Alternative home heating sources are becoming more popular as the cost of natural gas and electricity continue to climb.
At the end of September, the shipment of wood stoves and wood stove inserts already had climbed 84.5 percent over 2007, said Leslie Wheeler, director of communications for the Arlington, Va.-based Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association.
"Their popularity this year in particular is huge," said Wheeler, adding that when gasoline prices soared this summer so did the speculation about natural gas and heating costs for this winter.
And, despite two South Haven homes being nearly destroyed in fires this month linked to wood stoves, they are safe if homeowners follow installation and maintenance guidelines, Wheeler said.
In 2006, heating equipment of all kinds was involved in an estimated 64,100 home fires in the U.S., according to National Fire Protection Association statistics. Those fires were associated with the loss of 540 lives and caused 1,400 injures.
Fixed and portable space heaters, including wood stoves, accounted for one-third of the reported 2006 U.S. home heating fires, three-fourths of the associated civilian deaths, three-fifths of the civilian injuries and one half of the associated property damage, according to the report.
The leading factor contributing to ignition in home heating equipment fires is that the heating source is too close to combustibles, the association said.
That was the cause determined by local investigators in one of the home fires in South Haven. A fire two days before was officially listed as undetermined, but officials said the investigation pointed to an improperly operating wood stove.
"They are great appliances if they are installed and operated appropriately," Wheeler said.
Wheeler said her group has several recommendations for people who already own or who are looking to own wood burning stoves.
Stoves manufactured prior to 1990, when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency began regulating wood stoves, should be pulled out of commission, she said. Stoves manufactured after that date burn properly, with less smoke. They also burn less wood and keep indoor air cleaner.
"If you purchase a new stove, have it installed by a technician certified by the National Fireplace Institute. They can make sure it is vented property and is not placed nearby combustible material," Wheeler said.
Wheeler and Portage Building Commissioner Doug Sweeney are concerned people may be purchasing the stoves at local home improvement stores and installing them themselves.
The city requires residents to get permits for the installation of a wood stove in their home, Sweeney said. The city also provides an inspection to make sure the installation is completed properly.
