Wood Heat

[Phil_R]

Sure, we love campfires, but does anyone else heat with wood? I like bleeding-edge tech, but prefer old fashioned cast iron and wood for heating. First fire of the season, just enough to chase the morning chill.

30 year new Vermont Castings Vigilant Parlor Stove:

[MacGyver]

Re: Wood Heat

I don't heat my house with wood, but I'm definitely looking forward to getting a cabin tent with a wood stove. As much as I love my gadgets, there are times when low tech wins hands down.

[kcscout]

Re: Wood Heat

A friend of mine had a wood pellet stove that put out great heat and was also very efficient, low cost versus some stoves can really go through the wood. I would love to convert my highly inefficient fireplaces into something more energy efficient.

[terasec]

Re: Wood Heat

am in the process of returning my gas fireplace back into a wood fireplace.
gas insert was convenient, but rather go with wood

[Mike]

Re: Wood Heat

I am planning to get a wood burning insert installed into our home fireplace. Does anybody have any suggestions or recommendations?

[actad]

Re: Wood Heat

We burned wood for 15 years with an insert with a blower in the existing fireplace. Ours came from a local fireplace store. We had to replace the blower once in all that time. The ash got mixed in with the compost for some pretty good veggies in the summer.

We went with natural gas space heaters once the kids left home. We were getting home at 9-10pm to a stone cold house and it was not fun. If someone is around for part of the day, a woodburning stove is a good option. Splitting and stacking wood is better exercise than a gym membership.

[ppine]

Re: Wood Heat

Wood heat is radiant heat. Pay attention to the installation. Straight pipes thru the roof are best. A more effecient stove (newer and better made) makes a difference in the amount of heat you will extract from your wood. The species of wood makes a big difference. Around here I like pinon pine, but buy some orchard wood like almond or cherry for fires at night in the dead of winter.

Stove inserts are a huge improvement over a fireplace.
Be careful not to dampen down the flue on your stove too much because it will generate creosote. Burn it hot in the morning. Chimney fires are very dramatic and something to be avoided. Look at your chimney or exhaust pipe often to check for what comes out of your stove. Highly visible smoke is not very effecient.