About 1 in 14 households in New Hampshire use wood as their main source of heat, according to the Energy Information Administration. That’s four times the national average. As more Granite Staters look to save money by burning wood this winter, companies that clean and repair chimneys say they’realso seeing an increase in demand.
Some community action agencies say the increase in heating assistance applications is “unprecedented.” Wood banks and chimney sweeps are also preparing for an increase in demand, especially as heating oil prices have skyrocketed.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service awarded $62,500 to the University of Maine for the National Wood Bank project, which has the goal of providing operating support for national research and outreach programming related to wood banks. Wood banks have been around for a long time, although not always recognized or called wood banks. […]