Is a wood stove important? (Anchorage, Eagle: houses, living in, propane)

[augleeski]

Hi all! I'm wondering if it's nesassary to have a non-electric heating source in Chugiak. Does the power go out alot? Is a Hotwater baseboard system enough? It is the ONLY heat source in the house.

[AKStafford]

I think you'll find most homes just have one heat source. Ours is a forced air natural gas furnace.

[Music_Man]

Originally Posted by augleeski

Hi all! I'm wondering if it's nesassary to have a non-electric heating source in Chugiak. Does the power go out alot? Is a Hotwater baseboard system enough? It is the ONLY heat source in the house.

Hot water baseboard is just fine[lots of houses have it]. If you are worried about power failures you can replace the water with glycol.

[augleeski]

Sure lots of houses have it, but living in Alaska with only one heat source is nutts! Right?!?!

[Music_Man]

Gas forced air and wife!

[Frostnip]

I don't know about Chugiak, but where I live (Interior middle of nowhere) it's very poor planning not to have a primary or backup source of heat that operates independent of electricity. Which is pretty much a woodstove. The electricity is regularly on the blink and a house freezes fast at twenty, thirty, forty, fifty below.

[Music_Man]

Originally Posted by Frostnip

I don't know about Chugiak, but where I live (Interior middle of nowhere) it's very poor planning not to have a primary or backup source of heat that operates independent of electricity. Which is pretty much a woodstove. The electricity is regularly on the blink and a house freezes fast at twenty, thirty, forty, fifty below.

That is what backup generators are for. Don't you have one?

[akpls]

Originally Posted by AKStafford

I think you'll find most homes just have one heat source. Ours is a forced air natural gas furnace.

This is not the case in the Interior. I know very few people who have only one heat source. Some may only use it when absolutely needed, but it's there. My primary source is hot water baseboard, but the woodstove is generally in use everyday from now until sometime in April. I also have a couple of kerosene heaters and an indoor rated propane unit that could be used in a pinch. If you live in the Interior you learn very quickly what it takes to stay warm in the winter and not to rely upon one source.

[AKStafford]

Originally Posted by akpls

This is not the case in the Interior. I know very few people who have only one heat source. Some may only use it when absolutely needed, but it's there. My primary source is hot water baseboard, but the woodstove is generally in use everyday from now until sometime in April. I also have a couple of kerosene heaters and an indoor rated propane unit that could be used in a pinch. If you live in the Interior you learn very quickly what it takes to stay warm in the winter and not to rely upon one source.

I should've taken more time in response... Since the OP was asking about Chugiak, I was basing my answer on homes in the Anchorage/Eagle River/MatSu Valley. Places on the grid with decent response times to power outages. For any homes outside of that; yes, a second heat source would make sense.

[arleigh]

If you have a serious seismic event , the gas will be more of a liability than an asset. IMO
I reserve as many different means if heating and cooking as is possible .
Having been through several disasters, it has always paid off.
I did a comparison in my wood stove to prove a point to my self .
I had rebuilt the stove because the sheet metal had rusted away seriously. ( an 1860s' shepherd's stove and oven)
Any way I made some modifications to make he unit more universal, including an insert gas barbecue burner, for cooking during the summer months.
What I found is that the gas burns with a shorter flame, and though good for heating a sauce pan, lousy for heating the house. If you have a good source of fire wood ,and know what your doing it is a good alternative.