Living Off The Grid

This is a guest post by Adaptive Curmudgeon:

“You’re nuts to mess around with sticks”, a friend was taunting as I loaded my wood stove, “if I want heat I just crank the thermostat”.  She was right, loading firewood is much bigger hassle than a furnace.  I had to pause before responding.  How could I explain my preference?  “When I find propane tanks growing in my backyard”, I mused, “I’ll buy a propane furnace”.

Understandably, she thought I was talking about money but I was talking about control.  “Normal” furnaces are fueled by an endless expenditure of money that goes into an incomprehensibly complex system.  Nobody, not even the most powerful of governments, fully controls that system.  I deliberately avoid situations where I’m forced to spend cash in amounts determined by someone else.  Meanwhile my house is surrounded by trees.  With wise management and a lot of manual labor I have a perpetual sustainable supply of “free” fuel.  Let’s see a propane tank promise the same!

Many people heat entirely with wood.  I don’t.  I grudgingly avail myself of a traditional furnace when I’m not at home (or too lazy to build a fire).  Recently my “backup”, a criminally inefficient old furnace, died.  Pondering replacement options gave me an opportunity to consider the many ways one can power a furnace.  The following list is my consideration of heat sources and evaluation of which options give the homeowner greater or lesser influence on their fuel supply.  I also fretted about power dependence because a power outage in my climate is a serious matter.  If you live somewhere warmer you may reach different conclusions.

Piped In
If you live in a city, a natural gas line may come to your house.  Natural gas furnaces are highly efficient and operate with virtually no user effort.  Philosophical hand wringing be damned; if I had a pipeline to my house I’d use it.  Some natural gas furnaces can run without electricity but most can’t.  Since no gas is “stored” at your site, an interruption in the pipeline will affect you immediately.

Grid electricity is effective but it gets expensive and if the power goes down you’re SOL.

Stored Fossil Fuels
If you’re beyond the reach of a pipeline, a tank of propane can serve the same function.  Propane and natural gas furnaces are nearly identical.  Since your supply is stored on site it won’t be easily interrupted.

Fuel oil furnaces are fueled by a tank of fuel stored on site.  They’re less efficient than propane.  Some oil furnaces can accept biodiesel.

Oil and propane furnaces are usually dependent on electricity.  Some small propane devices without blowers are an exception.  If dependence on electricity is an issue you’ll need to plan accordingly.

Stored Solid Fuels
Pellet fuels are the lonely middle ground between ubiquitous fossil fuels and traditional firewood.  It’s compelling technology but it hasn’t caught on yet.  Traditional firewood’s flaw is that it comes in a semi-random array of moisture content, size, and shape.  Pelletized fuel is highly processed and uniform.  Thus it burns much more efficiently than firewood and augers and associated mechanical wizardry feed the fire automatically.  It’s nearly effortless compared to firewood and pellet stoves can look beautiful.  It’s still more effort than fossil fuels and pellet stoves are depressingly dependent on electricity.  Only battery based heroics can overcome power outages.

Pellets are surprisingly environmentally benign and are purchased in easy to handle bags.  Unfortunately you can’t make your own pellets any more than you can gather your own natural gas.  Just like fossil fuels you’re at the mercy of a fluctuating market.  Multifuel or specialized pellet stoves can burn other forms of pelletized biomass; notably corn kernels.  Theoretically you could raise and process your own corn for a corn stove.  Theoretically I could learn Chinese.

Firewood
Firewood is the most “unfettered” fuel.  Enterprising folks who harvest and/or process their own firewood save a lot of money.  However, don’t underestimate the labor involved.  You’ll need an arsenal of equipment and a strong back.  You’ll wind up with a massive stack of wood in the yard.

For “self reliance” it’s a slam dunk.  It’s the most locally based and decentralized fuel.  You can cut it yourself or buy it.  You can buy it cut and split or buy logs and do part of the processing yourself.  It doesn’t take massive organizational clout to get into the firewood market so informal entrepreneurs with chainsaws and rusty trucks can get the job done.  Decentralized supplies tend to be less uniform and firewood for sale ranges from high quality and cheap to rotten overpriced crap.  Caveat emptor.  Delivery costs add up; if you’ve got a pickup now is the time to use it.

Wood can be burned efficiently in fireplace inserts and woodstoves, wood furnaces, and wood boilers.  A few of these can handle multiple fuels (including fossil fuels).  Many wood burners aren’t dependent on electricity.  Various gadgets try to make using firewood easier.  They help but firewood will always be a bigger hassle than fossil fuels.  Some folks prefer the heat of a woodstove as a cheery place to warm your feet and watch a pretty fire.  I do.  Nobody looks forward to warming their feet by a gas furnace.

The Bottom Line

Fossil fuels are shipped thousands of miles.  Firewood is sourced locally.  Pellets fall in the middle.  A disturbance in a country you can’t pronounce may irrationally unhinge fossil fuels markets, mildly ruffle pellet markets, and won’t be noticed by firewood burners.

The corporate behemoths who shepherd fossil fuels from the earth’s crust to your furnace are shockingly reliable.  With rare exceptions when you’ve got cash they’ve got fuel to sell.  Firewood sellers won’t have such a steady supply.  Pellets, as usual, fall in the middle.

Fossil fuels are effortless.  Firewood requires a tremendous amount of work.  Pellets, as always, fall in the middle.

You must purchase fossil fuels or pellets.  The ability to use your own labor in lieu of cash makes firewood special.

Nearly every heating device requires electricity.  A few gas and most firewood options are delightful exceptions.

What’s Next
I cut most of my own firewood and I’ve discussed some of my experiences in comparing woodsplitters and a product review of Stihl chainsaws.  I still prefer a furnace for “backup”.  When I replace my oil furnace with a (hopefully innovative) option I’ll report on that as well.  Stay tuned.

Adaptive Curmudgeon, May 2010