This thread is part of
a bigger project working on a robust Heat Infographic.
We have had a lot of conversations with a lot of insurance people on this topic - all of whom asked to not be mentioned here. We are attempting to document what we have learned based entirely on payout risk. To get more information, you will need to contact your own insurer or, maybe, a few different insurers.
Electric Baseboard - +15%
long term power outage can cause pipes to freeze
risk of fire with flammable materials on heater
Mini Splits - +5%
long term power outage can cause pipes to freeze
risk of temps dropping low enough that heater fails and pipes freeze
In Ground Heat Pump - cheapest
long term power outage can cause pipes to freeze
Central Natural Gas Furnace - +30%
danger of leaks making people in the house sick or dead
long term power outage can cause pipes to freeze
20% of all house fires are caused by malfunctioning furnaces
Central Propane Furnace - +30%
danger of leaks making people in the house sick or dead
long term power outage can cause pipes to freeze
20% of all house fires are caused by malfunctioning furnaces
Pellet Stove - +45%
long term power outage can cause pipes to freeze
note that a few pellet stoves do not depend on electricity
unattended heater could lead to pipes freezing
risk of fire with flammable materials on heater
sometimes a pellet stove feed can clog, put the fire out and cause pipes to freeze
sometimes the fire finds its way to the pellet hopper and fills the house with smoke damage
Wood Stove - +100%
40% of house fires are caused by chimney fires
(unattended heater could lead to pipes freezing)**
risk of fire with flammable materials on heater
insurers typically insure only if the wood stove is a secondary heat source
operator error leading to a claim
Modern wood stove - +100%
40% of house fires are caused by chimney fires
(unattended heater could lead to pipes freezing)**
risk of fire with flammable materials on heater
insurers typically insure only if the wood stove is a secondary heat source
operator error leading to a claim
Masonry Heater - -20%
(unattended heater could lead to pipes freezing)**
operator error leading to a claim
insurers typically insure only if the masonry heater is a secondary heat source
lowest risk of all heaters when paired with an in ground heat pump*
Rocket Mass Heater - -20%
(unattended heater could lead to pipes freezing)**
risk of fire with flammable materials on heater
operator error leading to a claim
note that for the sake of insurance, most insurers, at this time, classify rocket mass heaters as a subset of masonry heaters
insurers typically insure only if the rocket mass heater is a secondary heat source
lowest risk of all heaters when paired with an in ground heat pump*
* = a rocket mass heater (or masonry heater) paired with an in ground heat pump could result in the lowest overall risk becuase during a power outage, a rocket mass heater can continue to provide heat - thus preventing possible frozen pipes.
** = actually, by insurance standards, this can never happen because this heater is a secondary heater and the primary heater will continue to function while the operator is away.
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