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Pick a primary and a backup heat source

Off grid, heat must keep coming when fuel deliveries, sunshine or electronics fail. Choose one main source matched to your local fuel and power, plus an independent backup.

How

1. Compare options against your load: wood stove, masonry heater, pellet stove, heat pump, solar thermal, propane or biogas.
2. Check fuel security: your own woodlot, local pellet supply, gas deliveries, or surplus solar.
3. Check power dependence: pellet stoves and most boilers need electricity; a wood stove or masonry heater does not.
4. In cold climates pair an electric source (heat pump) with a combustion source (wood) so either can carry the house.
5. Check local rules: some areas restrict wood burning, and the US EPA certified wood heater programme sets emission limits for new stoves.

Sources

1. Wood and Pellet Heating. U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Saver, accessed 2026-11
2. Choosing Wood-Burning Appliances. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, accessed 2026-11

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