Hello! I am moving to the mountains of western MD in a few weeks and am looking at a beautiful old farmhouse with 1 woodstove (a new Pacific Energy Summit) in the kitchen, 1 wood furnace in the basement (don't know what kind), and a coal stove in the basement (a Keystoker with a large stoker). I don't know anything about this type of heating, except that it sounds like a big time commitment, especially since I would live there alone and be gone to work all day. I was told by the person who showed the house that I would probably have to keep all three stoves going in the winter to keep the pipes from freezing. I'm not afraid of hard work, but I'm wondering if the amount of time spent heating the house is worth it. I really need to make a decision by Monday the 19th, and I'd love to hear your expert opinions! Thanks!
Big old farmhouse, 2 woodstoves, 1 coal stove: can I do it??
- Thread starter cooksingknit
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Even in that mighty cold MD panhandle you won't have to run all three. Realtor knowledge shows itself once again. But yeah, wood and coal heating is a lotta work. The coal stoker will probably be your prime mover.
Welcome to the forum.
Welcome to the forum.
Grisu
Minister of Fire
Hello cooksingnit, welcome to the forum! 
Did the person showing the house have any experience in heating this house? Because that house would need to be huge and badly insulated to need all three all the time. How many sqft will you try to heat? How good is the airsealing/insulation? If you plan on heating with wood: Is there any seasoned wood available?
Add-on: Have you thought about what you will do when you are out of town or too sick to handle the reloading?
Did the person showing the house have any experience in heating this house? Because that house would need to be huge and badly insulated to need all three all the time. How many sqft will you try to heat? How good is the airsealing/insulation? If you plan on heating with wood: Is there any seasoned wood available?
Add-on: Have you thought about what you will do when you are out of town or too sick to handle the reloading?
SteveKG
Minister of Fire
I lived in a mining cabin for 11 years —little insulation and two wood stoves, one a cookstove, the only heat. Here's the deal: you will be wedded to the house during the winter. The only way you'll be able to leave more than a day or so during cold weather is to have a house sitter or someone who is willing to go by every day to stoke at least one stove. I had a way to cut off the water and drain lines if I had to leave for a few days.
If the house is super insulated and not drafty, it might remain adequately above freezing indoors for a few days at a time. My place would freeze within a day lf the stoves went cold.
Also, besides the plumbing [don't forget antifreeze in the traps or drainable traps, too], if you like keeping house plants, they would be in danger. I would have to load mine up in the car and have a friend keep them for me til I returned. And any foodstuffs that will be harmed by freezing...juices, potatoes, fruit....
I still live in a wood-only-heated home, though this one I built while living in the mining freezer. This one is well-insulated and can go for many days without freezing indoors if I go away.
You might want to consider putting in a propane or nat. gas heater, it can be smallish, to keep the place above freezing inside if you go away. You'd only have to burn gas now and then and it's less expensive than losing freeze-prone items.
If the house is super insulated and not drafty, it might remain adequately above freezing indoors for a few days at a time. My place would freeze within a day lf the stoves went cold.
Also, besides the plumbing [don't forget antifreeze in the traps or drainable traps, too], if you like keeping house plants, they would be in danger. I would have to load mine up in the car and have a friend keep them for me til I returned. And any foodstuffs that will be harmed by freezing...juices, potatoes, fruit....
I still live in a wood-only-heated home, though this one I built while living in the mining freezer. This one is well-insulated and can go for many days without freezing indoors if I go away.
You might want to consider putting in a propane or nat. gas heater, it can be smallish, to keep the place above freezing inside if you go away. You'd only have to burn gas now and then and it's less expensive than losing freeze-prone items.
momof2nutlings
Member
Living in a big old drafty farmhouse in CT and we heat with wood/pellets only. However, we do have a working backup oil boiler for those times when we can't be home for a few days. Couldn't imagine doing without that backup!
Mt Bob
Minister of Fire
Having no experience with these types of heating,you will spend at least one season learning the units,and probably 2 more learning about heat and the house.If your time is valuable,I would say no,look for a smaller place.
simple.serf
Feeling the Heat
The Keystoker would be the workhorse. Dodn't forget that there is a LOT of heat in coal. For more info on the Keystokers, Check out the NEPA Crossroads site.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
This ship has sailed. The OP stated he had to make a decision by Monday the 19th. I'm assuming he passed, since we haven't seen him back here.
xman23
Minister of Fire
You got to ask yourself, why so many heaters. Being an old farmhouse, there may be no insulation and the place may be a very leaky house. You may need a lot to heat it.
insulate the home, seal air leaks, plastic drafty windows and install a simple LP gas heating stove like a Lopi somewhere as an aux. heat source. Simple to install, easy to vent, has a blower option, and ignites on milliamps from a T-stat. Shut bedroom doors...it will break the temp enough to keep the home from freezing when you are away
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