Hi Folks! Our family has a circa 1920s cabin at 1900' in the middle of second growth fir & cedar - not much sunlight. It's 1100sf, 2 story single wall construction on posts and piers and completely uninsulated. The main heat source is a huge stone fireplace that draws better than most on the mountain. Only smoke up the living room when burning wet wood, There is an old Sears wood/coal cook stove in the kitchen that is a bear to use so we rarely do, using the electric oven to heat kitchen. In addition there are two Thermador wall heaters - one in the living room and one near the bathroom in the master bedroom. The cabin is used alot from April to October and sporadically during winter. There are frequent power outages from limb fall and weather.
At home in town we gave up our wood fireplace for gas logs, then a Lopi NG insert and learned how expensive a big open fireplace can be. No gas lines at cabin but plenty of wood - so we are thinking a big wood insert for fireplace and small efficient wood or LP stove to replace old wood cook stove. One family member is very concerned about safety of old wall heaters and proposing replacement with LP wall heaters.
Seeking advice on all of the above, especially the big insert for the fireplace and kitchen stove. We want a big viewing area don't want to rely on blowers for heat. Our gas 31K btu Lopi heats half of our ranch house without ever using the blower. We have three seasoned cords cut to 20" so we need a firebox that will take em. One of family members is concerned that an insert or stove will make Somores extinct so we also seek reassurance regarding desserts. Thanks for your patience.
At home in town we gave up our wood fireplace for gas logs, then a Lopi NG insert and learned how expensive a big open fireplace can be. No gas lines at cabin but plenty of wood - so we are thinking a big wood insert for fireplace and small efficient wood or LP stove to replace old wood cook stove. One family member is very concerned about safety of old wall heaters and proposing replacement with LP wall heaters.
Seeking advice on all of the above, especially the big insert for the fireplace and kitchen stove. We want a big viewing area don't want to rely on blowers for heat. Our gas 31K btu Lopi heats half of our ranch house without ever using the blower. We have three seasoned cords cut to 20" so we need a firebox that will take em. One of family members is concerned that an insert or stove will make Somores extinct so we also seek reassurance regarding desserts. Thanks for your patience.