My wife and I will be building a new home and we have been talking about what kind of heating system to use. It is still a ways away at this point as we are just closing on the property now, but I figured better to start planning earlier rather than later right?
The site is in Central NH and will be semi exposed to winds as it is on a hill side. We will have plenty of firewood on the site with roughly 30 acres of mixed hardwoods/softwoods. I've always enjoyed heating with wood as all of us do, and I would like to take advantage of the firewood on site to help heat the home. We have a Woodstock Fireview now that we both love, and heat our small 1400 sq ft home with in the winter time, the only problem is air circulation. The new house is going to be roughly 2,000 sq ft and have an open floor plan.
I know there are many options out there, but I've always been interested in wood furnaces. I've read a lot about OWB but not much about IWB. I am hoping you can help me by giving me some of the pros and cons for my specific situation.
Due to my career, I am often away for up to 3 weeks at a time, but then I may be home for a month or so, depending on my schedule. This matters in our choice because I know my wife won't be quite as willing as I am to go outside in the freezing cold and stoke the OWB! Ideally, I would love an OWB to heat with as my only fuel source, however I know that is not an option, since I will be away a good portion of the time.
I was thinking of a combination of either an OWB or IWB, and also an oil or propane furnace (I really hate the oil tank in my basement). However, is this combination practical? Am I better off just buying a standard furnace and putting in the basement, and heating with my woodstove as I am doing now?
I am just trying to find the most efficient way of heating our new home while taking advantage of free firewood (minus labor of course) but keeping in mind that my wife may not be willing to fill the OWB in a snow or rainstorm while I'm away. (I do think she would do it a good amount of the time, just not ALL the time. She routinely lights and tends the fire in the woodstove while I'm away, but mostly just uses the oil heat)
Oh, one more thing, we've pretty much decided on radiant floor heating, and absolutely ruled out forced hot air. Any advice for us?
The site is in Central NH and will be semi exposed to winds as it is on a hill side. We will have plenty of firewood on the site with roughly 30 acres of mixed hardwoods/softwoods. I've always enjoyed heating with wood as all of us do, and I would like to take advantage of the firewood on site to help heat the home. We have a Woodstock Fireview now that we both love, and heat our small 1400 sq ft home with in the winter time, the only problem is air circulation. The new house is going to be roughly 2,000 sq ft and have an open floor plan.
I know there are many options out there, but I've always been interested in wood furnaces. I've read a lot about OWB but not much about IWB. I am hoping you can help me by giving me some of the pros and cons for my specific situation.
Due to my career, I am often away for up to 3 weeks at a time, but then I may be home for a month or so, depending on my schedule. This matters in our choice because I know my wife won't be quite as willing as I am to go outside in the freezing cold and stoke the OWB! Ideally, I would love an OWB to heat with as my only fuel source, however I know that is not an option, since I will be away a good portion of the time.
I was thinking of a combination of either an OWB or IWB, and also an oil or propane furnace (I really hate the oil tank in my basement). However, is this combination practical? Am I better off just buying a standard furnace and putting in the basement, and heating with my woodstove as I am doing now?
I am just trying to find the most efficient way of heating our new home while taking advantage of free firewood (minus labor of course) but keeping in mind that my wife may not be willing to fill the OWB in a snow or rainstorm while I'm away. (I do think she would do it a good amount of the time, just not ALL the time. She routinely lights and tends the fire in the woodstove while I'm away, but mostly just uses the oil heat)
Oh, one more thing, we've pretty much decided on radiant floor heating, and absolutely ruled out forced hot air. Any advice for us?