Our family has used wood heat my entire life, and at 46, I still use this form of heat in the winter months, so I feel I am somewhat of a self-proclaimed expert on the subject. Safety is a very strong factor when deciding which heating system you will choose, but you also want your heat source to be sufficient for the area you are trying to heat, and a single fireplace may not always be the best decision. Although a fireplace is very romantic and pretty to look at, the amount of heat produced by this system is very inefficient and practically obsolete. Also, when left unattended, there is always the risk of the fire popping and spreading sparks into the room which could cause a house fire.

Wood heaters are the best solution for any heating requirements you may have. You would be surprised at the wide range of sizes and models available on the market today. Many allow you to view the flames through protective glass doors creating a fireplace atmosphere while maximizing your heat production, and minimizing fire danger from open sparks. Other models are as plain as it gets. Simple cast iron models are the least expensive, but either model you choose is very proficient in heat production. Modern wood heaters are far more efficient than the earlier models I grew up with, creating more heat with less wood than ever before ! Technology it seems has no bounds when it comes to making everything in our lives safer and more efficient, even the wood heaters we once thought were obsolete.