New Build

[Offaxis]

I'm planning to build a new ranch home about 1800 sq feet in NW Arkansas.

Heat pumps or Propane are the only main sources for heating and cooling. some ppl do a dual feed system. Not sure on that yet.

I wanted to have a supplemental heat source, for power outages or extreme cold days, its in the forest with lots of chances for power outages. Its already down in the 40's during the day and colder at night.

Both my wife and I work form home and were thinking of heating the great room, kitchen and dining area with a wood or pellet stove.

What would you all recommend?

Jeff

 

[moresnow]

Welcome to Hearth.

New home in the woods.... In the planning stage.... Perhaps plan for a nice centrally located free standing catalytic wood stove that can accommodate your rather mild winter temps (comparatively speaking to us northern folks).
Be sure to incorporate a outside air supply setup as your new home will very likely be tight which can lead to poor stove performance as it fight's for available combustion air. The outdoor air setup is known as a OAK. Outdoor Air Kit for reference or searching.
Start splitting, stacking, accumulating your wood now, as wood stove evolution/design has led to stove's that require very dry fuel. Most folks are stacking there splits in rows that get nice wind and sun for up to 3 years of seasoning before use. Depending on wood specie/environment etc. Check your wood moisture content by re-splitting a few splits and checking the freshly exposed interior face is common practice. 20% moisture content or less fits the bill. Test splits at room temp for accurate results. 70F roughly.
More opinion's are sure to follow!
Enjoy. Good luck with the new house. Arkansas is so nice.

 

[Grizzerbear]

Your going to need power to run the pellet option which means you will need a generator or solar or other form of electricity if you go that route. I would personally go with a wood stove.....probably a catalytic like stated above or a propane fireplace. If you ended up using it more intended I would definitely go wood stove. If just for heating a few rooms for supplemental heat and outages...I would go propane. Wood is more work in every way but better in every way to me personally. Just realize that like moresnow said....if you go wood stove....get wood either bought or cut, split and stacked now. Oak takes around three summers to properly season and burn in a new stove.

 

[EbS-P]

I lived with a pellet stove and now a wood stove. Pellet stove on a thermostat is easy but noisy and you can burn corn. Wood stove is more work, but cheaper if you have your own wood lot. If I got to build a new house now I would go with zoned heat pumps 20+ Seer( probably a heat strip too not sure there) and a wood stove. Hot water would be heat pump as well, skip the propane entirely. Lay out the zones so you can keep rooms farthest away from the stove warm when the stove is going. And I would insulate the hell out of it. Just my thoughts.

Evan

 

[moresnow]

I lived with a pellet stove and now a wood stove. Pellet stove on a thermostat is easy but noisy and you can burn corn. Wood stove is more work, but cheaper if you have your own wood lot. If I got to build a new house now I would go with zoned heat pumps 20+ Seer( probably a heat strip too not sure there) and a wood stove. Hot water would be heat pump as well, skip the propane entirely. Lay out the zones so you can keep rooms farthest away from the stove warm when the stove is going. And I would insulate the hell out of it. Just my thoughts.

Evan

Most important statement yet......

"insulate the hell out of it"