Now that all the leaves are changing colors and winter is nipping at our doorsteps many people are turning on the heaters. To save money in the winter many people have turned to wood-burning stoves or burning in their fireplaces to help cut costs. There are many things to consider when choosing firewood such as safety and the amount of heat desired. More

People often want to add different retro or vintage items to their home to provide that feeling once held when visiting grandparents. One item which can bring back fond memories of the past is wood stoves. Many people can remember sitting around the wood stove sharing stories while enjoying a nice meal without the modern distractions of television and cell phones. Napoleon stoves offer a variety of options, including vintage designs for any room in the home.

Put Napoleon Stoves in Every Room of Your House

Adding Napoleon stoves to your home provides you the ability to install different wood burning stoves into any room on the house. You can place one in the home to keep warm on cold winter evenings without having to turn your thermostat up on the furnace. You can place one in the kitchen, which can also be used as a cooktop to prepare meals. You can find a variety of Napoleon products online at Copperfield Chimney Supply .

Many consumers are still avid fans of using wood to heat their homes despite other more eco-friendly alternatives such as renewable energy.

The reliance of burning wood as a main heating source is popular throughout the U.S., but its use has increased by 50% in the Northeast and Middle Atlantic regions from 2005 to 2012, said the Energy Information Administration.

Wood remains a popular heating source, and consumers are still buying split logs and wood pellets in droves in the nine states from New England and Middle Atlantic census divisions.

Wood chips are commonly sold at Lowe's and other home improvement retail stores in the Northeast, Southeast and Northwest parts of the U.S. because of the availability and proximity to the source, said Craig Marcum, managing partner at Edge Energy, a brokerage in Houston.

"The closer you are to the coasts where most of the wholesale market is, the better you are," he said.

Consumers have sought cheaper options such as wood for many years and are foregoing the use of fuel oil and kerosene, the EIA said.

Across the U.S., 2.5 million households or 2.1% of the population now use wood as the main fuel to heat their homes, an increase from 1.9 million households or 1.7% in 2005. There are another 9 million households, or 7.7% of Americans, who use wood as a secondary heating fuel.

Most homes rely on using heating stoves as their primary source and fireplaces are the next common choice, the report said. While most consumers are burning split logs, more people are buying wood pellets in the past few years.

What's more, while homes with higher income brackets "are more likely to use wood, those at lower income levels who burn wood consume more on average," the EIA said.

Finding cheaper alternative fuels which are eco-friendly remains a challenge for consumers still, Marcum said. Using biodiesel fuels or other fuels is still not obtainable for most people.

"Alternative fuels are local in nature," he said. "Every single one of them is driven by receiving subsidies by the federal and state governments. Alternative fuels are more expensive to develop and build and cost more for the consumer."

While the use of wind and solar energy is gaining in popularity and availability, many limitations still exist depending on what state you reside in, Marcum said. Finding the right balance between the higher costs for using renewable energy and seeking better options for the environment remains tricky and difficult right now, he said.

"We can't afford to go strictly for the wallet," Marcum said. "I don't think we as a country will ever go strictly on the wallet. I think most leaders in the energy sector believe in the same thing – there has to be an environmental aspect to it."

Another potential option for consumers in the near term is using hydrogen to heat and power their homes. HyperSolar (OTCMKTS:HYSR), the Santa Barbara, Calif. hydrogen producer, is working on commercializing their technology so that consumers can use their method at home for heat and electricity. The company's technology splits water molecules and isolates and harvests hydrogen. The particle technology uses thousands of tiny solar cells which are immersed in water. When the sun hits the particles in water, it splits the water molecules and produces hydrogen.

"The reason it is a good option is because the hydrogen can be produced on site," said CEO Tim Young. "With a little bit of land and sun and using a clear vessel filled with waste water, the sun would hit the particles and produce hydrogen. The benefit of hydrogen is that it can be stored like oil and gas and produces clean emissions."

The current renewable technology for splitting water to produce hydrogen calls for a consumer to buy $4,000 to $6,000 in solar panels and an electrolyzer, an electrochemical device to convert electricity and water into hydrogen and oxygen, which ranges from $45,000 to $50,000 for a 2,000 sq. ft. home. Once a consumer makes the initial capital investment, they will have free energy to use, but the costs still remain prohibitive except for hydrogen enthusiasts and renewable energy adopters.

HyperSolar's technology could be available commercially within three to five years and could be up to 50% cheaper than the current renewable energy options such as using an electrolyzer, Young said. Its technology will likely be located near fueling stations for hydrogen cars or warehouses for power equipment and then adoption is likely to occur at homes and farms.

"We've made tremendous progress to get where we are now," Young said. "It will be the greenest form of energy available and our goal is to be on par economically with natural gas."

The adoption of using other forms of renewable energy has been slow because natural gas is a very inexpensive and plentiful fuel for heating options, he said.

--Written by Ellen Chang for MainStreet

There are things you can do to your home to increase its value which do not cost a fortune. You can add Napoleon stoves to multiple rooms in your home to add a rustic charm and beauty. Wood stoves are not difficult to maintain and use solid wood fuels which are a renewable energy source. Flat top stove models can even be used to heat and cook food in cast iron pans and skillets.

Napoleon Stoves Can be Added to Your Rooms without Fireplaces

When you do not have fireplaces in some of the rooms of your home, but want the ability to burn wood, you can look at adding wood stoves instead. Napoleon stoves come in all different sizes, which allow you to choose from small, medium and large styles. You will find Napoleon brand stoves and everything you need to install one, available here at Copperfield Chimney Supply.

Pellet stoves are commonly used as a heat source for homes. Pellets stoves are both attractive and efficient. Many pellet stoves resemble a wood stove and burn with a similar burn pattern.

When installing a pellet stove, you must follow the installation manual which will state that you must place the stove on a non-combustible surface - usually called a hearth pad . Hearth pads are typically made of masonry material and can be purchased at fireplace suppliers.

Concrete hearth pads can be made to look appealing by adding stenciling, painted surface or stained surface to make you pellet stove pad a work of art. Consider painting or stenciling a scene on the concrete or cover the entire pad with paint or stain.

Adding a wood burning stove to any of the rooms in your home can add a source of warmth as well as add to the décor of a room. There is a wide variety of wood burning stoves available ranging from the more traditional looking models to sleek, contemporary stoves. In the past few wood stoves offered the option of glass doors to watch the flames. Many newer models of wood burning stoves feature glass doors. When choosing to install a wood burning stove into your home, you will either need to attach it to a preexisting chimney or have a chimney installed.

Copperfield Chimney Supply has a great selection of wood burning stoves and more. By having a strong focus on customer service, they get you what you need and can answer any questions regarding wood burning stoves, fireplaces, gas grills, and more.