Check your Fire Department E-Mail
Links to Southwest Harbor Agencies
-
Fire Chief's Corner
The upward climb in the cost of energy this year has really put a load on all of our budgets. The natural reaction is to cut costs, and find cheaper ways to keep warm and electrified. Tempting as it may be, Before any of you lug a wood stove home from a big box store or throw a bunch of solar panels and batteries onto your roof, take the time to research what you are getting into and how to do what you need to do as safely as possible. There are a boatload of web sites that can provide you with most of the information you need to make a safe and cost effective purchase. If you are looking to install a wood stove, pellet stove or even a full size pellet or Bio-mass Boiler, here some links that will get you started.
For those looking into Wood heat
http://www.woodheat.org/
and for Pellet Heating
http://pelletheat.org/
From the Maine Fire Marshall's office
http://www.maine.gov/dps/fmo/documents/2005Woodburningguide.pdf
http://www.maine.gov/dps/fmo/documents/AlternativeHeating.pdf
If you are looking into an Outside Wood Boiler for your home, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection has some good info At:
http://www.maine.gov/dep/air/woodsmoke/woodcombustion3.htm
For those looking to put in a Solar Electric system into their home, Whether it is for Grid Tied or Stand Alone, Check out:
http://www.getsolar.com/indexj.php OR
http://www.getsolar.com/why-solar.php
Finally, If you are looking for a great resource of information on most anything to do with Alternative Energy, Try this online Magazine:
http://homepower.com/home/
In closing, No matter what you choose to put in, do it carefully and with a keen eye on making it safe. By all means, READ the Manufactures instructions that come with any appliance you intend to install and follow their recommendations. They have years of experience and plenty of engineers on staff to give you the guidance you need to install it correctly, safely and at minimum cost. Taking a shortcut to get by could lead to the loss of your home or your life.
Chief Sam Chisholm
SWHFD