-16* giving the Mansfield a workout!

[NH_Wood]

Posted a couple days back about how well my Mansfield handled -6*. Last night dropped to -16* - definitely a different beast. Was able to keep the downstairs at 65* and upstairs at 54*. Back up to 68* now (high for today is supposed to reach about 6*). Definitely burning through the wood at these temps. Loaded last night at 11pm, and again at 3am, and again at 8am. But.....still haven't turned on the oil furnace yet - that's my goal - I want to see if I can make it solo on wood. I doubt we'll see colder temps than last night, so, at least I know that I can keep the house at reasonable (extra clothes!) temps even with brutal cold. Cheers!

 

[begreen]

You folks are dealing with some tough weather. There is a huge difference between -5 temps and -15. Word of advice: we never know what tomorrow will bring, so it's best to be prepared. Cycle the furnace at least once in a while. Treat it like a generator and run it regularly so that when you need it, you know it is in good operating order for that time when it becomes a necessity.

 

[johnstra]

How's your method of dealing with coals doing in this cold snap? When we hit -14 a couple of weeks ago, I built up coals pretty quickly. Your zipper method helped quite a bit, plus I have a lot of pine to burn so I was alternating loads of oak and pine to manage the coals.

 

[NH_Wood]

How's your method of dealing with coals doing in this cold snap? When we hit -14 a couple of weeks ago, I built up coals pretty quickly. Your zipper method helped quite a bit, plus I have a lot of pine to burn so I was alternating loads of oak and pine to manage the coals.

Yes - building up coals is a challenge. Once the secondaries are just finishing - perhaps 3 hours into the load, I open the air 3/4 to wide open and start the burn down of the coals. I rake the coals into a large central heap twice during this period. With the real cold temps, the draft is very strong and seems to get the coals burned down fast. Let's be reload after about 6 hours from initial load, sometimes sooner.

BG - good advice. I do use the oil furnace for DHW, so it gets several daily workouts. Cheers!

 

[remkel]

Posted a couple days back about how well my Mansfield handled -6*. Last night dropped to -16* - definitely a different beast. Was able to keep the downstairs at 65* and upstairs at 54*. Back up to 68* now (high for today is supposed to reach about 6*). Definitely burning through the wood at these temps. Loaded last night at 11pm, and again at 3am, and again at 8am. But.....still haven't turned on the oil furnace yet - that's my goal - I want to see if I can make it solo on wood. I doubt we'll see colder temps than last night, so, at least I know that I can keep the house at reasonable (extra clothes!) temps even with brutal cold. Cheers!

Not certain that the challenge will work. I have to run some heat upstairs for one room above the garage- but, downstairs temps were 65 when I awakened, upstairs 64, but the baseboard was cold, so indicates the oil dragon did not fire last night.

Did not get up during the night to re-load- she cruised right through the night.

Hope you keep warm. Got a bead on a possible wood lot also!

 

[NH_Wood]

Posted a couple days back about how well my Mansfield handled -6*. Last night dropped to -16* - definitely a different beast. Was able to keep the downstairs at 65* and upstairs at 54*. Back up to 68* now (high for today is supposed to reach about 6*). Definitely burning through the wood at these temps. Loaded last night at 11pm, and again at 3am, and again at 8am. But.....still haven't turned on the oil furnace yet - that's my goal - I want to see if I can make it solo on wood. I doubt we'll see colder temps than last night, so, at least I know that I can keep the house at reasonable (extra clothes!) temps even with brutal cold. Cheers!

Not certain that the challenge will work. I have to run some heat upstairs for one room above the garage- but, downstairs temps were 65 when I awakened, upstairs 64, but the baseboard was cold, so indicates the oil dragon did not fire last night.

Did not get up during the night to re-load- she cruised right through the night.

Hope you keep warm. Got a bead on a possible wood lot also!

Remi, that's great - glad your getting good heat when the temps are so cold. Also, good deal on the woodlot - hope you get access to some good stuff! Cheers!

 

[SmokinPiney]

Wasn't -16 but hoverin right around 0 this mornin here. The ol volcano in the basement had burned out around 4 or 5 but i was up at 6 for work so she got loaded up and set off again for the daytime burn. The house was down to about 60 but i didn't expect much more with how cold it was.

 

[wkpoor]

After you burn a couple of yrs you find out what I would term the break even point. Every home will be different based on BTU requirements and stove output. In my current situation that point is about 10 degrees with wind not being a factor. Below there inside temps will fall with the outside temps. Just no getting around it. I fired hard and often last night and best I could do was 70 in the basement, 63 on the 1st floor. I plan to make some changes to reduce my current BTU loss but for now I figure these cold temps are temperary and suffering through a few chilly nights is a small price to pay to not have to pay.

 

[cmonSTART]

It was a cold night! My downstairs stayed mid 60s overnight with the BK. The upstairs heat kicked on a bit. And, we froze some baseboard plumbing, which I am currently thawing hopefully before it hurts the pipes.

 

[remkel]

It was a cold night! My downstairs stayed mid 60s overnight with the BK. The upstairs heat kicked on a bit. And, we froze some baseboard plumbing, which I am currently thawing hopefully before it hurts the pipes.

Sorry to hear about the baseboard. Hope that everythig goes smoothly (and dry)

 

[tsquini]

In these temps running my stove at 400 like normal just does not cut it. It will get the house to around 68 on the first floor and 63 upstairs. Last night and tonight I have to keep the stove just around 550. At that temp I am churning through wood at a break neck speed. But I have to say, I love the bitter cold. It is so much fun to talk about.

 

[agartner]

-4 and I gotta say, the ol Kent is just a tank. Pushing 650 stovetop, box full 'o secondaries, and wicked pissah heat. Amazing the difference between 550 and 650.

 

[Rich L]

Posted a couple days back about how well my Mansfield handled -6*. Last night dropped to -16* - definitely a different beast. Was able to keep the downstairs at 65* and upstairs at 54*. Back up to 68* now (high for today is supposed to reach about 6*). Definitely burning through the wood at these temps. Loaded last night at 11pm, and again at 3am, and again at 8am. But.....still haven't turned on the oil furnace yet - that's my goal - I want to see if I can make it solo on wood. I doubt we'll see colder temps than last night, so, at least I know that I can keep the house at reasonable (extra clothes!) temps even with brutal cold. Cheers!

If you don't have a pipe damper it's time to put one in.