Costs you did not consider before heating by wood.

PapaDave said:

Bster, our ins. co. also adds a $100 charge for stove. Add that to the list.

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Insurance companies seem to be going rogue this year. I don't know how many people I've talked to lately that are getting dragged over the coals.

We changed co.'s last year, but the previous co. charged $75/year surcharge for solid fuel device also.

We have no extra charges through our insurance company. We called the day the stove was installed and told them that we had just installed the stove. They just replied with "Thank you for letting us know"
I then asked how much? They said nothing, they just updated our policy.

My previous broker dropped one of their underwriters / companies last year (the same company that insured me for years). I switched to another broker as they still carried this particular insurer, thinking it was just a simple matter of coming in and signing the paperwork and writing them a cheque for the renewal of my current policy. Same house, same vehicles, same insurance company - should be a simple matter, right? Not. It was like I had to start all over again.

In the past, a picture of the wood stove install was good enough. Now the same insurance company wanted an inspection, the premium would increase regardless, and they would drop me if I didn't comply with x number of days. So I dropped them - mostly out of spite, as pretty much all of them seem to want inspections now. I got the inspection, and the inspector was shaking his head when he was there (in his opinion, the pics, detailed SBI specs, details of my install, etc. that I sent in clearly indicated no concerns).

One friend with a small place, a no frills house, not even wood heat, is fighting with demands / costs / stress where he's at the point that he's seriously considering cancelling the insurance and just accepting the risk.

I know it varies from place to place (quite a bit, apparently) but I was a bit complacent and I got a surprise after years of having a wood stove running with no hassles.

Ok, well since I have everything on that list except the stove / furnace / piping, I guess it's for me.

We do have a fireplace that I burn wood in but now need to decide on what to purchase. I did decide it will be a furnace add on. I just need to decide on the brand / size. Home first floor is just over 2500 sqft, basement is same at 2500 sqft that I am not concerned about heating and bonus room is just over 350 sqft that I am not concerned about. Ceiling on first floor range from 8- 13 feet high. Recommendations welcome.

I currently have about 10 face cord ready to go. I'd like to be self sufficient by this winter. I'd like to split another 10+ face cord that will be good and seasoned for next year.

Bster13 said:

Agreed on the car collecting. *sigh*

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Well, since you did briefly hijack your thread for the car - I'll add this: Cool a$$ supposedly cheap car that gets 84mpg.... the two seats being behind one another seems to be the biggest drawback, oh, and there's only one door, but still how cool is this:
http://americanlivewire.com/elio-motors-promises-84mpg-6800/

Seasoned Oak said:

Exactly! I think people dont include the FULL cost of their conventional heat source. Dont forget they have to earn a salary or wage of about $1600-$1800 for every $1000 they spend on heating fuel accounting for deductions to their pay. When gathering wood for your stove,you dont have to give 40% of every load to the Govt.

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Last fire season (Dec-April) I cut my electric heat bill in half by burning wood. We saved $250-300/month on heating for a total of $1300+! My only cost of getting wood is fuel for the saw and ATV because I just leave from my property and where I cut is less than 1mile away. If I spend $100 a year that would be on the high side so the savings outweigh the cost by a long shot.
Plus the feel of wood heat is second to none and constant, not like other types of heat, IMHO...