Home Heat: a Rush for Alternatives

Higher Energy Prices Spark
Frenzy for Wood, Pellet Stoves;
Hot Models in Tight Supply

Instead of spending summer days sunning by the pool, some homeowners were jostling with heat-seeking crowds of a different sort -- at the local fireplace dealer.

With record-high winter fuel costs on the horizon, a midsummer panic to find alternative heat sources was sparking unusual early demand for an old warmth standby: the wood-burning stove. Brisk early sales in cold weather states of these units, as well as other hearth appliances that burn sawdust pellets, corn, and even cherry and olive pits, caught manufacturers and dealers by surprise after two years of tepid sales. Many are reporting backlogs of models that in some cases won't arrive until next year.

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