We faced the same dilemma and decided to go with the wood stove option and we don't have a functioning chimney either. It will be installed when the weather cooperates. In a long term situation we will have wood available to us but the pellets would eventually run out. We preferred not having to be be concerned about the need for power to run it either.

We know we never want to move so everything we purchase is with the intention of staying here forever. Quality and good planning makes sense in the long term so it was a long researched and thought out decision that led us to this point. Your situation may be different.

I have used my wood stove as my main heat for many years.
Not only can I heat with it, but I can cook on it and heat water on it.

Years ago when I was looking for another wood stove (after I moved),
I was looking for a large surface. This one has that.

It has room to have a coffee pot on it, two big soup pots, good sized frying pan, and last but not least, an echo fan. I can even bake on that stove.
I also was looking for one that was not cast. It also had to have a big fire box.
All that requires no power. And no propane to start up a grill to cook on when the power goes out.

It's not a fancy one with all the bells and whistles on it. It doesn't tap dance or sing, but my oh my does it ever give off heat and not overly fussy what I feed it.
From seasoned wood to slabs and its happy.
And I can have it go at least over night, sometimes much longer. Depends on how you stack it in there and the wood type too. 🙂

I also wanted the chimney to go straight up, with no angles to it so would have less problems with cleaning and crap ends up in the bends. Then most often, you have to take it apart to clean that section out. Yes there are clean outs you can put in them. I have heard of ppl that can't get it all out, even with clean outs and had to take them apart. It was just another thing I wanted to avoid.

Until you are at -40 and snowing like a demon and the chimney gives you problems...
Cause until then, when you have to figure out whats ailing them, you will not appreciate a straight run on those pipes. 😉

Cleaning or having the pipes cleaned at least yearly, will pretty well eliminate problems. Buying your own brush and handles will save you a bundle in the end and its not hard to do on a straight run.
I have it done at least 2 x yearly cause we have a long burning season here. I find the warmer it is outside, I will not run my stove as hot, so it may get an extra cleaning. As I said I like to be safe.

I use the ordinary stove pipes inside and double wall insulated pipes (whatever they are called) going thru the roof.

Yes I played with the idea of going p. stove about 4 yrs ago, until discovered pellets were not always available. Along with the first thought that was always at the back of my mind, what if the hydro goes out? 🙁
And then it was always find out from who or where you can get them? Then often it was a case of drive to where ever the pellets were.
For me, being way out, I started to add up the gas, my time to go get it and if the weather would even let me get there.
None of the p.stoves I looked at, let me do all the rest I was used to doing. So that idea got scraped.

Now those double pipes can almost give you a heart attack when looking at their prices. But its well worth it all in the end. Tho it eased my mind that they would only be needed to go thru any structure, talk about relief! 🙂

You do not have to have a brick chimney built to put it thru either. You can however build it around it later, if that's what you choose and have the pocket book for doing so.
Me? I am cheap and practical as long as its safe.

Any heater device is only as safe as the owner. Please do not take that the wrong way.
But many will get a heating device and not think of learning the safe way to operate them.
How many times has one heard of someone using an electric heater that started a fire..yes even with a propane heater. *sigh*
They plug it in, turn it on and walk away not looking to see if drapes, etc. are to close and it catches fire.

The other thing is when it's time to take out your ashes, you have to have a safe place to put them. Many a coal may still be in there, twinkling away just waiting for a chance to come to life.
Even putting ashes in a metal can is not safe, if its sitting on a wood deck. 😮

Yes wood burning can be messy with hauling in wood. But a few mins to sweep it up and its all clean again.
What I did to eliminate most of that, was to build an outside box to put it in. Load from the outside and access right by the stove to grab it to feed the beast.

As for cheaper I am not sure a pellet stove is cheaper, in the long run.
Not a lot to go wrong on a wood stove but on a pellet one, there is. This I had asked about when looking them over..the what ifs.
You see, I must confess, I have this problem and it always says 'what if..down the line and well into the future.'

Not just the repairs alone to the p. stove but the cost to have someone to come and fix it, was to me the biggest problem.
In this day and age one never knows if said business will still be operating, then who do you find? Is the part you need going to be available too?

So liking to be reliable on myself, more so if the SHTF, that gave me no argument as to what to have.
Keep in mind that's MOO. (my opinion only) 😉

Hope that helps a wee bit and good luck on whatever you decide. Just keep asking yourself questions into the future and I am sure you will sort it out what's right for you.

OldTimer - that was a great response!!

You are 100% right OldTIMER.I have the same setup with wood burning stove and it is just fantastic.The only think i can add if you store ashes in metal barrel they come handy to spread them on dray-way when ice or even on pile of snow and helps it melt much faster.
Henry

Great advice Oldtimer, I will add that if you garden, that using the ash in the blueberry area seems to work really, I like to give them a light topcoating and work it in just a bit in the mulch and let the rain do the rest, just enough mix in that it can't blow away, I have also mixed a bit of ash in tomato planting area's to great success.

Good point on the snow Henry..

Thanks Anita,Henry, Farmgal. 🙂

I do use ashes on plants and icy walk ways and such.
I also use it in the chicken runs for them to bath in just mix in with the ground they bath in.
Just make sure its dead cold first. Fried chicken is better when it well prepared for..first. 😉

You can also carry a well sealed bucket of ash in the vehicle in case you find yourself on a slick spot in winter.
You can also make lye out of ash, but thats a whole 'nother post.

So DaScribbler you see there are other benefits from wood burning as well.

OTG (easier to use then OldTimeGardener...yes?) 🙂

Great advice Oldtimer, I will add that if you garden, that using the ash in the blueberry area seems to work really, I like to give them a light topcoating and work it in just a bit in the mulch and let the rain do the rest, just enough mix in that it can't blow away, I have also mixed a bit of ash in tomato planting area's to great success.

Good point on the snow Henry..

I also spread ashes on the garden through the winter...especially where the peppers & tomatoes are going.
And yes, in the driveway too!
I usually put the ash can in a snow bank for a few days before doing anything with them.

DaScribbler, I heat my home with both a wood cookstove upstairs and a pellet stove downstairs (we replaced a small, older woodstove with the pellet stove) - 'zone heating' so to speak. I have to say that I love the wood cookstove far better than the pellet stove. The pellet stove requires electicity to run the fans, auger, and ignition and is quite noisy. My kids are always begging me to put the woodstove back in and take the pellet stove out! I have had a few problems with it, but never had difficulty figuring it out/replacing parts, etc. One excellent site is http://www.hearth.com/talk/ I've never had any difficulty finding pellets, but you should know that if the 40 lb. bag of pellets does not say 'Hardwood' then it is just softwood and burns faster, less heat, and more fly ash.
OldTimeGardener was spot on with his post.
PrepHer

Thank You everyone for your input 🙂

I was pretty sure an actual wood stove was the best way to go. The cost scares me, but better to pay a little bit more now, rather then pay dearly during a long winter power outage 🙂