I’ve got electric central heat here in my house, but the winters aren’t too severe here in South Texas so it’s not too much of an issue. But I know that readers here and over at Suite101 where I write the home renovation and repair articles live all over the place, and some have severe winters.

For that reason and because of the available energy tax credits, I’ve researched other methods of heating. It turns out that biomass fuel technology is a green and sustainable way to heat your home. Pellet stoves do a dandy job in this area.
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The stoves don’t come cheap and they do require some maintenance, but they are very efficient and economical to operate. The fuel (pellets) are made from things like corn stalks, scrap from cabinet shops and furniture factories. Since this is material that was destined for the landfill anyway, and will just be regrown again, it qualifies for a renewable and sustainable resource.

And we all know how hip it is to be green, long before Frank Sinatra sang that song. Boy, just knowing that song dates me, doesn’t it?

So, if you are looking to upgrade your home heating system, you might want to look into a pellet stove. They come as inserts for your existing fireplace if that’s the route you want to go, but you’ll just irritate Santa Claus.