Ken45 said:Don,
You didn't mention WHY you want backup heat. In case of a power outage? In case of extreme cold? Or for when you are away for the weekend or are too sick to tend the fire?
Offering an answer depends on how you answer those questions. Obviously oil or electric won't work for a power outage. Neither will a pellet stove.
Ken
Ken,
I'm looking for auxillary heat for one purpose:
To supplement the stove during the coldest months when I need a bit more output, and also to get a little heat over to the far side of the house. Last winter I paid $350 for a load of logs, enough for the majority of my heat, and $1200 to heat a basement room with oil.
We rarely lose electric power here, so while a passive system would be handy, it's not all that important.
In another post, I put up a spreadsheet doing a cost comparison of various heat sources. Surprisingly, BTU-wise, coal is the least expensive source next to wood. Considering that a coal stove may be less work to maintain, I'm going to give that some thought, especially since a coal stove could also run with wood if needed.
I'm also looking at adding a backup electric water heater since my oil boiler is required for hot water backup when the solar panel isn't producing hot water.
Dan