By
eHow Home & Garden Editor
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Things You’ll Need:
- Wood stove or fireplace
- Wood or wood pellets
- Packaged fire starter or crumpled newspaper
- Fire extinguisher
- Chimney brush and chimney cleaning granules
- Personal protective equipment
Step1
Install a new stove or use an existing stove or fireplace to heat with wood. Check local building codes or hire a professional installer if you install a new wood heater.
Step2
Find a source of free or inexpensive wood suitable for your stove. Watch classifieds or ask a nearby public land administration office if it allows woodcutting.
Step3
Cut or buy wood the correct length for your stove. Bring it home, split and stack near the door closest to your wood stove or fireplace. Use a small storage shed, covered patio or carport to keep the wood dry or cover it with various materials such as tarps and plywood.
Step4
Season the wood until it is dry, start a fire and enjoy your "earth-friendly" source of energy. Packaged fire starter, crumpled newspaper or small wood chips come in handy for starting fires.
Step5
Keep your chimney clean. Have a chimney sweep do a professional cleaning at least once a year. Buy packages of chimney cleaning granules to burn with your wood periodically to help keep the chimney clean while safely heating with wood.