I know it’s part of the process, but a bit of pride and love in the old cabin made me a bit sad as holes were cut in the floor to install for new heating for the fixer-upper cabin. The openings were cut through thick, old wood with a neatness and skill that I appreciated. Registers were dropped in and shiny, new duct work installed underneath.
Getting a furnace involves choices: oil, natural gas or propane. Due to wood burning stoves being referred to as stoves (and we have one), the stove in the kitchen is called a cook stove. It sounds extra when saying it, but it makes planning conversations clearer. I was advised that when I shop for a cook stove to specify that I need a propane conversion kit.
I so look forward to cooking with gas. The cabin came with an old, electric cook stove that flares up, on occasion. It is a skinny stove, so if there is a large pan on the large burner, you can’t occupy the other three, nearby burners at the same time. Also, there is one rack in the oven and it’s small, so extras are not just sitting around at thrift stores. The oven and the large burner have their own little power surges. This means constantly checking on food when using either.
Even if the electric cook stove worked properly, I look forward to all the micro-settings of a flame while cooking. I have a crazy memory of cousins that used to turn the gas on the cook stove in their kitchen and throw lit, wooden matches into the room from the doorway, producing a Boom! over and over, drawing me to the kitchen in a panic to stop a dangerous game. We all survived and the main perpetrator is a father of his own brood now; I’m confident that his inspired DNA will come back to challenge him (here’s to harmless paybacks).
My next challenge for the install was coordinating fuel with the system. They are two, different companies (furnace and fuel) and I had to find one of each that offered service in my area and then work out the dates. After seeing how hard it was to climb around under the house putting in duct work, I shouldn’t complain about the phone calls. Nice people educated the city girl and I learned to check on the price of propane like a stock, with every call. Each company had been working in their trade for years, yet each insisted that the other do the work first. Chicken versus egg / propane vs. furnace? Finally one gave in.
I first rented a place when I moved here in order to home shop, and that had propane. It worked fine. However, I have to admit that I have never felt a more satisfying heat on a cold morning or evening than our little wood burning stove. But on days when I couldn’t get a fire started due to wood not being properly seasoned, as advertised, it was disheartening and uncomfortable. We will still be able to use the wood stove, but for a fee, this will be much easier.
Over a few days, some hard working, humble guys sawed, drilled, trenched (by hand!) and put in electric lines, registers, a thermostat, ducts, a piping and access to gas for the stove and furnace (called drops). They were neat, polite and methodical. Once it’s all in, I’ll be happy to leave a good review. It was interesting, we had a few companies check out our unique home and went with the more adventurous company, that seemed more comfortable with workarounds for country homes built in stages.
A couple built this cabin, together, many years ago with only two rooms. The next owners added on more rooms, so different materials and craftsmanship, in a different time. When we were first settling in, the wife of the first couple stopped by to reminiscence from the road and we invited her in and showed her the later additions and modifications that we had made in our brief time at home here. She looked with awe and surprise at the improvements and touched the wooden cabinets, remembering. I felt a bit guilty, she had a more Spartan time here. I saw her in a store in town yesterday and she asked what other improvements had been made and I told her about the heating. She nodded her approval.