[Greenbuilding] Greenbuilding Digest, Vol 14, Issue 9 - Sustainable Home Heating Systems

[Curt Sommer]

Russ,

We have a pellet stove in my wife's 500 sf studio and aside from the 
inconvenience of starting it up and hauling the pellets all over, it 
works pretty well.  I wouldn't want to have to do that with our house; 
however, to each his own. 

Since I don't live anywhere close to you I have nothing to gain from 
this, but you might consider a ground source heat pump.  The EPA says 
they're some of the most efficient heating (and cooling) technology on 
the market.  They also heat domestic HW.  No need to buy, haul, and 
store pellets and no stoves to light everyday.


Regards,


Curt Sommer
www.greenenergysolution.biz
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Sun, 12 Aug 2007 22:49:30 -0400
> From: "Ross MacLeod" <drossmacleod at gmail.com>
> Subject: [Greenbuilding] Sustainable Home Heating Systems
> To: greenbuilding at listserv.repp.org
> Message-ID:
> 	<74e12eed0708121949p2d9344c2j2c345f40da62718f at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> I am looking at retrofitting a home in Eastern Canada to be more energy
> efficient, and to employ a more sustainable heating system.  I am addressing
> the 'envelop' first but there are practical limits to how efficient I can
> make it in the short term.
>
> Given climate, cost, and reliability issues with the future use of Natural
> gas to heat homes, and the critical nature of heating in a cold environment
> like ours, I am looking for a reliable long term source of space and water
> heating.   I am planning to use solar thermal to be the primary source of
> water heating, but debating the short and long term benefits of high
> efficiency wood stoves versus biomass pellet stoves for space heating.
>
> On the positive side of biomass pellet stoves:
>
>    - they can burn pellets made from various biomass materials including;
>    wood, switchgrass, corn ... so that you should have a reliable supply over
>    time
>    - the fuel is very cost effective today, and compares favourably with
>    other sources (superior to wood stoves)
>    - they are environmentally friendly
>
> On the negative side:
>
>    - today the fuelling process is not very convenient and requires
>    frequent refills during the depths of winter
>    - relatively high maintenance due to chinking
>    - requires electricity to operate the augers and fans that are
>    essential for it to work.   As a result, they are generally not as reliable
>    as wood stoves
>
> Does anyone have any related insights, or knowledge of recent innovations
> that might influence the outcome of my assessment?
>   
Russ,

Hi-efficiency is certainly a solid criteria, but the first word of you 
posting says it all..'sustainable'.  Certainly biomass is more 
'sustaniable' than a wood