If you heat with wood,
          now is a good time to . . .

Move up to an advanced Wood Stove,
More than just a clean burning home heater.

As you browse the hearth showroom, the salesman shows you two similar looking wood stoves.This one, he informs you, has the new advanced technologies and that one does not.This one costs two hundred dollars more and he advises you to buy it instead of the conventional model.He faces a challenge in convincing you to part with the extra money, but if he fails, you could be the loser.

There could be several reasons to resist spending the extra on an advanced wood stove, even though they are touted as more environmentally friendly.But beyond giving you bragging rights as being more environmentally-correct than your neighbors, it turns out the new, advanced wood stoves offer a long list of benefits that make day-to-day wood burning safer, and more convenient and pleasurable.

For example, the new wood stoves burn a lot cleaner, emitting about 90 per cent less smoke than older stove models. [*local dealer quote:* evidence of clean burn, such as: In practice, this means you will never again see a plume of blue or gray smoke coming from your chimney or smell that strong odor when you step outside.]

Advanced wood stoves are safer too because less smoke in the exhaust means your chimney will stay cleaner.[*local dealer quote:* evidence of less maintenance, such as: Some owners never need to have their chimneys swept because creosote deposits do not accumulate.]

Still, any wood heating system should be checked over at least once a year.

Some people using old conventional wood stoves live in constant fear of having a chimney fire caused by heavy smoke that clings to the inside of the chimney.A clean burning new stove makes the whole system safer because there is so little smoke there is virtually no chance of a chimney fire.Woodburning should make you feel warm, secure and comfortable, not nervous.

The new wood stoves burn about one-third less wood for a given amount of heat. Higher efficiency means less cutting, splitting and moving of wood, not to mention saving money on fuel wood purchases. The fire in the new stoves is strikingly beautiful, which is what most people notice when they first use one in their own homes.[*local dealer quote:* the difference shows up on the showroom floor, such as: The little jets of flame that appear to come from air supply holes are visible proof of the difference between these and conventional stoves.You'll also see nicer flame colours with some pink and blue compared to the dark orange of older stoves.]

Mind you, the fire is not visible at all in most conventional stoves because they have either a solid door or sooted up glass, unlike the clear glass panels in advanced stoves.

The new technologies produce a more stable fire.For example, you can set one of these new stoves for an overnight burn and, as you go off to bed, you'll notice the fire flaming brightly. [*local dealer quote:* overnight burn in conventional stove, such as: If you tried that with an older stove it would likely smoke and smolder.]

The new woodburning stoves are a better investment because their makers are the larger, more stable companies in the business who have spent big money in designing more environmentally-friendly products.They will still be around if you ever need a replacement part or have a warranty claim. Will you get more day-to-day pleasure from your new wood stove than you did from your old one?It appears the answer could be yes, provided you spend a little extra to move up to an advanced model.And in addition to the pleasure of using an efficient unit that works better, you'll feel safer and more secure.You'll be doing your bit for the environment too.

What is the cost of more convenience, security, comfort and enjoyment?In the case of the new advanced wood stoves, the extra cost looks like a bargain.

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