Wood stoves for SHTF? Anybody have one?

[1 Patriot-of-many]

I'm pondering more and more about SHTF and not having electricity or delivery of propane. Anyone have a wood stove and give me some pointers as a backup heat source? I have enough wood on the property and nearby to fuel said stove. I have a multifloor house (small basement with central propane heater and cooling) next level is slab floor concrete, next level up is small kitchen and 3 car garage converted to rec room with a propane fireplace. Upper floor bathroom and two bedrooms/living room. Should I concentrate on heating a specific area with a wood fire stove or can it be hooked up with the existing venting and heat the entire house without electricity?

[JTHunter]

Supplemental heat interests me as well. As I only have a 1300 sq. ft. one story, my needs are less. In past power outages in the winter, I have a fireplace insert with a fair supply of wood. Combined with a mid-sized gas generator (~3500 watts), I can run the furnace blower to circulate air, power the microwave and fridge.
About 2 miles from me is a house that has a LARGE wood burner outside their house. I have not been in the house but I believe it has a basement which probably means this house is at least 2500 sq. ft. This furnace is about 75 ft. from the house, is about 6' wide x 7' tall x 6' deep.
According to the homeowner's daughter (who was kind enough to answer my questions), the main floor of the house has hydronic (water) radiant heating from this furnace which also provides domestic hot water. They ran underground lines below the frost line (~3') to the house and the firebox is able to take logs up to 3' long, giving them a very long burn time, esp. when combined with the dampers on the furnace.
You may not need one that big but it may give you some ideas.
IIRC, a wood furnace isn't really designed to be "in" a home because of it's air intake needs. A smaller wood stove, while a better, more efficient heater than a fireplace insert (even one with "glass" doors), it is also more likely to leak smoke and soot into the home. Those will stain and tarnish virtually everything over time. With a flat top above the firebox, it also provides a surface for cooking food, heating water to increase humidity in the home during the winter, or for bathing, dishes, etc.
Hope this helps.

[Woogiebear]

I was in Panama City, FL when Hurricane Michael tore thru a couple of years ago. I saw my neighbor's roof get ripped off and huge pines getting snapped off about 20' above the ground. Houses were getting crushed by those trees. After it went thru our area, there was no power for about a month. Houses were destroyed. Something like 3,300 power poles were ripped down. Flooding was really bad. Water was in short supply but two of my neighbors had wells and once I got the pumps running, we had semi clean water. Before the storm hit I picked up an old wood burning stove and put it on a dolly. It stayed in my garage until after the storm hit. It was not in too bad of shape, rusty and one of the hinge pins was broken. Man did I put that thing to work. I used it to sterilize water that I needed for self cleaning and laundry. I used it to cook my food. I used it to clean all of my dishes. It was a source of comfort, honestly, to just tend it at night while I was trying to off-gas from the days activities. One of my favorite moments right after the hurricane was getting a big boiling pot I found somewhere, getting the water nice and hot, and taking a standing bath under the stars.
I am not saying that you need to pick up an old, antique wood burning stove, but it would definitely be a good idea to get some kind of wood stove for when things go sideways.

[imanaknut]

I don't have one but my sister has one and it is amazing how much heat it can put out. She has a 2 story and with the stove on the main level she can still have the upstairs at a nice temperature, although around the stove is only for those who like desert heat. Add to that a cooking surface on the top and you have one really good SHTF appliance.

[Altarboy]

Yes. We put in a Lopi Republic 1250(made in Washington state) maybe four years ago. Man was it ever a great investment . It adds so much to the place. Plus , we live out in the woods, so it's just good to have.

[kuntryboy]

had wood stove for about 15 years. loved the heat. hated hauling it in the pouring rain. ashes weren't too popular with the dusting lady. if i were to get another, i'd get an outside one.

[Altarboy]

Be sure to instal the OAK, the Outside Air Kit. It simply allows the stove to draw air, not from the room , but from the outdoors.