Heat With a Wood Stove

• 1). Cut your firewood a year in advance so it has time to dry and season. Green, freshly cut firewood won't burn efficiently and will leave more creosote in your chimney.
  
  
• 2). Use an efficient, airtight wood stove with a catalytic converter to re-burn gas emissions. These stoves are completely different than older, leaky stoves that emit high rates of pollution and burn wood inefficiently.
  
  
• 3). Clean your chimney and stovepipe every autumn before you begin to use your wood stove during the colder months.
  
  
• 4). Burn a hot fire early in the morning to overcome the nighttime chill, then shut your air intake down after you have built up a bed of coals.
  
  
• 5). Clean out your ash pan regularly to keep your wood stove burning efficiently.
  
  

Heat With Electricity

• 1). Set your thermostat to a comfortable temperature. Remember that the lower you set it, the less money you will spend.
  
  
• 2). Check your electric heaters periodically and clean any dust off of their manifolds to keep them heating as efficiently as possible.
  
  
• 3). Pay your bill every month.