mothers of invention
by sandy mcCall

One of the things I am looking at these days is how to become more self-sufficient and get better efficiency from my heating system, hot water heater and electrical usage. Today I am looking at how to enhance my heating system.

I have a propane furnace that I use as back up for wood heat and it is time to replace the woodstove with a more effecient model. I will share my research and shopping experiences for wood and gas stoves, both free-standing and fireplace inserts. There are many things to consider . . . type of stove needed, ease of use, fuel cost and source, efficiency and emissions, BTUs and square footage to be heated. There's also odor, condition of chimney and size of flue, installation and service, maintenance and of course the price of the stove.

Most will agree that gas stoves are a snap to use compared to heating with wood. I have heated with a wood fireplace insert with an electric blower for many years and have thoroughly enjoyed the ambiance created through warmth and smell, but I could do without the mess and wood lugging, so I am considering a gas heater. I also have a reliable source for cord wood from fallen trees and I am cozy and warm if the power goes out; I could run the gas generator if I need electricity for the blower.

But if I switched to a gas insert, I could just push a button and have less work, plus some models work without electricity when the power is out. There are very attractive vented and ventless models. I guess my biggest question is the price of propane or natural gas and my dependency on that fuel. With current fuel prices it will cost me over a $1000 per season for propane, plus the electricity to run the blower. Hmm...

I have contracted locally for firewood for years, but was duped for years by those who thought I didn’t know what a cord of wood is . . . and they were right! It sounds easy: a cord is 4’ x 4’ x 8’ stacked, but my log length is 18-20”, not 12” or 24” which would be easily divisible. There is an easy way, if your wood deliverer is cooperative. The bed of a full size pickup is also about 4’ x 4’ x 8’, so if they stack it tightly in the bed of the truck, you will have close to a cord . . . good idea to be home when they deliver. I pay $125 per cord for seasoned hardwood, delivered and stacked before the snow flies. I use from three to four cords in a season, plus the cost of electricity to run the blower. It may be less with a new, more efficient stove. It is cold where I live (3200 ft.) and wood burning saves me a considerable amount of money each season, but adds lots more work. Don’t forget to have your chimney cleaned each year by someone who can inspect your stove too: cost $65-75. And smoke detectors are a must!

The efficiency seemed pretty standard on the better models, between 65 and 75%, with a little higher efficiency on propane than natural gas and on wood stoves with catalytic combusters. On the better model wood stove, emissions ran from 2.0 grams to 5.2 grams per hour. (These numbers didn’t apply when I was learning to use a wood stove and I filled the house with smoke!) The literature on vented and ventless gas stoves merely stated that the stoves performed well within the nationally-recognized guidelines for indoor air quality, so no comparison there. Consider the smell too: I love the smell of wood; a well-adjusted gas stove should have no smell at all, but if not they can be horrid.

The US Dept of Energy’s website on energy efficiency and renewable energy offers fact sheets and more. (eere.energy.gov/consumerinfo/factsheets) You’ll even find instructions for building a fire.

Next I looked at the BTUs each stove produced per hour. What is a BTU anyway? I found that fuels are measured in gallons, cubic feet or kilowatt hours and also by heat content and the most commonly used value for expressing the heat content is the British Thermal Unit or BTU. One BTU is the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit, when water is about 39 degrees F. You’ll also need to choose a unit that has a heating capacity adequate for your square footage. The link between BTUs and square footage is not always clear, but the packaging on gas heaters will indicate both so you can choose the proper size.

One of the deciding factors for some folks will be the condition of the chimney and the size of the flue. Each stove has its own requirements, so check carefully. Perhaps a good reason to buy locally is so a representative can evaluate your chimney, offer recommendations, installation and service after the sale—plus you are supporting the local economy.There are a number of local dealers in the area that carry Vermont Castings, Appalachian, Buck, Jøtul, Avalon, Hearthstone and others. Appalachian Stove is manufactured and sold locally. I am a loyal shopper so I try to buy locally and establish a relationship for sale and service. Online stores or catalogs may give you choices, but service and installation may be a problem.

Prices vary from inexpensive, less-efficient wood and gas units that cost a few hundred dollars to state-of-the-art stoves that cost in excess of $2500, plus installation and accessories like trim kits and blowers. So are you wondering what I have decided to buy? Well, I decided to stay with wood a while longer: the smell, the ambiance…ugh the labor? I am taken by the beautiful enameled and soapstone stoves, but I will have to weigh the cost versus the beauty after I have looked closely at efficiency ratings.

E-mail me at sandy@wnc-woman.com or mail questions and pictures to Sandy McCall, P.O. Box 1332, Mars Hill, NC 28754 and I will share my ideas with you and other readers in a future issue.

HomeBuying/Selling Tip:
Buyers, if you plan to use the chimney, it might be a good idea to have a chimney inspection before or after the sale.
Sellers, you can avoid a problem later by having the chimney inspected and/or repaired prior to selling your home. Safety first!

Sandy McCall is a real estate broker with Appalachian Realty Associates and enjoys the mountain life in a recreated log cabin near the Appalachian Trail with her four-legged and finned kids, Cooper, Moondoggie, Zipper, Rosemary and Salena. She is also the mother of three human daughters, Kerri, Kelly and Nancy, grandmother to many and a former foster parent.
[ sandy@wnc-woman.com ]