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Monday, October 13, 2008 10:39 AM EDT
Locals pay heating bills in labor, not cash
By Kate Day Sager
Olean Times Herald
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| Kate Day Sager/Olean Times Herald
Bradford, Pa., resident Jerry Anderson stacks wood that he will use to keep his home warmed up, and his fuel bills down, during the upcoming winter months. |
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Jerry and Jeanie Anderson of Bradford, Pa., decided to install a wood burning stove in their home a couple of years ago to counter their rising gas bills.
The Andersons are among a growing number of area and regional residents who are switching to alternative fuel sources such as wood and coal after gas prices began rising several years ago.
In the Andersons' community, gas prices have continued to rise with the latest increase seen in the past month or so. One homeowner in the community said she saw her pro-rated, monthly budget bill, which provides equal monthly payments for gas over a 12-month period, rise from $225 to $290 a month.
Mr. Anderson said after he saw the gas prices creep up a couple of times in one winter, he considered having a wood burning stove professionally installed. He noted that a neighbor down the street also was unhappy with the gas prices and is putting a coal-burning furnace in his basement.
Mr. Anderson said his wife wasn't particularly keen on having a wood stove in their home, but eventually acquiesced to the plan.
"I finally talked her into letting us burn wood," Mr. Anderson said.
"I wasn't excited about having a wood stove at all," Mrs. Anderson admitted. "But the gas kept getting more expensive" and a relative provided money for them to buy the stove.
"It's still a little bit messy and sometimes in the middle of night when he puts wood in a big puff of smoke comes out," she said. "But the heat is great; and one thing that surprised me was that one little wood stove heats the house better than central heat."
Mr. Anderson said the downstairs of their home can also be warmed by hot water heated base boards, and the upstairs has a small gas heater.
"We didn't even have to light the upstairs heater last year" because the wood burner kept the entire house warm, he said.
Mr. Anderson said he worked throughout the summer collecting and splitting wood, adding to a long, stacked pile that continues to grow larger each year.
"I've teased him that he's building the Great Wall of China," Mrs. Anderson said with a laugh.
Across the state line in Napoli, N.Y., Vinnie Mongillo said he has heated his rural home with a wood-burning furnace since he moved into his house seven years ago. And he's certain that burning wood has kept his fuel prices down. Mr. Mongillo said he uses propane gas as a backup heating source and to heat his hot water heater, dryer and stove. He said propane also has jumped in price from $1.20 a gallon to $2.68 a gallon in seven years.
Mr. Mongillo said that with the newer, airtight wood furnaces, the wood can burn much quicker and hotter. Therefore, he said homeowners need to take care not to overload furnaces as they can burn very hot. As a precautionary measure, he cleans his chimney once a month.
"It's serious business and you have to pay attention to what you're doing," Mr. Mongillo said.
George Corignani, code enforcement officer for the Bradford City Fire Department, expressed similar sentiments and said his department has seen a large increase in house fires at homes that have wood burning and coal burning stoves.
Mr. Corignani said homeowners should install wood or coal-burning stoves using the manufacturer's recommendations, or have them professionally installed. He said his department can also inspect stoves to make sure they are properly installed.
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