We are seriously looking at investing in a woodstove of some kind to help heat our home. Gas has gone up once again, and now electricity has gone for a raise of 3% this year and 2% next year.

What type of wood stove do you use for heating? Where did you purchase it from and are you pleased with it's performance? How much would you say it saves you each year in expenses? Do you heat only with it and have no other heat?

As for wood stoves:

We have a large Englander wood stove. Ours was bought 8 years ago from a local farm supply store that has since gone out of business, Quality Farm Supply. We don't know how much it saves because we have never had to rely on the other heat. We have one heat pump for each level of our home but we don't uses them. We are also able to get our own wood from our property so there is no expense in buying the wood.

Well, Cj as you know we have a woodstove that is our main heat source. We also have an oil furnace. Our woodstove is a Woodsman airtight. I think it's great! It costs us about 1/3 it would cost to heat the house with oil alone. And it is a much nicer heat! I think the airtight woodstoves are the best for efficiency. Ours doesn't have but you can get them with windows on the doors if you like to watch the fire. Woodstoves can take up a fair bit of room, though. There are standards that are required for insurance purposes (and safety). It would be a good idea check with your insurance company to see what is required as far as distances from the wall etc. They should be able to mail you some info.

We have definitely decided to get one so thanks Margret about the suggestion from our insurance company. You know where the alcove is in the living room, thats where were thinking of putting it, but then again, it depends on how much space we need from the walls. I'll give them a call on Monday.

CJ
I know you have heard me sing the praises of our wood stove. We have a Drolet, made in Canada btw, and it is a fairly small one as we have a small home. It was not cheap. I think it ended up costing us about $2000. American when it was all said and done.
However, Michael and I have figured we have saved about $300. this year so far. Last year we went through 2 -500 gal. tanks of propane. This year so far we have only used about 25% of our first tank. We use the propane at night when the wood dies out. We keep the propane on but turn it way down.
We live in the middle of the woods and are able to cut wood off our land or our neighbors land.

Have you spoken to hmschoolmom? She has a pellet stove and buys those. I know getting wood may be harder for you and I thought that might be a good option. These I understand burn much cleaner than wood. That is one of the drawbacks of wood. It looks like the dust from the gravel road I live on has chosen to winter in my home.
JMTC Marcia

We have a cast iron wood stove that we paid 40.00 for when we bought our old trailer(the shack on wheels). I have no idea who made it, other than it says "made in Taiwan" on the back of it, so it wasn't any major brand name. I'm wanting a soapstone wood stove, as it radiates heat for 12 hours instead of having to be tended to every couple hours or so. I also want a wood cookstove for when we build our house, but will have to save up for that, too.

Marcia, I've looked in to a pellet stove and here the cost would be approx. $2,500 to $3,000 just for the stove. The pellets would cost approx. $180.00 per lift. Dh doesn't think its worth it.

We do have a supply of wood, that isn't the problem so were okay there. Its now finding out what the regulations are for insurance.

It raised our home owners about $100 a year
That is by far made up in the savings though.