Suggestions for Primary Heat Source, Wood Stoves as Backup

[DUMF]

Asked before in the Green Forum: other than solar/PV or mini splits ( the boss says "no" to both ), what heat source would work ? LP heaters like a Jotul or Rinnai ? Hydronic baseboards ? Ideas, since this is obviously is a
savvy group. Figure in install/ material cost, maintenance, energy cost.
Home specs: about 2000 ft² on 2 levels in N. VT 'reasonably' well insulated and sealed since we built it. It has been 99% wood heated for 19 years. We take the firewood out of a large, well-managed woodlot, close to 6 cords (real ones) each year. We're getting up there, she's getting tired of the cleaning effort to keep a fully wood heated house, the chainsaw guy (me) is also getting "up there" though still enjoy the harvesting.
Now, from reading your wood heat CV's, most of you have central furnaces, and use wood as a backup. Fine.
We go 24/7 during the winter loading stoves, cutting and processing firewood (winter is best).
So, Armageddon is acoming for heating.
Last winter here in N. New England was easy; the winter before that was a bear, since we used 8+ cords through June !
Suggestions ? Thx.

 

[begreen]

Discussion here:
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/home-heating-options-other-than-w-ood.152800/

 

[Simonkenton]

Our primary heat is a wall-mounted propane heater, 20,000 BTU. It is a Vanguard.
Has a thermostat but does not use electricity. Great heater we have had it for 20 years and it works flawlessly.

 

[firefighterjake]

Here in New England unless you are in an area with natural gas, it seems as though heating oil is the way to go since electricity rates seem to be higher . . . and propane as a rule (at least in my area here in Maine) is a tad more expensive than heating oil.

Growing up we had an oil furnace (hot air) . . . I hated it . . . big ductwork and seemed like we were either really hot or really cold as the heat just wasn't steady. My brother-in-law in CT has an oil furnace -- and it is the same way, one minute I am freezing and then the heat kicks off and I'm sweating . . . five minutes after the heat goes off I am cold again.

Folks here often talk about wood heat being so much better than their central heat . . . but honestly, I like my oil boiler with baseboard heaters since it is quiet and provides a steady, level heat -- I just love having similar effects at a much cheaper price (along with the visual and auditory stimuli) from my woodstove better. I suspect however that this may also be one of the more expensive options.