Expat Community > Ecuador

cptnkirk
Joined 2010
Posts: 5

Wood Heat

14 years ago

Many of the higher elevation residences (Andes valleys) I have been able to view have included one or more wood burning fireplaces:
to ward off the "evening chills" that I understand occur from time to time. Being a long time user of and believer in wood as a heat source, in some places where the evening chill can be 40 below with a 50 km wind, a couple of questions come to mind. First, firewood. Is it generally easily available, both physically and financially? Second, efficiency. Having very early on discovered that wood heat means a certain amount of lifting and moving and cleaning, the choice of high efficiency air tight wood stoves proved to be something of a no brainer (twice the efficiency equals half the wood for the same heat output). Are there local (Ecuadorian) arguments for or against air tight appliances that us bush babies are ignorant of? Third, gas fireplaces. While I freely admit that in my younger days a gas burning fireplace would have been sacrilege, age has tempered my temper somewhat. I am now prepared to admit that there is a place for a fireplace that starts and stops with the click of a remote, requires no firewood, and generates no ash. Not in my place, you understand, but certainly some place. Again, are there local arguments for or against?

My wife and I are hoping to be down in the neighborhood (Ibara, Cotacachi, Otavalo) later this fall to begin the process of the big move. Looking forward to possibly meeting some of you then.

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