| The recent spikes in oil and natural gas | | | | biodiesel burns much cleaner than traditional |
| prices have put the topic of alternative | | | | heating oil, but has its own problems (for |
| fuels for home heating at the forefront of | | | | one thing, biodiesel tends to cause rubber |
| discussions around the country. Alternative | | | | gaskets to erode), so be sure to check with |
| fuels that in the past were seen as marginal, | | | | your furnace servicer or manufacturer before |
| odd, or strictly for rural use are getting a | | | | you opt for B100.If you choose to use B100, |
| second look.Wood heat has been used for | | | | and your furnace will handle it, you have a |
| generations in the rural U.S., but has been | | | | couple of options. B100 is becoming more |
| replaced in the past fifty years or so by | | | | available around the country; check on the |
| central heating provided by oil- or gas-fired | | | | Internet to find a supplier near you. Also, |
| furnaces. However, in recent years, wood | | | | waste oil - that is, used vegetable oil |
| stoves have been making a comeback. | | | | discarded by restaurants - can be filtered |
| Attractive stoves by Jotul and other | | | | and used in some furnaces. Several furnaces |
| manufacturers have taken their place in | | | | on the market are designed to burn waste oil. |
| communal living areas like kitchens and | | | | Commercially manufactured B100 has an |
| living rooms to supplement heating while | | | | additive that keeps it liquid at low |
| providing a cozy ambiance to the rooms. Wood | | | | temperatures, which recycled vegetable |
| furnaces, both internal and external and in | | | | doesn't contain, so do your research - and |
| many new designs based on the latest | | | | check again with your furnace servicer - |
| technology, provide the ability to load the | | | | before you attempt burning used vegetable |
| furnace so as to provide hours of central | | | | oil.We're facing a new world with lots of |
| heating before needing re-stoking. An | | | | challenges in terms of how to heat our homes, |
| advantage of burning wood, at least in rural | | | | especially in colder winter climates. Luckily |
| areas, is that it can be locally obtained; | | | | there are technologies like wood gasification |
| people with a wood lot can get it with "sweat | | | | and biodeisel, available today which can help |
| equity", and can supplement their income by | | | | us move away from our decades-old dependence |
| supplying their neighbors as well.New | | | | on fossil fuels.Aldene Fredenburg is a |
| plant-based fuels like wood pellets and corn | | | | freelance writer living in southwestern New |
| pellets can also provide heat when used in | | | | Hampshire and frequently contributes to Tips |
| specially designed, clean-burning furnaces | | | | and Topics. She has published numerous |
| and stoves. In addition, more and more people | | | | articles in local and regional publications |
| are taking a new look at biodiesel, a fuel | | | | on a wide range of topics, including |
| manufactured from vegetable oils, primarily | | | | business, education, the arts, and local |
| soybean oil. Most furnaces can use B20, a | | | | events. Her feature articles include an |
| fuel made of 80 percent traditional heating | | | | interview with independent documentary |
| oil and 20 percent biodiesel, without any | | | | filmmaker Ken Burns and a feature on |
| adjustments; some people are getting their | | | | prisoners at the New Hampshire State Prison |
| furnaces adapted to be able to burn B100, a | | | | in Concord. |
| fuel made entirely of vegetable oils. The | | | | |