Wood Burning Stoves

I remember seeing the antique wood burning stoves at the Henry Ford Museum when I was a kid. Back then, it looked like a quaint and cozy throwback. It was from some cabin built centuries ago, preserved as a way to demonstrate how life was back in the good old days. I certainly never considered a wood burning stove to be an efficient means of heating a house. After all, it looked so antiquated.

Recent events in my life, however, have given me cause to think about wood burning stoves more seriously. I never realized how efficient the traditional wood burning stove is until I moved out to rural Wisconsin. The Franklin stoves were incredibly efficient. Because they would radiate right into the middle of the house, they could heat a room and safely vent out the burnt wood smoke. Wood was a common resource for the pioneers, and a few hours of work could keep wood burning stoves going for days at a time. This was a big help in the cold winter.