Wood Pellets: A Smart Choice For Fueling Your Wood Stove

Wood pellets have become more and more popular as fuel for wood stoves in recent years. Their popularity stems from a number of reasons, not the least of which is that wood is a renewable energy source - unlike others like gas, coal and heating oil.

Wood pellets were invented in the 1970s following the oil crisis of 1973. They were a logical solution to a problem that faced not only U.S. citizens, but also home owners around the world.

Wood pellets are a byproduct of local sawmills. They are produced using untreated sawdust and shavings - leftovers from the cutting of logs into boards and other basic materials made from wood. Shavings and sawdust are dried to eliminate almost all moisture, then compressed under high temperatures and pressure. The result is a 5-10mm pellet that is ready to be burned inside a woodstove.

Those that are accustomed to using wood pellets will know that there are varying degrees of pellet quality. A poorly manufactured pellet can become loose and can even crumble causing its burn to be less than efficient.

A high quality wood pellet contains no additives or binding agents and burns long and hot. Ligin, a naturual constituent present in wood, is released under the heat and pressure of the pelleting process.

It is Ligin that actually binds the small particles together to form the pellet itself. The best pellets are made from hard woods such as oak, or from a mixture of hard woods. Pellets that produce less than 1% ash per ton are considered to be premium grade, and the best pellet money can buy.

Wood pellets have proven to be good for the environment as well. Emissions from combustion are low compared the burning of traditional logs or wood. Low emissions makes the burning of wood pellets in urban areas especially attractive to wood stove owners.

If you are in the market for a wood stove, consider a wood pellet stove as a fine choice. They are economical, environmentally friendly, and produce an ambiance and heating comfort that is hard to match with any other home heating method.

By: Jim Martin

For more information on wood stoves, fireplaces and alternative heating sources, visit www.4woodstoves.com

The Most Efficient Way To Heat A Basement

Many homeowners prefer to have a basement in the house. That is because the basement can be used for all kinds of purposes. For example, you can use it for entertainment, work, research, etc. The only problem is, when the weather gets cold, you have to have some way of heating up the basement so that you can continue using it even when temperatures are low.

In general, there are many different ways you can heat up a basement. Some are more efficient than others, simply because of the way heat is generated. Usually, the more energy efficient heating systems adopt some kind of method that draws heat from the environment. In recent years, more and more homeowners are becoming aware of such methods. That is mainly due to greater environmental awareness, and larger cost savings.

Conventional ways of heating up a basement include using a fireplace, or an electrical heat source. Heat can be easily generated from electricity. You can have a radiator system that helps to spread heat more evenly around the basement. For large basements, a heavy duty electric heater would be ideal.

For fireplaces, you may want to include a blower to achieve the same result. Ultimately, the heating system that you install depends on the area that you want to heat. Do you want to keep the entire basement warm? Or do you just want to keep a small area cozy? That answer lies in what you are going to do in the basement.

But perhaps the most efficient way to heat a basement would be the geothermal system. Geothermal systems may not be as common as electric heaters, as they are more complicated when compared with ordinary heating systems.

When the weather is cold, the ground surface may be cold, but the layers underneath have stored up lots of heat energy. The heat is untapped, and geothermal systems attempt to draw heat from beneath the ground. Water is used as the medium to tap into the heat energy. Via underground ducts or pipes, the water travels deep into the ground and stays there till its warmed up. The water is then transported back up, and the heat energy can be dispersed throughout the basement floors and walls.

In fact, this system is so energy efficient that the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) estimated a savings of between 20 to 50 percent. The only problem with the geothermal system is that it may require higher upfront investment. Mostly, the cost goes into installing the tubing. If you want to cut cost, you may want to install plastic tubing. However, in the long run, an energy efficient heating system can help you save on utilities bills.

If budget is the chief concern, then perhaps ceramic heating systems will suit you best.

By: FastSubmitArticles.com

For more information on heating a basement visit Home Heating Systems Help.

Solar Power For Off The Grid Homes

If you have ever dreamed of being completely energy independent, then your ultimate goal is to have an off the grid home. Solar power for an off-the-grid home is one of the easiest ways to achieve this energy independence.

In the past, most people who had an off the grid home were located in remote areas where electric utility service is not even available. But more and more people are considering it as a personal lifestyle choice. Solar power for off the grid homes is gaining more popularity as prices for solar equipment come down and the cost of electricity continues to rise.


So what does it take to use solar power for an off-the-grid home?

First, you'll need to become very aware of when and how you use electricity. You won't have to live without it, but you won't want to waste it, either. Excess solar power for an off the grid home has to be stored in batteries to get you through the nighttime and rainy/cloudy/snowy days where there is little or no sunlight. You'll also need an emergency backup generator for those unforeseen times when you may not have sunlight for several days.

Second, you should make your house as energy efficient as possible before you convert to complete solar power. By making your house energy efficient now, your solar component costs (PV panels, batteries, etc.) will be lower since you won't need as big a system.

Third, you'll want to become familiar with how your solar power system works, and what kind of maintenance is required. Solar power for an off the grid home is not difficult to understand, the concepts are pretty basic. Become familiar with how solar energy works in your home and the different components involved in keeping you off the grid. It will require some time and commitment on your part, but since you won't be connected to an electric utility for emergencies, you need to know how your power system works.

By: K.C. Jones

Learn more about solar power for an off the grid home and other options for incorporating solar power into your home. www.easyhomesolarpower.info - bringing the power of the sun into your home.

How To Build Solar Water Heater

Many of us, in fact everyone of us are finding ways to save our hard earned money and at the same time to be eco-friendly in this testing times of soaring electricity and oil prices. So before it is too late, you should learn how to build solar water heater. There are galore of advantages of solar water heater and if you have one, you do not have to depend on the gas and electricity to run hot water baths. No doubt, heating was never so easy and economic before the inception of solar water heaters.

There is no dearth of commercial ready to use solar water heaters in the market, but then it could cost anywhere around $2000. So why spend so much when you have the option to build solar water heater at your own place at a much cheaper and affordable price.


Materials required

Not much of the materials are required for building a solar water heater. You just need to have a strong box; aluminum type window panels, copper pipes, storage tank and that will be all.

Steps to build a solar water heater

• Cover the box with the glass panels; this will serve like a solar panel for your solar water heater.

• Once the water heating box with glass covering has been created, it is now time for the installation of the copper pipes.

• Cut and solder the copper pipes and, fasten them to both the bottom and top pipe lines, but do not forget interior pipes should be there inside the box.

• Now place a storage tank, painted black, above the solar heat absorbing panel.

• Connect or hook the outlet of the copper pipes to the tank.

As the principle goes, hot water will rise up towards the storage tank and at the same time the cold water will go down.

General Precautions

• If you are thinking of using a used tank, then make sure that it is leak-proof and is in a better condition.

• Do not use CVC pipes inside the box as they won’t be able to sustain the extremes of temperature.

• Use polyisocyanurate insulation board instead of polystyrene insulation board.

By: Ashish Arora


For more comprehensive details and information on how to build solar water heater, you can log on to simpleheaters