Two in five New Hampshire residents use heating oil, which has hit a three decade high. Natural gas, propane, and electricity are also exceptionally expensive. New England is reliant on fossil fuels for power and heat, and those fossil fuel markets have been extremely volatile in the last few months. To cope, some are turning to wood.
Heating is one of the leading causes of fire in New Hampshire. Chimney sweep Christopher Britt uses a modern set of tools to make sure Granite Staters stay safe.
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.