OT: Do you have a wood stove or pellet stove?

[mbb]

We're thinking of putting an insert in our fireplace...just wanted some tips/advice/opinions/cost...etc...

Would you have rather installed a propane insert?

Can the pellet stoves run without electricity?

We have a two story Cape Cod, the fireplace is in the livingroom...2500+ square feet..oil/electric heat are our other heat sources.

TIA!!

 

[disney funseeker]

I don't really know much but we have a propane fireplace and it reallly heats up our living room. In fact it gets so hot we don't keep it on for long.

Our house is heated with forced air oil. Electric baseboard in a couple of rooms downstairs as extra heat source but have never used it.

It(propane fireplace) still requires electricity for the fan. Another neighbour has a pellet stove and it needs electricity too and can be messy.

Our next door neighbour switched from a woodstove to propane and really likes it and can't believe how much heat it gives off.

Still, I think the majority of our neighbours have woodstoves as their extra heat source. If the power goes off (or if there's ever another ice storm) they are the only warm ones.

Not sure if I helped any but if I can't have a natural gas fireplace, I'll take propane as my next option.

 

[MikeyNS]

Hi!

I have a pellet stove and love it. I took out our wood insert (had a blower) due to the fact I was tracking in crud all the time bringing wood in. The thing really heated the house to the point that we would have to open windows. I switched to a pellet insert, and although it doesn't heat as well as wood (natually), it is simple to operate, and is super easy to store a seasons supply of pellets.. not to mention cleaning out the little bit of ash every week or so is a sinch. It definitely heats our house but it's more of a "cooler" heat than wood (if that makes sense).

My pellet stove has a battery backup, plus I have a generator incase of a longer power outage (during hurricane Juan we were out of power for a week.. luckily not the heating season!).. but no, pellet stoves don't work without power. My folks also have a pellet stove so we buy pellets 2-3 tonnes at a time which keeps the cost/bag down.

Hope that helps!

 

[pampam]

I suppose a lot depends on just what you are looking for. Is it a source of backup heat, or is it your regular source of heat? Are you looking for convenience? Is the fireplace ornamental or do you depend on it for heat? When we bought our house it was heated with electric baseboards. We were not long in buying a second hand wood stove and installing a chimney. Wood gives a lovely heat, as you must know. However, there is a lot of work involved. Aboult 10 years ago we had ductwork instlalled and a gas furnace put in. So, now we heat primarily with natural gas. When the electricity goes off, which seems far too frequent, we have the wood stove. If the cost of electricity ever goes down, we can use our baseboards. The wood gives off the better heat. Now that natural gas has gone up so much, we will use wood duing the coldest days of winter. Living in Nova Scotia you know the kind of weather you are up against.

 

[mbb]

Well, we'd be using it for a back up heating source...in case of a "White Juan" ....again!!

Hopefully, that won't happen this year...in fact, DH and I figure that if we put a woodstove in, we're practically guaranteed warm temperatures, no snow,....no need for a woodstove

Our fireplace is closed up right now...when the kids were babies, we just didn't want/need the hassle and danger of it.

Personally, I like the flip the switch convenience of a pellet or propane stove....BUT!! the 300+ acre woodlot out back "wood" be more economical

Thanks again for your advice and opinions