Sam Streubel asked:


The most popular alternatives for whole house or supplemental heating are corn and wood pellet fueled stoves. These appliances are easy to operate and the initial capital outlay is significantly less than solar, wind or geothermal systems.

A vital question to ask before you start evaluating the merits of pellet vs corn stoves should be: “Which fuel, corn or wood pellets, is the most readily available in my locale and therefore the cheapest to burn?”

For instance, in Massachusetts corn for fuel is virtually non-existent. The closest Agway store I contacted (3/2/06) had only eleven, 50 pound bags in stock at a price of $9 each or $360 a ton.

Over the course of a New England heating season, a stove will consume 3 tons of fuel. If you compare this to $260 a ton for wood pellets from a well stocked Connecticut supplier, the wood pellet stove becomes your only choice.

Likewise, if you live in Iowa, why would you buy a wood pellet stove?

In some regions of the country, such as Wisconsin and Minnesota, there is usually an abundance of wood pellets and corn. The obvious benefit is the ability to switch between fuels when one of them becomes scarce.

A perfect example is this year’s wood pellet shortage. Do you think Wisconsin pellet stove owners had to think real hard about where to get corn when the supply of wood pellets ran low?

However, Nancy Koval, owner of Woodburning Warehouse in Watervliet, New York, warns that when burning corn in a wood pellet stove it is best to use a 50/50 mixture of wood pellets and corn.

The problem is clinkers. When corn is burned it leaves behind a substance from the sugars it contains that when cooled is very hard and stays in the burner. The clinkers must be regularly cleaned out of the stove. Some special corn stoves are designed to automatically clear clinkers, Koval said.

Wood pellet and corn stoves have many common traits. They are comparably priced at around $2000 for a unit large enough to heat 1200-1500 square feet, and share an efficiency rating of approximately 80%. Corn and wood pellets also produce an equal amount of heat per pound of fuel.

Please note: Since most house layouts do not allow the free movement of air through the house, a centrally located stove will not heat the whole house. If your home doesn’t have an open floor plan, size the stove to heat the room where the stove is located.

Both types of stoves require electricity to run fans, controls, and the auger that feeds corn or wood pellets into the stove’s firebox. Under normal usage, they consume about 100 kilowatt-hours (kWh) or about $9 worth of electricity per month. Unless the stove has a back-up power supply, the loss of electric power results in no heat and possibly some smoke in the house.

In addition to periodic ash disposal, both corn and wood pellet stoves have an annual maintenance regimen that must be followed to ensure your stove continues to operate as efficiently as the day you bought it.

The storage of corn, as opposed to wood pellets, can be problematic. Owners of corn burning systems who store corn inside their homes need to use tight storage containers, clean up corn spills immediately, and avoid storing corn for long periods of time to prevent problems with rodents and stored grain insects.

A third option to consider is a multi-fuel stove. Typically they are advertised as corn stoves that also burn wood pellets or vice versa.

The #1 selling multi-fuel stove is the Dansons Group Cheap Charlie Model HCCC2GD corn stove that also burns wood pellets.



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Low Jeremy asked:


If you are looking for something to cover your window, faux wood blinds are the best choice. This is the best alternative if you can’t find wood blinds. Wood blinds are known to be expensive because of its property. Faux wood blinds are very cheap that is why most people will prefer to buy it instead of wood blinds.

You may wonder what faux wood blinds are made of. Faux wood blinds are made up of hardwood and vinyl. These two properties are combined and provide a wooden-like structure which is also long lasting like the wood blinds and sometimes; faux wood blinds are considered more durable compared to pure wooden blinds.

The faux wood blinds will look good in your home. The good thing about faux wood blinds is that they are easy to clean and manage. Cleaning the faux wood blinds is never a problem and you won’t have to worry about getting it broken or warped because of its endurance. Faux wood blinds are 30% cheaper than the wood blinds.

Some may question about its durability but in fact, it is made of wood. Faux wood blinds come in a variety of sizes that will fit the size of your window. The faux wood blinds can also be customized depending on your order and needs. If you want to buy these blinds in stores, you can ask them to come up with the size that you want.

Faux wood blinds that are custom made are not that expensive so you can easily order them. You can also order faux wood blinds in motorized versions. Don’t think that putting faux wood blinds in your house is such a big task because it can easily be installed. You can have it easily done in the windows with the use of brackets that are mounted.

You can order a faux wood blinds with the kind of measurement that you want. If you want to add a more sophisticated look to your faux wood blinds, you can add a valance to balance it.

Now that you know how cheap and easy it is to install faux wood blinds, why don’t you shop around and find the best design that will fit your room and house? Just remember that you can always find a faux wood blind that will perfectly match your taste when it comes to the design.



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Stefan Rockhaus asked:


What is a door or window blind? As the name suggests, it is referring to the covering of windows or doors. The blind is attached on the inside of a door or window to conceal anything which may be on the other side of the window.

Let us discuss some types of window or door blinds:

Wood Blinds

Usually wood is the first choice when someone decides to decorate their home. Having wood blinds in your home will give the feeling of nature and luxury. For this reason, most people prefer to have wood blinds for their homes.

There are many designs available in the market from which you can choose according to your tastes and preferences. Wood blinds are a bit more expensive than other types of blinds available in the market, but in saying this, wood blinds also have the most beautiful effects.

The maintenance of wood blinds is not too difficult. They can be cleaned very easily compared to other types of blinds. All you need is a dry cloth and a wood cleaner to clean them.

Wood blinds are custom made, and can be placed on any size of window. Always go for a good quality wood blind, which will look good and will also be durable.

Faux Wood Blinds

The best advantage of faux wood blinds is that they can be used in areas where there is moisture around. For this reason, faux wood blinds are very popular. These blinds are available in two types; one comes in vinyl, and the other in a combination of wood and vinyl.

Faux wood blinds block out the light, heat and cold. Cloth tapes are responsible for giving them different designs and colors. These are available in a very big range, so you can choose a design which best suits your home to make it more beautiful.

Mini Blinds

Mini blinds can be used for blocking the sunlight and for giving complete privacy. This is what mini blinds are most commonly used for. But they can also be used simply for decorating interiors. These are available in a wide range of designs and styles.

Mini blinds are available in aluminum, faux wood materials and wood. You can also choose whether you want them to be horizontal or vertical.

Aluminum blinds are the cheapest blinds available in the market, and are a very popular choice for shopkeepers, as well as for use in offices. They are maintenance free, and are also very durable. They come in various colors and are reasonably priced; therefore they would be suitable if you have a tight budget.

Wood mini blinds help in keeping the atmosphere warm. These blinds come in different styles and designs, so you can choose the style which is best suited for you. They also give a natural look to your home.

Blinds are an excellent way to decorate the interior of your home or office, and in doing so, you can explore the hidden charm of the area in which you are decorating.



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