How much money have you spent to save on oil???

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Built and iinstalled the Englander 30, 25' of SS chimney pipe, a raised hearth, and a chase through the upstairs for about $3k. The saw I already had but you could call the tarps, mauls, tools, chains, sooteater etc another $500. Wood is free.

This is my third year and it will have paid for itself. I burn natural gas and it still puts me way ahead. In an old drafty home with steam radiators it costs $300/mo to keep the house at 68 while we are in it, 55 when we are away/asleep.

If I burned oil it would have paid for itself the first year.
 
First year in house with no stove. $3400 in oil for heat and hot water. That was in 2011/12. $1400 - used 2005 Oslo installed, $150 hearth, $1775 in wood to date, $25 for maul, $30 for crosscut saw, $75 supplies for log lifter and buck, $1300 for new electric HW heater and supplies to install, $500/year for elect to run heater. Sooo, that's $5255. That's since Sept 2012. So I would have spent about the same on oil in that time. But starting next season, it's basically the cost of the wood. 4 cords at $300/cord is still only $1200. And when I process logs it's $100/cord.

Switching over to wood was a bit more of a process than I had originally thought. But I sure do love watching those oil trucks drive right on past my place.
 
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EPA stove and stove pipe/chimney, $1200
390xp and 22ton splitter, $1300. Two good finds.
Racks and tarps for a 3 year stock, $400
The wood is free if you ask the right people in the northwoods.

No regrets here! And the peace of mind when petroleum fuels go sky high, priceless!
 
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hermancm said:
View attachment 125169 EPA stove and stove pipe/chimney, $1200
390xp and 22ton splitter, $1300. Two good finds.
Racks and tarps for a 3 year stock, $400
The wood is free if you ask the right people in the northwoods.

No regrets here! And the peace of mind when petroleum fuels go sky high, priceless!
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Oh man, look at all those ricks. And a nice pile at he end. That picture reminds me of how much work I need to do this spring.
 
heating with wood for 10 years at current house. New Stove and install was 4k. Jonsered 2171, bars, oil and all chains are free (don't ask). Split cost of splitter with friend -$600. And gas to run gear. All wood is usually dropped off free at my house now

about 5k for the past 10 years id say. Before this year I was running the yukon wood furnace that came with house. Still use it on nights like last night.
 
almost 7K for a buderus/riello oil burner and zoned/solar dual coil water heater

burning wood is putting a huge dent in payback on oil savings from the efficient burner but my wallet doesn't mind.
 
DTrain said:
Oh man, look at all those ricks. And a nice pile at he end. That picture reminds me of how much work I need to do this spring.
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That was in 2012, OMG! I said that was enough but DOH! The boat had to move and a few small poplars were cut to make room for more.... Last count was 23 10x6' racks. And probably more this summer.
 
I had to buy a stove and have it installed, which ran about $2,000 is I recall correctly. I am saving $200 or more per month on my electric bill YEAR ROUND (my bills are averaged to even out the winter highs and summer lows in price). I'm way ahead financially, plus the enjoyment and satisfaction I get from burning wood.
 
I put a lot a value in heat when it is cold with no power. That is nothing anyone would worry about until they experience it. I hold a lot of stock in it.

Also, my sister has another week of LP until she runs out and she isn't sure if she can get any. If she can, it will be 6 bucks a gallon. No worries with a wood burner.

There is probably a monetary value to these types of things but I don't really care. Wood heat is sustainable when the once every 40 year occurrences happen or the unthinkable.
 
Coog said:
I put a lot a value in heat when it is cold with no power. That is nothing anyone would worry about until they experience it. I hold a lot of stock in it.

Also, my sister has another week of LP until she runs out and she isn't sure if she can get any. If she can, it will be 6 bucks a gallon. No worries with a wood burner.

There is probably a monetary value to these types of things but I don't really care. Wood heat is sustainable when the once every 40 year occurrences happen or the unthinkable.
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Well said. I agree completely
 
Bassmantweed said:
I rolled the dice and lost. Oil is dropping like a lead balloon.
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It won't last.

Oil is down to $3.00 US a gallon here, and people are dancing for joy. They have short memories.

The Dixette asked me what I wanted for Christmas. I said "firewood".
 
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This year I spent now $1350 on 12.5 cords of wood ( 3/4 years worth of heat). $500 on electricity for hot water. And zero on oil.
 
It's going lower. Takes a while for the projects already paid for to get online. NEW drilling is sure going to slow down.. but if we have a warm winter, prices are headed into the 50s.

JP
 
Bassmantweed said:
It's funny. I was sitting here thinking about how much I've spent on woodstoves, firewood, chainsaws , wood splitter. Axes, mauls, saftey equipment ropes, Chains, woodshed's etc. just to save a few bucks on oil do you think it's worth it in the end?

I bet I'm in for at least $15,000. I guess I'm just feeling it because I'm on the front end looking uphill.
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I installed a new 15SEER heat pump and 80% propane furnace as back-up summer of 2012 and a wood stove in the spring of 2013. My previous 3 tanks (500 gal) of propane turned into 1 tank lasting over a year. I try to get the stove going before the heat pump kicks on in the morning and run to the thermostat if I hear it. I think my new system has run less than 24 hours total since installed. (Other than summer AC) I am already past breakeven and in the black. The OTHER benefit, though, was the wood stove heat during several winter power outages! The toy cost is our responsibility to keep under control...if you hate fun! :)
 
TooColdHere said:
run to the thermostat if I hear it. I think my new system has run less than 24 hours total since installed.
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Not knocking slowing down on the use of fossil fuels, but I still do think it's important that the "back-up" heat source gets some good exercise.

Not saying you haven't done that, but just as a word to the wise for others reading. There is nothing worse than needing to go out of town for a few days in subzero weather and not being sure if you can trust what's keeping the water in the house, liquid. Also, since a new system is under warranty, you'll only find a problem if it has to run.

I figure the cost to run things periodically similar to the cost of insurance. Where I used to basically flog the stove when things got really cold, just to be 100% wood heat, I realized a few years ago, when we had to leave home in weather we weren't planning on, that I was taking a big risk since I hadn't let the furnace stretch its legs in years. When I got home, I found it doing things mostly fine, but that an air vent (I know they have a different name but can't think of it now) had decided to go bad and made a minor mess. That was little, but probably would have been caught, or perhaps never happened, had I used the system more often.

Since then, I replaced the 50 year old boiler with electric baseboard heat / a mitsu mini split heat pump. Couldn't be happier, but still make certain I give them all the opportunity to work out while I'm present and can detect a problem, hoping to minimize on a problem occurring when I'm away from the home, even though that doesn't happen often.

pen
 
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Interesting... Never went through all the receipts, but I think I'm close to breaking even after two years.

Big items:
Stove + install + flue = $2000
Splitter = $700
Firewood I've purchased = $200
PPE for cutting = $150
Misc equipment and gas = $200???

Grand total of... Dang, I shouldn't have done this exercise. $3250.

I figure the first year I saved $600 and last year I saved $1200 which is what I expect to continue to save on an annual basis.

I'll break even someplace in the middle of year four (next year) and I already have the wood sitting in piles waiting for it.

This of course isn't taking into account the value that the stove and the splitter could be sold for...
 
None. Ever. In 1985 when we were house hunting we looked at a house that we fell in love with. In the basement I saw the oil boiler and didn't think much of it. Walking out the oil refill bill was taped to the door. :eek:

We went and bought a house south of there in five acres of Oak trees and ordered a stove.
 
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Even at todays prices i still save about $2000 a year. Oil would have to be $1 a gallon to start competing with solid heating fuel.
 
Seasoned Oak said:
Even at todays prices i still save about $2000 a year. Oil would have to be $1 a gallon to start competing with solid heating fuel.
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I remember my Mom shrieking that oil was 12 cents a gallon in 1976. Coal stoves went in shortly afterwards.
 
JP11 said:
It's going lower. Takes a while for the projects already paid for to get online. NEW drilling is sure going to slow down.. but if we have a warm winter, prices are headed into the 50s.

JP
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I don't think it's going higher until there at least a few producers shaken out of the tree.
 
My costs,
* chainsaws - $200(used), $520(new), & $125(used) = $875

* small hydro splitter = Free + $120 in repairs (new - crate must have fallen off of the back of truck on a corner in Salt Lake City - I pulled over, 'huh what is that?', I gathered up about 7 pieces, and once home eventually called the company.They said the driver reported the Brave EZ log splitter stolen - I said, ..no I think he didn't fasten it down too well. Do you want it back? How damaged is it? Lots of scrapes, missing a few parts, and the hexagonal hydro thing on top is busted. The driver reported it stolen, bye. Bye.)

* Small 3000 to 4000# Masonry Heater = should be about $850
* Pipe = $1200
* extra concrete in floor = $80
* Chains, bar oil, wedges, maul, fuel, files, PPE = $200
Total = bit over $3300

I don't have anything to burn wood in yet so I've been selling my gathered firewood. Let's see this year about 15 cords sold at $190/cord = it's a wash. The above has been paid for with the firewood sales and work.
 
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