At what outside temp do you start burning?!?!

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Above 35 and sunny, usually no fire, not needed. If it's going into low 30's or below at night, fire before bed. In a couple more weeks we will get close to 24/7, at least for a few multi-day runs, but it's not unusual to see mid 50's during the day on and off through the winter here, and if it's sunny, the house will warm up/stay warm on it's own.

Our real "winter" here is about mid December to the end of February. Historically our all electric house (heat pump heat) presents us our highest bills for Dec,Jan,Feb. October and April are the lowest. A/C doesn't seem to cost near as much as heat, and I keep it pretty cool in the summer..
 
Dakotas Dad said:
Above 35 and sunny, usually no fire, not needed. If it's going into low 30's or below at night, fire before bed. In a couple more weeks we will get close to 24/7, at least for a few multi-day runs, but it's not unusual to see mid 50's during the day on and off through the winter here, and if it's sunny, the house will warm up/stay warm on it's own.

Our real "winter" here is about mid December to the end of February. Historically our all electric house (heat pump heat) presents us our highest bills for Dec,Jan,Feb October and April are the lowest. A/C doesn't seem to cost near as much as heat, and I keep it pretty cool in the summer..
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About the same winter pattern around here also.
 
Low 40s and headed to the mid 20s, we're burning. But, we've been burning 24/7 7 wks already.
 
Seems to be a trend....

When it gets below 45 I'll light up an occasional daytime fire on the weekend. Have to burn low and slow at that temp or it will bake us out of the living room.
Only when it gets solidly into the 30s with nighttime lows below freezing do we burn overnight.
 
If it is below 70 when I wake up I light a fire, size based on the forecast. If it is supposed to be 20 and sunny I build a small fire since we get a ton of solar gain. If it is supposed to be 40, cloudy and windy I build a bigger fire. Outside temps like now (13f)I keep a big fire burning all night and a good sized fire burning all day. It is supposed to fall below 0 tonight and not make it to 20 tomorrow so I will be burning 24/7.
 
For me it depends on what the High/Low temp for the day is. If the high is above 50 and the low doesnt go below high 30's, ill leave her alone. Anything colder than that and ill fire her up. My house isnt insulated so inside temps start dropping quick and stay there if the highs dont make it above 45-50 and the lows are below 35.
 
If it's below 68* in the house the stove will get lit. If it's 68* inside and the outside temp will rise above that I don't lite up since it will overheat the house.
 
First fire was just a few days ago at about -10°C. Right now it's -21°C.
 
I have already fired up the pellet burner a few times although we just had a beautiful 65 degree day in SW Ohio on Monday. Front is coming through and the thermometer is reading 35 at the moment. The forecast says the temps could dip into the upper twenties tonight. For me, 40 degrees is usually the spot when I fire it up but anything in the 40s with overcast or rain will entice me to get it going.

I just replaced the igniter today so no more manual lighting... Should be able to crank it up first thing tomorrow with a push of a button.
 
When its below fifty outside and sun down we will get it going.
 
At 66 degrees in our living area everyone is fine. When the temp drops to 65, I have at least two family members telling me to start a fire. No fire tonight btw. Probably the last night that the stove will be cold until April.
 
When the house will not stay at least 65* on it's own the stove is burning. However much of a fire it takes to keep it above 65* is what a burn. Sometimes it gets a little hot, so I open a window. I've been burning everyday for a month and a half now. My goal is to use as little propane as possible. Last year we went through 2 tanks of propane, this year I'm going to try to cut it down to one. But last year I didn't start burning untill a week into December due to the cost of propane being around a buck a gallon, then it skyrocketed.
 
WOW!! Thanks for all of the input!! I hesitated at posting this topic, figuring it had been beat down many times before...

I think I'm agreeing 100% with quads, if it's cool inside, I will be firing it up...it's amazing what just a few degrees will do for how a house feels. So far, bear in mind it really hasn't been that cold around here yet, when I light the stove it gets up to about 73-75 downstairs and 77-80 upstairs. That is waaaaaay more comfortable than the normal 68-70 degree heat pump heat and it has a different feel to it...not as chilly feeling as the heat pump heat...can't describe it. When the heat pumps are running a lot the sheets on my bed usually feel cool when I get in (I've experienced that this year before the woodstove was up and running), that don't happen when the stove is going, just a different feeling all the way around.

Firefighterjake-had to hike my pants legs up on your ramblings...:^)

BTW-couldn't build a fire last night, it really was just too warm around here...but hopefully tonight as it is supposed to be down into the lower 40's. :^)
 
My target temp is an overnight temp at 40 or under. Especially if the daytime highs are going to stay cool. But I'm not likely to light a fire if it's chilly one night then back up into the 70s during the daytime.
I'm all set to burn my first fire of the season Thanksgiving night. Chimney Sweep coming today. First time we've had it cleaned since moving in five years ago.
 
The coldest room in my house is the kitchen where I keep a thermostat. If it gets down to 62 or so, I light a fire. So I base it on the interior temp of the house BUT for my 2nd stove, if it gets to 32 degrees outside I fire that one up. The heritage keeps the house quite nice as long as it is above freezing. Below freezing and the Jotul starts up.
 
I have about 3.5 cords of seasoned wood and about the same in the process of seasoning so anytime the wife or kids feel chilli im quick with the matches. Most of my wood is free or gotten it by way of bartering so i dont really think it twice.
 
There are two factors that make me start a fire.

1) I'm cold
2) I hear that dreaded damn evil power vent for the propane boiler kick on.

The only thing the outside temperature tells me is how tight to pack the firebox.
 
I'm of the mindset that my house is my castle and my castle shall not be cold.

This is our first year heating with wood so we are definitely burning more than is required, but I find it very appealing to wear shorts and a t-shirt all year long in my castle.
 
When the furnace starts kicking on, and I can hear those propane $ ringing up.
 
I don't go by outside temp. I go by inside temp. If it is mid sixties or lower in the house, I light a fire.
 
Spent turkey day with a bunch of family out of town, they have a large older home that is a bit drafty and heated with propane stove, the old Dearborn type I grew up on. It was a little nippy in the house until we all got to playing the Wii. Before I left thursday morning it was in the upper 50s but a cold front was coming in and I knew it would be in the upper 20s or lower 30s when we got home so I built a fire before. When we got home it was 32 out side and a toasty 79 in my house. We slept with the bathroom window open to help tame the heat dragon in the living room. I love free heat.
 
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