Converting to Central Heat

[jr.]

Is the Red Store still doing business? We bought a quadrafire free standing woodstove in 1992 when we built our log cabin. Really considered going to propane at the time, but we made the wise decision to go wood burning. We also originally put a propane wall heater downstairs on a thermostat, and a pilot-controlled instant propane water heater. Power goes out we have virtually unlimited heat and hot water. Add in 1 to 3 bars of Verizon cell phone coverage, and the only thing we need is food, if we survive cabin fever! By the way, the Quadrafire woodstove we installed was and still is perhaps the most efficient wood stove on the market. Back then, it was 1/3 to 1/4 of the cost of a new one now.

[AZbunch]

Definitely keep the wood-burner, for all the previously-mentioned reasons. It works for SO many things…and boy, when the power is out you will be thanking all of us!!

[Bootstrap]

I second, or third, keeping the wood-burner. It goes together with a mountain home like bread and…something…

..and for heating, it’s all about “thermal mass”….the stove heats up all the “mass” around it…especially it’s own iron mass…consider it as a “battery for heat” which keeps the place warm, long after the fire has gone out… and there’s an abundance of free fuel in them, thar woods…. 😉

[1Buddy]

Hello,

2 years ago we installed Daikin vent less Heating and Air-conditioning units in our cabin and have been very happy with there performance. Units are also very energy efficient and super quite, AirServ of the Gold Country did the sales and installation of the units, they also sale and install forced air units, AirServ of the Gold Country 209-920-5777

[michelle s]

I recommend Paul Bertini in Avery:
https://www.yelp.com/biz/bertini-mechanical-avery-2

He did our 2-zone furnace a couple years ago and still stops by occasionally. Great guy.

Although I love our gas furnace, it does need electricity to run the fan. It’s great that we can turn it up remotely from our phone. It’s super convenient, and yet…

We still use our wood stoves a lot, and I recommend keeping yours, too. The stove is a different kind of heat, a nice radiative cozy heat that makes you warm when you stand in front of it, makes all the surfaces like floors and counters warm in the room, and dries off all the wet clothes around it. We’ve cooked on it once in awhile. And of course, as others mentioned, it is absolutely vital during a power outage.

Warm air is convenient, but a real wood burning fire feels amazing.

[caleach]

The last time I checked a gas stove for heat was pretty expensive, and I agree, if you are an occasional resident it’s better to have a heat source that wasn’t dependent on power

[Dogwood]

Angels sheet metal or ebbetts. Good luck

[chainsawcindy1]

Sorry, I don’t have a recommendation for a contractor but I suggest that you NOT get rid of your wood stove. If you lose power you are not going to have any heat. We made the mistake of putting in a “Fireplace Extraordinaire” which is a wood burning insert but requires a fan (electric) to make it work properly. Sure wish we had just put in a free standing wood stove for those rare times that the power is out for days. You get a bit of heat by opening the doors but certainly not enough to keep the cabin warm.

[Sierrashoo]

Hi all

After long last we are planning to finish up the conversion from electric baseboards to a propane central heat system. Had the propane lines connected some 17 years ago, but moved away and just didn’t finish the project.

Back to the area now and we’re interested in putting in a propane central heat system (very small square footage but good access) and removing the current wood stove to replace with a gas firelog insert.

Will definitely be contacting Ebbetts Pass Gas for a quote, but does anyone else have a contractor they’ve been happy with doing this type of conversion?

Thanks folks.

[Author]

Posts