so do you think all the folks getting into burning will stay with it

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I love processing wood. Who knew it would be so much fun?

The answer to the OP question depends on the price of oil. If you believe it will go back down like the 80's then it will be a firesale on stoves in the coming years. If you are like me and think the price of oil will only rise, then wood will only become more popular.
 
I agree that a few will stick with it but most will only burn wood a year or two, maybe longer, maybe shorter. Most women just do not like putting up with the "mess." Most men would rather play than work. Cutting and splitting wood is hard work. Some like it and most don't. Personally, I love it and will continue as we have for many, many moons. Love that new Fireview too.
 
I'll certainly stay in it. I had been burning on my FP for the past 10 years, but it really only heated the room it was in. I decided on a stove to attempt to heat as much of the house as possible (and increase the efficiency by a wee bit!). I thoroughly enjoy splitting and stacking wood, so the work is more like play to me. Plus it beats paying for a gym membership to work off any excess weight! There's also something about that really nice, dry heat you get from the stove on a cold day, especially when coming in from the cold. I agree it's messy, but a dedicated dustpan set that I use for a quick sweep when I throw the last log on the fire works great to keep things somewhat clean.

I do think many people will give it up though after a winter or two, especially if oil prices subside a bit. I think many people hit the nail on the head with people not willing to put the effort in to keeping it up. It's cool with me, I'll be nice and warm by my stove, homebrew in hand...
 
For me, we're going to try it for a couple years and see how it goes. I could probably swing the oil payments this year, but I hate the fact that I'm lining some middle eastern sheik's pockets, not to mention the middle men making a fortune in the process. I worry a lot about the folks who don't have the wherewithall to respond to the high prices - a lot of already vulnerable people are going to be cold this winter. We're spending a good bit of money having the chimney installed, but we got a good deal on the stove, and the wood's not bad, although it's higher than it would have been if the oil hadn't gone as high. I figure if the oil stays up and we can make the wood work, it will all pay for itself in 2, maybe 3 years, and I'll get my wood in much earlier next year when prices are lower.

As for the work? I bought my wood CSD, so it's really just moving it and stacking it, and I've been enjoying the heck out of that process (when it's not DOWN POURING!).

:coolsmile:
 
Johnny B. said:
For me, we're going to try it for a couple years and see how it goes. I could probably swing the oil payments this year, but I hate the fact that I'm lining some middle eastern sheik's pockets, not to mention the middle men making a fortune in the process. I worry a lot about the folks who don't have the wherewithall to respond to the high prices - a lot of already vulnerable people are going to be cold this winter. We're spending a good bit of money having the chimney installed, but we got a good deal on the stove, and the wood's not bad, although it's higher than it would have been if the oil hadn't gone as high. I figure if the oil stays up and we can make the wood work, it will all pay for itself in 2, maybe 3 years, and I'll get my wood in much earlier next year when prices are lower.

As for the work? I bought my wood CSD, so it's really just moving it and stacking it, and I've been enjoying the heck out of that process (when it's not DOWN POURING!).

:coolsmile:
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Even if you don't burn full time the stove will become a gathering place in the house and provide warmth on demand for many years. There are a lot more reasons to have a stove than the utility bills. When we started heating with wood it wasn't costing squat to heat with our electric central heat but we just like stoves.

Of course we have done it 100% for so long now that the heat pump died of neglect and old age.
 
BrotherBart said:
...the heat pump died of neglect and old age.
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Yeah, that's what seems to be happening to me. :down: Rick
 
fossil said:
BrotherBart said:
...the heat pump died of neglect and old age.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's what seems to be happening to me. :down: Rick
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It's hell when nobody braces a wall and salutes anymore when ya walk by ain't it? :)
 
Hang in there Rick, there's always Viagra. :)
 
Me thinks a beautiful Avalon Arbor (hardly used) will be for sale next year to pay for someones heating oil!!!
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I think there will be alot of that here on LI.

My neighbor came over last week, and helped us with one of the bigger trees that have to come down : :coolsmile:

I figure that I really wanted to put in a barn & have the horses at home. This acre + is your more than typical oak/pine/birch wooded acre for the area, plus some. In order to accomplish this, and get the truck & trailer in & out of the back, I need to cut some trees. ALOT of trees.

I'll be at this for quite some time !!

I already told the SO that I want a splitter for Christmas !

Rick, I have no words, but I did have to clean my keyboard, and monitor
happy0194.gif
 
Webmaster said:
" Natural gas is still a relative bargain.
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I don't know about that. On my last gas bill a therm of NG went up 80% from last year.
 
BrotherBart said:
...It's hell when nobody braces a wall and salutes anymore when ya walk by ain't it? :)
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Oh gawd...it's been so long now (nearly 9 years), that the other morning my builder friend who's remodeling our house greeted me as Captain, and it took me a minute to figure out he was talking to me. It finally dawned on me that he & I were the only ones standing there. %-P Rick
 
BeGreen said:
Hang in there Rick, there's always Viagra. :)
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You never know, BG...lemme know how it's workin' out for you, will ya? ;-) Rick
 
 
:lol: :lol: I know I've seen the movie that was the source of this foul-mouthed Muppet's sound track, but for the life of me, I can't remember what it was...yet another symptom, I s'pose. Rick
 
I am new to it this year. If oil went back to $2.50-3.00/ gallon, sure I would use my stove less in subsequent years. Naturally, hearing many of the veteran burners on the post say that I'll sell my stove next spring annoys me, so I will burn 24/7 for the next 5 years out of spite! :) I consider my new Jotul insert as an upgrade to the house that'll be there for many years. And I will wear it out until I have my money back, after that ...whatever. Secondarily, for Stevebass the original poster, go to Craigslist in RI. You can buy wood for $150-200/cord, all day all night and twice on Sunday. I have. 4 cords of nice red oak. I wont buy log length ever at that price. Good luck to all. Realistically, there will be many nice barely used stoves for sale next spring, not me though...
 
Manny thanks for the tip but i'm not too sure the folks in RI will travel to norfolk at that price and most around here are asking 260 - 300 for a cord of cut and split. and i like log lenght because i enjoy the work and i cut my splits very small 10 to 12 inches due to my small insert.

i do think that those of us who found this site before burning will stick around as there is a great knowledge base here and these new folks will learn all they can about the proper way to burn and maintain their stoves.

but there are many more who will just have a stove installed get some wet wood and think it's the worst thing ever. and hence try to recoup some money by selling the stove next year
 
Fossil, the movie the sound clip came form is Taxi Driver staring Robert De Nero, great movie BTW.
 
Thanks, Wes...De Niro was who I was hearing from the Muppet, fer sure, and I knew I'd seen the movie! Rick
 
gerry100 said:
I started burning in '79 for both economical and political /ideological reasons.

I'll admit I was a little less diligent when oil prices were low but I never stopped.

Firewood is a part time weekend job of hard physical labor but the income is tax free. This year my hourly rate is looking like 10-15$ free and clear.

My feeling is that stoves installed will stay installed and used in direct proportion to the cost of oil, represnting a structural change in demand.

When oil prices go up the woodpiles will get bigger. When prices fall, we'll use the resources at a reasonable price.
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Thanks gerry100 That sums it up for me in a nut shell.
 
I don't think it's a simple question. There are a zillion variables involved. Like so many other things, there's a regional component to this, as well. Where we live, we have no NG, no propane, no oil heating...all we have is electricity. Electric DHW, electric kitchen & laundry, and electric forced air central heating. Currently, my rates are $.0676/KWH in the summer, and $.0652/KWH in the winter...plus a $9.75/mo facilities charge. Our electricity is very affordable because Oregon has lots of hydropower and a relatively sparse population. Excess power is sold to California at twice (or more) what we pay in Oregon. So I could afford to heat my home with electricity, but I simply choose not to...at least not yet, anyway...because I really enjoy heating with wood. Rick
 
fossil said:
So I could afford to heat my home with electricity, but I simply choose not to...at least not yet, anyway...because I really enjoy heating with wood. Rick
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Excuses, excuses, exuses. :lol:
 
I don’t think it’s a simple question. There are a zillion variables involved. Like so many other things, there’s a regional component to this, as well. Where we live, we have no NG, no propane, no oil heating...all we have is electricity
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Quite true. Here in the NE, it's mostly oil & gas. LIPA creates electricity with diesel fuel.
 
This is a great thread. It made me stop an re-evaluate my decision to invest in an insert and burn wood. Upon further review I'm happy to report that I think my chances of becoming "wood burning roadkill" are pretty small. I've been a casual fireplace burner for a long time, and I've always enjoyed processing the small amount of wood that I used from trees on my property. I had even thought of going the insert route prior to the spike in oil prices, but I couldn't justify the initial cost. So now that my stove is bought and installed, I've cut and split one cord, bought and stacked 2 more, set up my wood box, ash bucket, etc, I'm confident that I'll be in this for the long haul. Oh yeah, there's also the the real reason for my confidence; that my wife would frickin kill me for laying out over 4 grand only to say "nah this is way too much work"!!!
 
"Lopi Declaration: installed, anxious to fire up!"

The first cool night in September there are going to be a whole bunch of 90 degree houses with stinky paint smells in them. :lol:
 
I love the smell of curing stove paint in the morning. It smells like...victory! :cheese: Rick
 
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