MONROE COUNTY, Pa. — With a stocked showroom, you can't tell how busy Stoves 'n Stuff on North 9th Street in Stroud Township has been.
Store manager Peter Catanese says since last spring, people have been switching to wood stoves, and the demand isn't slowing down.
"It's been very busy — a lot of demand for wood pellets and wood burning appliances just cause of high oil prices and propane and whatnot."
Catanese says wood-burning appliances have been flying off the shelves, but supply for them is low. Currently, there's a wait time of four to six weeks, or longer, on many of the stoves.
"Manufacturers are still trying to catch up from the last few years. It's been a tough time in the world, not just our country, and then it's just the demand of the winter season mixing with that. So, now it's just kind of long wait times for appliances, parts."
The reason many people are switching over to wood is to save money.
"If you're using home heating oil, or you're using propane or electric as a full-time heat source, there are alternatives that can save over years, a life span of an appliance, thousands of dollars."
Saving money isn't the only reason to switch. Catanese says there are many benefits.
"The things we sell, they can heat the house a lot better than some of the regular heat sources in people's homes. So that's a great benefit, to me, and then some of the things we have work if the power goes out. So, if there is a storm, things work if the power goes out, so you can be dependent on that."
While it's a lot of money upfront, Catanese says wood-burning stoves are a long-term investment.
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