wood-fired heater.  It covers what qualities to look for when purchasing a wood stove, such as sizing and EPA certification, as well as the differences between the various types of wood stoves (cat, non-cat, pellet and masonry), how to buy a wood or pellet boiler, and more.

Considerations for Your Wood or Pellet Stove Installation  explains the importance of having your stove installed professionally and pulling the required permits from both a safety and insurance perspective. It also discusses the appropriate clearances needed for combustibles, chimney, hearth pad and stove pipe options, and differences in pellet stove installation.

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