website to see how many woodburners in your area

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newatthis

newatthis

Member
Aug 28, 2014
157
Charlottesville, VA
I just discovered a very interesting website while looking up local data on another topic. You can see what percentage of households in your city or county use woodburning for primary heat. Google "city-data.com" and then put in your city or county and state. Scroll way down to just past the 3/4's mark, and you'll see a pie chart of what people heat with in your area. In my city, only 1% of people use wood, but just one county over, it is up to 19%.

I found lots of other interesting info, including demographic data, real estate info, local government budget outlays, local industries, even the top 10 surnames among recently deceased people!

What amazes me is the consistently high percent of people whose primary heat source is electricity. Also, in the same county that has 19% wood heaters near me, 0.6% have NO heat listed (this category didn't appear in other counties I checked.)

Those of us who are concerned about wood-burning bans being proposed in your area might want to check the website to see the number of woodburners near you.
 
I wonder about the source of this data. How many people here, who heat largely with wood, have disclosed that to the source of this data? More often than not, people do not disclose whether they're heating primarily with wood, to insurance, electric, or gas co.
 
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The survey questions are as valuable as the outcome. For instance, wood heat as "primary" heat source means different things to different people. Also electric heat includes heat pumps.
 
I've found city-data to be worth what I pay for it. At least where I know something about an area, its population, demographic, local government and public services, etc. City-data's data isn't exactly accurate.
 
I told my insurance company I just occasionally burned. At that time I had about 4 cords on my property, now about 14. I think I remember them telling me they would not insure me if I burned 24/7.

If they ever question why I have so much wood I will tell them I sell it. Everyone else I know that burns tells their insurance company the same thing so I would guess that data is not real reliable.
 
No burners of wood in this area. ;lol
 
3% wood in my area..Good deal!
 
18.5% up here according to the site but it seems like more to me althoough it could be just my perception from going by homes with wood stacks and saying, ooh! Look at that pile and ooh! Look at that nice wood shed! Lol
 
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chris5150 said:
I told my insurance company I just occasionally burned. At that time I had about 4 cords on my property, now about 14. I think I remember them telling me they would not insure me if I burned 24/7.

If they ever question why I have so much wood I will tell them I sell it. Everyone else I know that burns tells their insurance company the same thing so I would guess that data is not real reliable.
Click to expand...

You sell it then you're a business and they aren't going to insure a business for what you're paying for your residential insurance.
 
Not if it's during a yard sale!! And I do believe the man said the wood is in his yard. So there's that option.
 
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I live in central nj, I notice people's wood stacks here and there, when I go up to Sussex county, near New York and Pennsylvania boarder, I notice most people have wood stacks in their yard, wood stacks all over up there. I was thinking about that this weekend and wanted to add this comment.....thanks
 
I guess the operative word is "primary" heat. I burn 5 - 8 cords per year, but it's still not my primary means of heat. I have an oil-fired boiler in the basement taking care of that. I suspect most, even those who actually are doing more than 50% of their BTU production via wood, are not listing wood as their primary means of heating, in any insurance, census, or utility records.
 
I found a listing for this area that seems realistic saying that 35% use wood as their primary means of heating homes. Hardwoods are so easy to scrounge up here and logger chords go for $80 so I can see why its a way to heat for many here. And that's why we have a paper mill in every town (it seems) too
 
Im still listed as electric heat its a bit cheaper on electric bill.bought the house listed as electric heat. House has oil furnace baseboard heating.
Primary heat is my wood stove.
only heat hot water with the boiler.
 
john11756 said:
Im still listed as electric heat its a bit cheaper on electric bill...
Click to expand...
I assume when you say, "listed as," you mean with your electric company? Has anyone confirmed the source of the data in the above link? Was census just speculation, or confirmed?
 
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