New term to me "excessive draft"--we will have a very long pipe

[LGMC]

Hello,

Female and this not my area and I am thankful for any replies.

My husband REALLY wants a stand alone wood stove for our new home. We have propane and it is very expensive in the winter. We keep the winter temp about 62-63. Cold. We could turn up the heat but I'm cheap and would rather not pay $3000 for 70 deg heat in the winter. Last year we paid only maybe about $1000 total from Nov-March. That was ok but we were cold. It was a mild winter in Maryland. The house is 4,440 square feet, very open plan (two story family room), unfinished basement.

Husband is looking at the Ashwood LE by Kuma. We have a propane fireplace we don't really use. Does Not work well and burns up the propane fast. We considered a pellet stove to be placed in the current fireplace, but we live in the woods and my husband wants to used chopped wood (I get that). We considered a basement wood burning add-on to the vent system, but husband read they do not heat as well as a stand alone wood burning stove. We really just want to heat the first and second floors and do not care about basement heat.

I was reading a post and someone was asking about the pipe length bc the burn was "not good". This made me concerned about how long our pipe would be. We would use a double pipe. The pipe would be 19 feet to the ceiling in the family room (two story room), plus the pipe length in the attic space, then the clearance off the roof. LONG pipe. Aesthetically, a turn off for me but we don't have many options where to put a stand-alone stove on the first floor.

Would a pipe that long be a concern for "excessive draft"? Causing burn issues?


Thank you for any help! Sue

 

[jetsam]

For your large multilevel space, if you already have ductwork, a wood furnace in the basement is indeed the way to go. A wood stove is a space heater; a furnace can use the existing ductwork. (You can have a wood stove but don't expect it to heat 4000+ SF on two stories- that is a job for at least 2 stoves and some fans, probably.)

30'+ of flue is indeed a lot and could cause overfires in your new wood stove if you go that way. The solution is simple and not expensive- you need a manometer to measure draft, and a cheap damper (or two, in extreme cases) to adjust it.

That's a wood stove add-on, but standard equipment for a furnace.

Note that wood burning stoves should never use barometric dampers, which sound handy but work by admitting cool room air into the flue, thus cooling the flue and causing creosote buildup.


There are tons of furnace vs. stove threads- the consensus seems to be that the stove is more efficient but the furnace has the obvious advantage of heating every room. In a small house with an open layout, that tilts the math towards stove. In a large house with existing ductwork, furnace. In a large house without central hvac, multiple stoves. The more open your layout is (less doors, more large open walkways) and the more centrally-located the stove is, the better it is for that application.

Nothing wrong with going stove just because you want to sit by a stove upstairs, but don't expect the back bedrooms to be the same temp as the stove room! I would probably go stove personally, just because I love sitting by the stove, but that's not the best answer for heating a large space evenly.

(And before you decide multiple stoves sounds awesome, remember that even if you get 2 Blaze Kings, someone has to haul wood to both 1-2 times per day, and then clean up after that. If you have 2 regular stoves, make that 3+ times a day in the cold part of the winter...)

 

[begreen]

A key damper should be added to the stove pipe. This will help moderate the draft once the fire is burning.

In your mild climate, you may get away with heating most of the space with a standalone stove if properly placed and if there are some ceiling fans to help circulate the heat that is going to want to pocket at the ceiling peak. However, I would go for nothing smaller than a 3 cu ft stove. Given the size of the area, a catalytic stove is going to have less advantage than a non-cat. I suspect that most of the time the wood stove is burning it will be to create lots of BTUs.

In order to have success, you will need a good supply of fully seasoned firewood.

 

[LGMC]

For your large multilevel space, if you already have ductwork, a wood furnace in the basement is indeed the way to go. A wood stove is a space heater; a furnace can use the existing ductwork. (You can have a wood stove but don't expect it to heat 4000+ SF on two stories- that is a job for at least 2 stoves and some fans, probably.)

30'+ of flue is indeed a lot and could cause overfires in your new wood stove if you go that way. The solution is simple and not expensive- you need a manometer to measure draft, and a cheap damper (or two, in extreme cases) to adjust it.

That's a wood stove add-on, but standard equipment for a furnace.

Note that wood burning stoves should never use barometric dampers, which sound handy but work by admitting cool room air into the flue, thus cooling the flue and causing creosote buildup.

I value your input. VERY MUCH. This is new to us and every sales person we speak with just wants to "sell" so it is hard to get some feedback for our specific situation.

We knew the Kumo wouldn't be enough for the house alone but wanted to try to heat the house a bit better. It would be terrible to pay $10K (quote) for the stove plus install and have it not "help too much" due to the size of our home.

We do have existing ductwork and have two separate propane heaters. One heats the basement and first level and the second one in the attic for heating the top floor. I think it is called dual level heating.
So you would go the "add on" wood furnace and have it hooked to our existing ductwork in the basement. I assume you can get some pretty large ones that would work well for our home. We did talk to a salesman about one of these and he said "hard to get", "don't sell a lot any more" and "not as efficient". The one he recommended was the Fire Chief/ FC100E Indoor wood furnace. It concerned me the info said for up to 2,000 square feet. Didn't sound large enough.

Thank you for your advice. I GREATLY appreciate it.

 

[LGMC]

A key damper should be added to the stove pipe. This will help moderate the draft once the fire is burning.

In your mild climate, you may get away with heating most of the space with a standalone stove if properly placed and if there are some ceiling fans to help circulate the heat that is going to want to pocket at the ceiling peak. However, I would go for nothing smaller than a 3 cu ft stove. Given the size of the area, a catalytic stove is going to have less advantage than a non-cat. I suspect that most of the time the wood stove is burning it will be to create lots of BTUs.

In order to have success, you will need a good supply of fully seasoned firewood.

Thank you! We have fans in every room. One plus. Non-cat over a cat? OK! Good to know. Husband was looking at non-cat originally and switched to a cat. I will show him all of this info! I appreciate your time as well to respond. Getting a variety of opinions is important. Thank you

 

[begreen]

Is this a daylight basement with an outside entrance? A wood furnace will go through a lot of wood, so you will want easy access to the basement, not through the upstairs. If the goal is to just feel warmer in the core of the house where you most often hang out then a freestanding stove may suffice. Particularly in MD. The other advantage is that you get to see the nice fire view.

Does the 4000 sq ft include the basement or not?

 

[peakbagger]

My standard comment is while you are looking at stoves or furnaces be aware that you really cant use them for 2 years unless you have an absolutely guaranteed source of dry wood (very very rare to be able to buy actual dry firewood although most wood sellers will gladly lie to you). That means cutting, splitting and stacking 2 years of wood in a sunny location and then letting it sit for two years. Especially with the new EPA 2020 wood burning devise regulations, trying to burn green wood just will not happen.

If you want the wood for ambiance that a good goal but realistically given your location the best bang for the buck is a couple of multi head minisplit heat pumps. Even with high electricity costs they are super efficient in the range of temps that Maryland sees plus they are just as efficient for cooling (far more efficient that a standard heat pump).

 

[jetsam]

I value your input. VERY MUCH. This is new to us and every sales person we speak with just wants to "sell" so it is hard to get some feedback for our specific situation.

We knew the Kumo wouldn't be enough for the house alone but wanted to try to heat the house a bit better. It would be terrible to pay $10K (quote) for the stove plus install and have it not "help too much" due to the size of our home.

We do have existing ductwork and have two separate propane heaters. One heats the basement and first level and the second one in the attic for heating the top floor. I think it is called dual level heating.
So you would go the "add on" wood furnace and have it hooked to our existing ductwork in the basement. I assume you can get some pretty large ones that would work well for our home. We did talk to a salesman about one of these and he said "hard to get", "don't sell a lot any more" and "not as efficient". The one he recommended was the Fire Chief/ FC100E Indoor wood furnace. It concerned me the info said for up to 2,000 square feet. Didn't sound large enough.

Thank you for your advice. I GREATLY appreciate it.

No, I'd get the biggest wood stove I could get my hands on, because I love sitting by the stove.

But the furnace will heat the house much more evenly, so if even heat and warm back rooms ranks above sitting by the stove on your list, you may be in furnace territory.

Peakbagger's also not wrong about the minisplits, either. If you were already looking at $10k for a wood stove, consider a small solar install and a minisplit or two.

Your upfront cost for wood is more than the stove... you need saws, wood storage, a trailer, maybe a utv, bucket for the tractor, old truck to pull the trailer, extra barn for all the new vehicles.... it can get away from you. @Ashful

 

[DBoon]

I second what others are saying.

1. Get your wood cut, split and stacked and drying out. It will take two years to dry well. You may not believe this, or you may find people who tell you that the wood is "seasoned" or "been drying for a year or more", but don't believe them. You will struggle to burn this wood in your stove and you won't be very warm because it won't burn that well.
2. A 4000 sq. ft house would use a lot of wood to stay 70 degrees all winter, even in Maryland. So you will probably need 5 to 8 full cords of wood each year. To dry that much wood out, you would need to get 10-16 full cords of wood cut, split and stacked this winter. That's a lot of work.
3. I would recommend dialing back or slowing down your plans. Get a big stove, but heat one big room well with it. Having one room where you can gather and be really warm in makes the 63 degree rest of the house pretty manageable. Use the wood to augment the propane heat, but now you'll be warmer overall. That would require less wood and less upfront time investment in getting the wood ready.
4. Yeah, get a big stove (3 cubic feet) but get something that can burn catalytic or with tubes (good for all seasons for you). I would say that a Woodstock Ideal Steel might be perfect for you, or a big Blaze King.
5. Maybe get a mini-split installed also. They can cool as well (do you already have AC?) and will take a good size chunk out of your heating bill. I'd probably do that first so I have something besides propane while I wait for the wood to dry.

 

[brenndatomu]

We did talk to a salesman about one of these and he said "hard to get", "don't sell a lot any more" and "not as efficient". The one he recommended was the Fire Chief/ FC100E Indoor wood furnace. It concerned me the info said for up to 2,000 square feet. Didn't sound large enough.

Do not walk, RUN away from that salesman...the FC1000E (and its sister the Shelter SF1000E) is a HORRIBLE excuse for a wood furnace! Use the search feature on the forum here to read about the mayhem.
As of right now there are only 2 good wood furnaces on the market, 1 is brand new, the Drolet Heat Commander, https://myfireplaceproducts.com/us_en/drolet-heat-commander-wood-furnace-df02003
and the long standing king of hill, Kuuma Vaporfire VF100. (broken link removed)
Most stoves will have a window for "fire TV"...the Drolet HC has a window in the door, the Kuuma does not...but if you don't hang out in the basement, that doesn't matter much anyways...a wood furnace will help warm the basement some, and help keep the floors warmer too...a stove upstairs will not do as much the floor temp, and with a stove upstairs you may need to watch that pipes don't freeze in the far corners of the basement if you don't run the main furnace sometimes during a particular cold spell. Sure is nice to sit close to that radiant heat though!
Modern Wood furnaces will not use much more wood than a stove of similar firebox size...4 cords per year is pretty common, maybe 5 during a really bad winter...but 4 is more likely since you are further south. Just as with modern stoves, you'll need truly dry wood, not the "seasoned" firewood the most firewood sellers peddle.
If you have a pretty open floor plan, a free standing stove will heat the house pretty well...even if it doesn't do it all, it will take a HUGE bite out of the heating bill...and the house will be much warmer than you have been keeping it...70-75* is pretty common amongst many wood heat enthusiast!

 

[FixedGearFlyer]

The one he recommended was the Fire Chief/ FC100E Indoor wood furnace. It concerned me the info said for up to 2,000 square feet. Didn't sound large enough.

He did you a favor: I would stay far, far away from a FireChief.

The other EPA2020 certified wood furnaces are the Kuuma Vaporfire 100 and the Drolet Heat Commander. We just replaced our previous wood furnace with a Heat Commander and are very impressed with performance, so far. We're heating about 2,500 square feet (including an unfinished basement that we keel cool) and have loved having a central, forced air wood furnace for the past 10 years.

At 4,000 square feet, one heat commander or vaporfire 100 won't be able to keep you at 70 by itself, though

 

[brenndatomu]

At 4,000 square feet, one heat commander or vaporfire 100 won't be able to keep you at 70 by itself, though

Depends on the level of insulation and air sealing the house has, but I bet either one would do a decent job on most winters days in MD...all but the very coldest maybe...especially the VF100

 

[Highbeam]

Nobody needs a chainsaw, truck, tractor, or even an axe to burn firewood. You can just buy wood cut and split. All you need is a place to store it and a stove to burn it. Some people even buy these compressed sawdust things so no firewood is needed.

 

[EbS-P]

If you really want a wood stove put it where you can see and sit by it and stare in to the dancing flames and ponder all life’s big questions.
I consider a wood stove in a central family room part of the overall design of the room. It’s there 12 months a year burning or not. If there is no good place for a big stove or you just don’t like it that’s a reason for the furnace.

I get the utility of if the wood furnace in the basement but unless you are ready commit to 3-5 cords of wood a year you will be supplementing with propane.

I’m starting my third year with a wood stove and the novelty is starting to wear off and the heat pump is running more because it’s easier. Lows had to be 50 or below last year. I’m saying 40 or lower this year. I will probably be adding a heat pump for our basement instead of a wood burner.

get a homeowners chainsaw (less than 200$, you will need two if you get serious about this as you will get one stuck in a buck have to cut it out), all the appropriate PPE, helmet, chaps gloves steel toe boots ect. and an axe. Get a full cord cut split and stacked and keep track of the time spent (and money). The whole time knowing you won’t be burning it until 2023.

Just some thoughts.
Evan

 

[LGMC]

Is this a daylight basement with an outside entrance? A wood furnace will go through a lot of wood, so you will want easy access to the basement, not through the upstairs. If the goal is to just feel warmer in the core of the house where you most often hang out then a freestanding stove may suffice. Particularly in MD. The other advantage is that you get to see the nice fire view.

Does the 4000 sq ft include the basement or not?

Hello,

It is a walk up, so yes an outside entrance. Two smaller windows maybe 2 feet by two feet. Has a frame as large as a double door but only half opens. Other half is a window as large as the door. Four our five steps up to the grass.

The goal would be to heat the family room where we hang out the most until bedtime- "the core". When sleeping I don't mind if it is cooler in the bedrooms, however it is terrible getting up before the sun in a house that is 62! We are dressed and out for work /kids school quickly (pre-covid). Looking for heat mosty from afternoon to bedtime. I do like the ambiance of a fireplace but not keen on the idea of a 19" pipe to the ceiling. We paid extra for a coffered ceiling and hate to distract from it. The 4000 does not include the unfinished basement. As mentioned, we live on 8 acres of woods and have a lot snagged trees, fallen, etc. Husband is very dedicated to something that "burns wood" vs. an alternative (like pellet stove insert). And, I do understand his reasoning, just not sure what the exact solution would be that would work for what we need.

Thank you all for your thoughts!

I second what others are saying.

1. Get your wood cut, split and stacked and drying out. It will take two years to dry well. You may not believe this, or you may find people who tell you that the wood is "seasoned" or "been drying for a year or more", but don't believe them. You will struggle to burn this wood in your stove and you won't be very warm because it won't burn that well.
2. A 4000 sq. ft house would use a lot of wood to stay 70 degrees all winter, even in Maryland. So you will probably need 5 to 8 full cords of wood each year. To dry that much wood out, you would need to get 10-16 full cords of wood cut, split and stacked this winter. That's a lot of work.
3. I would recommend dialing back or slowing down your plans. Get a big stove, but heat one big room well with it. Having one room where you can gather and be really warm in makes the 63 degree rest of the house pretty manageable. Use the wood to augment the propane heat, but now you'll be warmer overall. That would require less wood and less upfront time investment in getting the wood ready.
4. Yeah, get a big stove (3 cubic feet) but get something that can burn catalytic or with tubes (good for all seasons for you). I would say that a Woodstock Ideal Steel might be perfect for you, or a big Blaze King.
5. Maybe get a mini-split installed also. They can cool as well (do you already have AC?) and will take a good size chunk out of your heating bill. I'd probably do that first so I have something besides propane while I wait for the wood to dry.

Thank you everyone! I am reading though all of the posts. Yes, two AC units (and the ductwork which is the same ducts as the heaters).


Most of this I can understand and will have my husband read it over also. I truly appreciate the information and opinions on what best may work. We will also check out the Woodstock/Blaze King in the larger size. Worst thing is paying a lot for something and it doesn't work well.

 

[LGMC]

Nobody needs a chainsaw, truck, tractor, or even an axe to burn firewood. You can just buy wood cut and split. All you need is a place to store it and a stove to burn it. Some people even buy these compressed sawdust things so no firewood is needed.

He has a higher end chainsaw, axe, strong pull cart and small tractor because of our land, etc. It is good to hear the whole picture and know what we are getting into. He would never want to buy wood. The main reason he wants a fire stove is because we have 10 acres of woods. Lots of down trees, etc. It was helpful to hear how much wood we would need to heat the house with a wooden stove. 5-6 cords per winter and seasoned at least two years.

I hear what you all are saying how things "add up". Money of course is a factor, but moresore that if we take the leap, that whatever we buy is sufficient enough to heat the core of the house without using too much propane. He has about 6 cords of wood chopped now from snagged trees, fallen trees and chopped trees. Currently under a tarp. He plans to build a very large "pole barn" type wood shed, but I may ask him to hold off to be sure we do install something that burns wood. I suppose some of our wood has not seasoned enough yet, specifically the chopped trees- we cleared a portion of the woods in March. I am guessing the snagged and downed trees would be more seasoned.

 

[LGMC]

Thank you for the feedback on the Fire Chief. I figured it would not be large enough and good to know about the brand. We would not have pulled the trigger without more research.

If you really want a wood stove put it where you can see and sit by it and stare in to the dancing flames and ponder all life’s big questions.
I consider a wood stove in a central family room part of the overall design of the room. It’s there 12 months a year burning or not. If there is no good place for a big stove or you just don’t like it that’s a reason for the furnace.

I get the utility of if the wood furnace in the basement but unless you are ready commit to 3-5 cords of wood a year you will be supplementing with propane.

I’m starting my third year with a wood stove and the novelty is starting to wear off and the heat pump is running more because it’s easier. Lows had to be 50 or below last year. I’m saying 40 or lower this year. I will probably be adding a heat pump for our basement instead of a wood burner.

get a homeowners chainsaw (less than 200$, you will need two if you get serious about this as you will get one stuck in a buck have to cut it out), all the appropriate PPE, helmet, chaps gloves steel toe boots ect. and an axe. Get a full cord cut split and stacked and keep track of the time spent (and money). The whole time knowing you won’t be burning it until 2023.

Just some thoughts.
Evan

Thank you for this feedback!

 

[brenndatomu]

5-6 cords per winter and seasoned at least two years.

5 would be about the limit IMO...you'd be hard pressed to burn more than that in a winter in most stoves...maybe, maybe, 6 cords if you went with a VF100 furnace and had it going full bore all the time...but not even sure it would be physically possible to run that much through a VF...house may be too hot half the time if you tried this too. (unless your insulation/air sealing is poor (doubtful)

I am guessing the snagged and downed trees would be more seasoned.

Maybe a bit...the top half of some types of trees will dry somewhat if they die and are still standing (or fall and are not laying directly on the ground), but all in all, wood does not really start to dry until it is CSS (cut, split, stacked) in a way that the sun and wind can dry it...2 year will do the job on many woods, (some in 1) but some, like Oak, are famous for holding moisture and can take 3 years...but once you have enough CSS to be 3 years ahead, you will only need to replace it as you use it (1 year at a time) plus its not such a big deal if you have a period when you can't cut...gives you some cushion to be able to catch up later.
Seems like a lot starting out...we've all been there though. Having some dry wood to start out will save you much head and heartache the first year though..."wet" wood is by far the number one reason people come here looking for why there new stove is working poorly...remember, water doesn't burn...anything at/under 20% moisture content (by weight) is considered good to go (as checked with an inexpensive moisture meter...of if CSS 3 years, should be ready 99.99% of the time)

 

[LGMC]

5 would be about the limit IMO...you'd be hard pressed to burn more than that in a winter in most stoves...maybe, maybe, 6 cords if you went with a VF100 furnace and had it going full bore all the time...but not even sure it would be physically possible to run that much through a VF...house may be too hot half the time if you tried this too. (unless your insulation/air sealing is poor (doubtful)

Maybe a bit...the top half of some types of trees will dry somewhat if they die and are still standing (or fall and are not laying directly on the ground), but all in all, wood does not really start to dry until it is CSS (cut, split, stacked) in a way that the sun and wind can dry it...2 year will do the job on many woods, (some in 1) but some, like Oak, are famous for holding moisture and can take 3 years...but once you have enough CSS to be 3 years ahead, you will only need to replace it as you use it (1 year at a time) plus its not such a big deal if you have a period when you can't cut...gives you some cushion to be able to catch up later.
Seems like a lot starting out...we've all been there though. Having some dry wood to start out will save you much head and heartache the first year though..."wet" wood is by far the number one reason people come here looking for why there new stove is working poorly...remember, water doesn't burn...anything at/under 20% moisture content (by weight) is considered good to go (as checked with an inexpensive moisture meter...of if CSS 3 years, should be ready 99.99% of the time)

Great info! Thank you- will share with husband.

 

[agonyzhou]

I live in Maryland too. If you have a big house chances are you still need other type of heat. Get natural gas if you can, even heating oil is cheaper than propane. I don't get the idea of using a wood furnace, with so much work put in and you don't even get to see your flame?

 

[brenndatomu]

don't get the idea of using a wood furnace, with so much work put in and you don't even get to see your flame

Whole house warm is the idea...being able to see the fire is just bonus...

 

[LGMC]

I live in Maryland too. If you have a big house chances are you still need other type of heat. Get natural gas if you can, even heating oil is cheaper than propane. I don't get the idea of using a wood furnace, with so much work put in and you don't even get to see your flame?

Hello neighbor! We live in the "country" and the towns around us protested any new builds bc they want to conserve the woodland and farmland. I can understand that. Therefore, the building of several houses was approved, but not gas lines. I suspect maybe one day the will put in lines, but no time soon.

I wish we had gas! We had gas at our previous house and it was great! Same type of home, open concept, but about 800 sq feet smaller. The gas fireplace heated the entire house when we used it. Our new fireplace is terrible. I can't even feel heat coming out of it standing in front of it (same brand as old, Heatilator). Builders got very cheap over the years or the products!? New fireplace is a joke. Waste of money! It was expensive also. Shame.

No gas lines...very unfortunately. We have Fios though! LOL

Let's hope for a mild Maryland winter!

 

[brenndatomu]

I don't get the idea of using a wood furnace, with so much work put in and you don't even get to see your flame?

Whole house warm is the idea...being able to see the fire is just bonus...

...and, some houses don't have good access for hauling wood to the stove without tracking through the house...people don't want to deal with the mess in the main living area...or they don't have the extra floor space to dedicate to the stove on the main floor.
And/or, sometimes the houses heat load demands the higher output of the (typically) larger firebox of a wood furnace.

 

[agonyzhou]

No gas lines...very unfortunately. We have Fios though! LOL

Let's hope for a mild Maryland winter!

Oil price is cheaper now, so if I were you I will get a oil tank and furnace, use that as a "baseline" heating. Then install wood stove in the area where people hang out the most. Get more than one stove if you want; you have a big house.

 

[moresnow]

Hello,

It is a walk up, so yes an outside entrance. Two smaller windows maybe 2 feet by two feet. Has a frame as large as a double door but only half opens. Other half is a window as large as the door. Four our five steps up to the grass.

The goal would be to heat the family room where we hang out the most until bedtime- "the core". When sleeping I don't mind if it is cooler in the bedrooms, however it is terrible getting up before the sun in a house that is 62! We are dressed and out for work /kids school quickly (pre-covid). Looking for heat mosty from afternoon to bedtime. I do like the ambiance of a fireplace but not keen on the idea of a 19" pipe to the ceiling. We paid extra for a coffered ceiling and hate to distract from it. The 4000 does not include the unfinished basement. As mentioned, we live on 8 acres of woods and have a lot snagged trees, fallen, etc. Husband is very dedicated to something that "burns wood" vs. an alternative (like pellet stove insert). And, I do understand his reasoning, just not sure what the exact solution would be that would work for what we need.

Thank you all for your thoughts!





Thank you everyone! I am reading though all of the posts. Yes, two AC units (and the ductwork which is the same ducts as the heaters).


Most of this I can understand and will have my husband read it over also. I truly appreciate the information and opinions on what best may work. We will also check out the Woodstock/Blaze King in the larger size. Worst thing is paying a lot for something and it doesn't work well.

Hello neighbor! We live in the "country" and the towns around us protested any new builds bc they want to conserve the woodland and farmland. I can understand that. Therefore, the building of several houses was approved, but not gas lines. I suspect maybe one day the will put in lines, but no time soon.

I wish we had gas! We had gas at our previous house and it was great! Same type of home, open concept, but about 800 sq feet smaller. The gas fireplace heated the entire house when we used it. Our new fireplace is terrible. I can't even feel heat coming out of it standing in front of it (same brand as old, Heatilator). Builders got very cheap over the years or the products!? New fireplace is a joke. Waste of money! It was expensive also. Shame.

No gas lines...very unfortunately. We have Fios though! LOL

Let's hope for a mild Maryland winter!

Sounds like a nice large free standing stove in the family room where you spend most of your time would be really nice in a home that size. In addition, with 8 acres of timber and a willing husband with a nice armada (already) of wood gathering toys....... Why not Worst outcome is less LP usage/expense, central fire view/heating unit for the family to enjoy, no more gym membership perhaps due to wood gathering as a family!
In the end if you should decide to also add a wood furnace to the basement forced air system (rather involved process comparatively) for the remainder of the house at least you know what you are getting into for wood gathering routine, seasoning, storage, usage etc. I think I'd rather have a free stander that was used occasionally, if that's what ends up happening, in comparison to the add on wood furnace to start out with. We do have some members with both systems. 2 cents worth.