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["Lisa K.V. Perry" <lisakvperry AT gmail.com>]

Hi homesteaders,

Our older Vermont Castings wood stove needs serious repair work that will
cost almost as much as buying new, and since the stove is 20 years old and
looks its age, we've been contemplating whether to replace the stove with
another wood stove or go with one that looks like a wood stove but has gas
logs (propane) or another choice.

We're surrounded by woods, the last six years my husband and oldest son
gathered logs in the old Jeep then chainsawed and split them.  All four of
us usually stack and bring in wood.  Hubby learned in this last year that he
has carpal tunnel in his left wrist/arm (not good news for a performing
guitar player) and this will get worse until he has surgery at some point.
He'd rather his wood chopping and stacking days were behind him.

The wood stove was used perhaps 70% of the time this past winter, for days
on end during the coldest string of days and not used at all on warmer ones.


We like the warmth of heating with wood and the beauty of a real wood fire
can't be beat.  There is the time and effort involved in gathering and
splitting wood.  And even though we're just mid-40, we both feel like we
don't want to haul wood for the rest of our lives either.  If we don't get
wood ourselves--hubby would much rather save his arm for guitar playing,
then a wood stove ceases to be cost efficient.  Guitar playing isn't a hobby
for him, it's how he's made his living for several years, so saving his arm
is important.  And sons grow up and eventually leave home (so I'm told).

Propane isn't perfect, it costs a fair amount to fill the tank, but the ease
of having a fire on a cold morning and then turning it off as the day warms
up sounds very appealing, as does having an even consistency of heat.

How about some advantages or disadvantages we're not thinking of or other
heating choices we might consider other than options that are out of the
question (a big dollar heat pump or expensive outdoor wood furnace).

Thanks.

Lisa