High cost of heating sends Wisconsin homeowners scrambling

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Published on Sunday, October 8, 2000 High cost of heating sends homeowners scrambling By LINDA McALPINE of the Tribune staff

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- P eople looking to chop their heating bills this winter are turning to wood as an alternative fuel. ``We're seeing a lot of interest in fireplace inserts and wood-burning stoves,'' said Jeanne Miethke, part owner of Warming Trends in La Crosse. ``I think the impetus for that is worry about the cost of heating this winter.``

Miethke said inserts ``just slide into a regular fireplace and makes it more efficient and cleaner.``

People are even seeking alternatives to the alternatives. ``We're also getting people who come in inquiring about the wood pellet stoves,'' she said. ``These stoves burn a fuel like a rabbit pellet that is made of 100 percent recycled sawdust.``

Miethke said these stoves are really not classified as a stove but as an appliance. The advantage to that, she said, is that it does not require a chimney but is vented to the outside directly through a 3-inch pipe, similar to that of a clothes dryer.

``These stoves are very safe and can be used to heat just an area or a whole house,'' she noted.

Lynn Meyer, president of American Home Fireplace and Patio in West Salem, said free-standing gas stoves have been popular with his customers. ``People like them because they are easy to install,'' he explained.

He added that, like Miethke, he also has more customers asking about fireplace inserts that either burn wood or natural gas.

``A regular fireplace is only about 30 to 40 percent efficient, compared to about 80 percent for a gas insert or 71 percent for a wood burning one,'' Meyer said.

To further save on heating costs, Meyer said people should consider heating just the space they are in and turning down the thermostat in the rest of the house.

``That's what nice about fireplaces and stoves. They can be used for heat in the places where you spend most of your time,'' he added.

For those who have fireplaces or wood stoves, Meyer offered some safety advice.

``If people have been burning wood in their fireplaces or stoves, they should make certain they have their chimney cleaned,'' he said. ``Gaskets and the seal around the fireplace doors should also be checked.``

While it is a good idea to store some wood indoors so it dries out and subsequently burns cleaner and better, Meyer reminded homeowners to keep it a safe distance from the fireplace or stove. ``You may want to check the wood for bugs or mice before bringing it in from outside,'' he added.

Meyer also suggests installing a carbon monoxide detector. ``Even though the newer furnaces and stoves are much tighter, someone may still have an old-style water heater, so a carbon monoxide detector is a good idea,'' he said.

And while the long, bitterly cold nights of winter may still be some time away, Meyer advised people to fire up their furnaces or heaters for a test run now.

``Now is the time to check your furnace or stove out to see how it performs. Once the house heats up, it's still nice enough that you can open the windows and let it cool off.``

The alternative, Meyer pointed out, could be a costly emergency call to a furnace repairman in the middle of a frigid night.

Division Chief Jeff Brohmer of the La Crosse Fire Department said that not only should fireplaces and stoves be checked by professionals, especially if they have not been used in awhile, but that particular care should be paid to the chimney.

``If the chimney hasn't been used all summer, check to make sure it is clear of debris like nests,'' he said. A simple raincap with a lid and spark screen can be installed on top of the chimney to keep animals and birds out, added Mark Bushke, owner of ABA Chimney Sweeping and Restoration.

``Creosote deposits from burning wood need to be cleaned out at the beginning of the heating season and then as often as needed after that.'' Brohmer said. ``Check the chimney once a month for any buildup.'' Deposits build up faster, he added, if green wood is burned.

Other tips from Bushke for avoiding chimney fires: ``People should try to burn seasoned wood. Green wood has about a 45 percent moisture content, whereas seasoned wood has only about 20 to 25 percent moisture. It is the combination of moisture and smoke that you want to avoid, because that creates a buildup of creosote, that black sooty residue from burning. You want to burn wood that has as little moisture content as possible.''

Bushke said when buying wood, look for logs that have edges that are cracking and dark. Seasoned wood also is lighter and when two logs are struck together, they make a clicking sound, as opposed to the thud that heavier, green logs make.

Cracking a window while burning to increase the airflow is a good idea as well, and will help lessen buildup, Bushke said.

``A fire that is smaller and hotter will burn cleaner,'' Bushke said, adding that people should avoid the temptation to toss lots of logs on the fire before going to bed, as that kind of fire burns cooler.

Those with wood stoves should consider installing a wood stove pipe thermometer to monitor temperature while burning, Bushke said. He stressed that homeowners follow the manufacturer's specifications when it comes to appropriate temperature ranges.

Bushke also recommended that people avoid burning items such as cardboard, wrapping paper or trash. ``Cardboard and paper are so light that it's possible to have some of it sucked up the chimney in the draft while on fire,'' he noted.

If chimney fire is detected, Bushke recommended that -- if it can be safely done -- the doors on stoves or the fireplace be closed and all the air outlets shut off, to cut off any oxygen supply and smother the fire.

Maintenance can lower cost Home heating experts recommend a number of steps people can take before the snow begins to fly to tame the behemoth in the basement.

Gary Franke, service manager for Schneider Heating and Air Conditioning, says homeowners can add as much as five years to the life of their furnace and realize lower heating costs by simply getting into a yearly maintenance program.

``A lot can go wrong if a furnace isn't maintained correctly,'' Franke says. ``You can save energy, minimize costly breakdowns and be assured your furnace is operating safely if it's been checked by a qualified furnace technician.``

Franke also suggests having a programmable thermostat installed.

``Customers can realize as much as a 30 percent reduction in their heating costs if a programmable thermostat is used properly,'' he said. ``A $200 to $250 investment for the installation will pay for itself in short order.``

Franke said such a thermostat can be added to any furnace, then programmed to turn the heat up or down four times in a day. ``You just set it and forget it,'' he said.

If your furnace is getting old, consider a new one, he said.

``People need to think about upgrading if their furnace is 15 or 20 years old,'' he said. ``A furnace that old is about 80 percent efficient, and that means that 20 percent of your heat is going up the chimney. Today's furnaces are up to 97 percent efficient. A system like that can pay itself off in about five years, in energy savings.``

HEATING TIPS Xcel Energy, formerly Northern States Power Co., offers the following tips to make your present heating system more effective.

-- Change the furnace filter monthly for cleaner air and greater energy efficiency.

-- Do not block registers with furniture or drapes. Vacuum the register grills for more air flow.

-- Keep the heat in by caulking windows, inside and out, to prevent drafts and moist air from entering the house.

-- Weather stripping on parts that move, such as doors or windows, also helps reduce drafts, as does a door sweep or a door bottom, even on interior doors.

http://www.lacrossetribune.com/local_news/20001008_1.html

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), October 08, 2000

Answers

Were we not through all of this exact same thing just one year ago -- while getting ready for y2k

-- RogerT (rogerT@c-zone.net), October 08, 2000.

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