Higgins Energy Alternatives

Higgins Energy Alternatives has built a solid reputation as the energy alternative experts. We love to share our knowledge and experience with you on the many options available in alternative heating fuels. Come visit our showroom to see the product lines we carry from the world's leading manufacturers. We have many working units set up in the showroom so you can envision them in your home! A pellet, wood or gas free standing stove or fireplace insert - a gas or wood fireplace - a wood or pellet central heating system - or a solar system - is more than just a purchase - It's an investment in your family's comfort and security.

Higgins Energy Alternatives is one of the oldest and largest fireplace shops in the United States. A family owned and operated business started in 1975 by Ron & Sue Higgins, we originally opened as an antique store which diversified into wood stoves during the energy crisis of 1979. Over the years, we have grown along with our product line, expanding several times from our original barn on Summer Street to our present location at 140 Worcester Road (Rte 122) in Barre, Massachusetts. From sales to service, our staff has literally decades of experience in every aspect of self-reliant home heating, whether your choice is wood, coal, gas or wood pellets.

The glass on your stove will become dirty on the first few fires. It will also become dirty if burning wet wood, under slow burn, or if adequate draft is not available. Higgins Energy can provide you with glass cleaner that will not harm your stove glass. Draft is a force that exists in a properly designed and functioning chimney system. It pulls air into the combustion chamber and expels smoke and combustion gases from the appliance. The ability for draft to exist depends on many factors: chimney location and height, elbows, horizontal runs, flue size, house construction, and house pressurization, as well as atmospheric and environmental conditions.

Please refer to your rating plate or owner's manual for this procedure. It is helpful to familiarize yourself with the location of the controls and pilot assembly before attempting to light your stove. There should be an on/off knob and a Piezo igniter button. Position your field of vision so you can see the pilot assembly while lighting. When you are sure there is gas pressure to the stove, rotate the pilot knob, then push in and hold. While looking at the pilot assembly, push the Piezo igniter button once per second until a blue flame appears.

There's no single optimal angle to capture solar energy. Our dual-axis trackers follow the sun, capture all of the day's solar potential, and generate the most energy for you! Higgins Energy Alternatives has been a family owned and operated business since 1975. Here you will find alternative energy solutions such as photovoltaic systems, domestic hot water and other solar household items like SolaTube Solar Lighting Solutions, as well as Solar Attic Fans to help you and your family reduce its dependency on fossil fuels.

The fireplace, the hearth, is the age-old heart of the home, the corner where families retreat to relax in the warmth and comfort of ambient, flickering flame. When building or remodeling, a fireplace will become the focal point of whatever room it's located in. Adding a fireplace, or several fireplaces, to your home plans will substantially add to the value of your home. Whether fueled by wood, gas, or electricity, unlimited options exist to create a fireplace installation unique to your home. At Higgins, we display and burn many different options in fireplaces.

Free standing stoves easily represent our broadest product category. The choices can be mind boggling. Construction materials include cast iron, soapstone and steel. Free standing stoves come in a wide array of styles, colors and sizes. At Higgins, we can help you choose the right stove based on your heating needs and lifestyle. Whether you are looking for a stove that burns wood, gas, pellets, coal, corn, or electricity, we've got a stove for you.

A solid fuel burning furnace or boiler will provide a convenient, safe, and environmentally friendly way to heat your home and domestic water with wood or pellets. Many have fully automatic controls which will automatically switch to oil or gas backup in the event the fuel runs out and/or you are away from home for an extended period. You have the flexibility to burn the fuel of your choice. A solid fuel furnace or boiler can also be a great way to heat your entire home while keeping the mess in your cellar or outdoors.

An open fireplace sends 80 percent of the fire's heat up the chimney and depletes warm air from surrounding rooms. A fireplace insert is the ideal way to turn your inefficient open fireplace into a beautifully efficient home heating source. A fireplace insert adds ambience and energy efficiency to your home without disrupting your existing hearth and mantle. At Higgins, we have inserts on display that burn wood, gas or pellets. Many of them are installed so that you can see for yourself what they will look like in your home.