Suggestions

[dgriessmann]

I'm getting ready to move into a 13 yr old home and I'm looking for something to help me heat a 2500 sqft home. (1300 lower 1200 upper with all bedrooms on upper)

I'm new to these and no idea what I'm looking for or what I'm doing....

 

[BubbRubb]

What type of heating system is in place?

 

[dgriessmann]

electric with a wood burning fireplace

 

[sylvestermcmonkey]

If you've been using wood why not look for a wood stove? Plenty of those to choose from. Depending on the construction of your home, a stove may or may not suffice as your sole heat source. Think of it as a space heater and if that results in acceptable heat on most of the first level that's good. You will probably want to augment the stove with your existing electric heat for the bedrooms, though.

If your electric heat uses a low voltage control with a central thermostat you might consider buying a programmable thermostat. Honeywell makes one that is very sensitive and easily regulated the temperature in my last house (electric) well within one degree F. I didn't realize how bad my old mercury thermostat was until I replaced it with the electronic one. I don't know if they make a line voltage version of it.

No matter what you decide upon, it's nearly certain to cost less than electric baseboard heat.

 

[Jerry_NJ]

Given you new home has a wood burning fireplace, a fireplace insert may be more compatible with your decor. In any case, you should look for a fuel type that is the most dependable and cost-effective.

If you have a lot of property and like to cut and split wood, a wood fuel may be best. If you like something cleaner and easier to handle, pellet fuel may be better. You can buy an insert for either, but not both, fuels.

I like the Quadrafire brand and I was just looking via another thread at the Pacific Energy Summit, which also looks like a nice insert. Consider too which dealers are present in your neighborhood.

Good luck

 

[begreen]

I'm getting ready to move into a 13 yr old home and I'm looking for something to help me heat a 2500 sqft home. (1300 lower 1200 upper with all bedrooms on upper)

I'm new to these and no idea what I'm looking for or what I'm doing....

It would help to know more about your needs and experience and the house. Is this house heated with baseboard heat or a heatpump?

What is your experience level with wood burning? Is it none, or some, or a lot?

Most importantly, what would work best for you? Do you like to have hands on control and the warm glow of a fire. Or would you prefer something more automatic where you fill it with a day's worth of fuel, set the thermostat and you get heat?

 

[dgriessmann]

It would help to know more about your needs and experience and the house. Is this house heated with baseboard heat or a heatpump?

It's a heatpump

What is your experience level with wood burning? Is it none, or some, or a lot?

My experience is zero and it looks like the current owner is going to buy a wood burning one for the home per an issue with the home inspection.

Most importantly, what would work best for you? Do you like to have hands on control and the warm glow of a fire. Or would you prefer something more automatic where you fill it with a day's worth of fuel, set the thermostat and you get heat?

So I guess that makes me by default "hands on"