Cut into Wood’s Secondary Heating Market Share

Nationally, 2.3 million households still use wood as their primary space heating fuel. While the propane industry has historically focused on engaging households that burn wood as their primary heating source, too often we’ve failed to engage homeowners who rely on wood for secondary and supplemental heating purposes – wood stoves and fireplaces. In fact, 8.8 million homes burn wood for secondary heating. Each year, 153.2 trillion Btus of wood are burned for non-primary residential heating purposes, which is the equivalent of 16.7 million gallons of propane.

Wood smoke contains high levels of particulate matter that can negatively affect our respiratory and cardiovascular systems and degrades local air quality. Burning propane instead of wood prevents deforestation and a reduction in woody habitat for flora and fauna. And trees, of course, give off oxygen. But they also act as natural carbon sinks and absorb CO₂ directly from the air. The environmental and public health benefits of transitioning wood-burning dwellings to propane fireplaces for secondary heating purposes are immense.

Fast Facts

• 1.8 million households use wood for secondary heating purposes in the Northeast
• 3.2 million households use wood for secondary heating purposes in the South
• 1.7 million households use wood for secondary heating purposes in the Midwest
• 2.1 million households use wood for secondary heating purposes in the West

For more information, contact NPGA’s Senior Director of State Advocacy & Affairs, Jacob Peterson.