Paul and I have an old Fisher Papa Bear wood stove. We used it for years until we got the outdoor stove. We haven't moved the old beast because it's a great back up for when the power goes out.

I absolutely LOVE wood heat too. When we would fire it up, the dogs would lie around it soaking in the heat. The dogs respected the stove though, and nobody ever got burned on it... Paul smoked a pair of overalls, but that's it.

I always had a big kettle of water on top as well to add some humidity to the air. I would add some vanilla beans, cloves, and orange peels for a little scent (5 dogs in a closed up house can get a little "musty" smelling)

--Kelly

 Quote: Barbara Schuler

We are considering the purchase of a wood burning stove to assist with heating our home. It is not something we WANT to do, but think it may be prudent... If you have one I'd appreciate any input.

Wood stoves can be pretty, or they can be functional. Rarely are they both. Depending on where you live a pellet stove may be more economical and pretty than a woodstove. Here, junk trees grow out of concrete, firewood is free, and a years worth of wood can be cut and split in a weekend for the cost of fuel for the chainsaw and renting a hydro splitter. When I lived in Colorado springs, not so much. It was easier to get a pallet of wood pellets and a battery backup for power outages than to find a cord of halfway burnable wood.

You will also need space to store wood to cure it if you cut your own. Green wood isn't worth your time, aged dry wood is what you're after. Depending on density, stacking, size, and weather it can take up to two years to dry a load of wood. I like using a metal carport with a pallet floor to dry soft wood for a year and 18 months for hard wood. However the only poisonous critters in my woodpile are the spiders and the only annoying ones squirrels, bats, and mice. You can buy finished cured wood but IMO it's very expensive vs other heating options.