Cords per month?

[btuser]

Hi folks!

I just installed a VC Merrimack and have been burning it 24/7 since last weekend. I know it's a long learning experience to perfect the burn with your house. I am only getting maybe a 6 hour burn instead of the advertised 12 hour. Although, I wonder what the 12 hour burn is defined as? 12 hours until all coals are out and no longer red? I live in Central MA. It has been between 10 and 20 out the last week or so.

Anyway, I've gone through more wood in this last week than I would have liked. I turned my oil thermostat down to 54 and the house is between 64 and 72. How many cords have folks gone through?

Any suggestions on keeping it 24/7 and reducing wood use? I keep the air flow down to half or closed most times, with it all the way open to restart it.

I'm no help. My usage varies from tree to tree, let alone season to season. I only supplement to the tune of about 2 cord/year.

 

[Tansao]

The way I figure it even paying for the wood for now at $200 a cord is still cheaper than the $3.20 per gallon of oil I paid in December, and it's going up. My last oil bill was about $500, and thats at keeping the house cold (thermostat set to 58 until we get home, then gets put to about 66). We'd go through a tank a month in the cold months. With the stove, I get to enjoy watching it and the house is closer to 70.

Though it won't do me much good for next winter, I plan on harvesting all spring, summer, and winter off my land and from other sources.

 

[potter]

Efficiency wise I think I've read it's better to fill the stove every time and let it go through a complete cycle. I only put a smaller amount (in the middle of a cycle) in if it's super cold, to keep the stove at the top of it's temp arc. This usually results in having to remove some coals, which can't be efficient.
I use a little less than 4 cords north of you here, heating a small house from the basement 24/7.

 

[Woody Stover]

We heat about 1000 sq. ft. (not well insulated or tight) and burn a little under a 1/2 cord per month. Unfortunately, a cold December decimated my (semi) dry wood supply. Now I'm facing a few more months of burning, with less than a cord left. I just noticed a decent-sized fallen Ash about 100' from the house. I plan to cut, split and load it onto pallets. Then I'll strap it to the top of my car in hopes that the air movement will dry it out in time. I drive pretty fast. :lol:

 

[RAY_PA]

5 +/-, depending on the weather. Looks like this year will be 5+.

 

[PapaDave]

Tansao, Welcome the the Hearth.
We burn, almost to the split, 4 2/3 cord every year. Weird. No, I don't count each one. :coolsmile:
Usually start the last week of Sept., and burn through May.
The average for that time is about 2/3 cord/month, with the heaviest use from the middle to end of Dec., through February. Pretty standard stuff.
This year we've used about 2 cord so far.
You mentioned that you turn the air down when doing your planned long burns, but open full when you're home. That could be why you're going through so much wood.
Have you tried putting in a good load during those times you're home, then kicking the air down to get the heat you need, yet slow the burn? You shouldn't need to "keep it going with a few pieces every couple hours". That's a lot of wood in a short time frame.
I put 4 med. splits in this am about 9:30, the stove is now (2 hrs. later) still at 650 and It'll probably keep the house warm for at least another hr. or 2. Well, maybe not in this weather. I've got an older stove (1985).
Your firewood may not be as dry as you think. Check your flue. You may be surprised to find a buildup at the cap, even this soon.

 

[Tansao]

Papa,

No, on days we're home we usuallty don't load it outside of a few pieces at a time. Will you burn much longer with the stove stacked rather than a piece or two? I guess I figured that the stove stacked would burn the same speed as a piece or two. In other words, if it takes 6-8 large pieces to load the stove as much as possible, that will give a 5-6 hour burn with good heat, I figured I could extend the heat longer with babysitting it putting in 1-2 large pieces every hour or whenever the flames die off and the coals look like they need another. Is this a mistake?

 

[kettensäge]

I burn about 2/3rd's of a cord per month. I usually add a split or 2 every hour or so, more splits if it's colder out, and save the large reloads for bed time or mornings before leaving for work.


1200 sf., 3 patio doors, built in 91, well insulated, 2x6 OS walls.

 

[PapaDave]

Papa,

No, on days we're home we usuallty don't load it outside of a few pieces at a time. Will you burn much longer with the stove stacked rather than a piece or two? I guess I figured that the stove stacked would burn the same speed as a piece or two. In other words, if it takes 6-8 large pieces to load the stove as much as possible, that will give a 5-6 hour burn with good heat, I figured I could extend the heat longer with babysitting it putting in 1-2 large pieces every hour or whenever the flames die off and the coals look like they need another. Is this a mistake?

Maybe I'm mis-understanding. 1-2 pieces is different than "a few", to me. Still, if you're doing a couple pieces every hour, you're burning too fast.
I'll do the same sometimes when I'm home, but 2 splits will last more than an hour.
Are you having to burn wide open due to wood being less than dry? Usually, even with that, the moisture will burn off after a while, and you should be able to reduce air at that point.
Not trying to bust your chops, just trying to understand clearly, what's going on.

 

[minkaz]

I've been going through 2 face cords a month in northeast PA. My old upland 207 has been going 24/7 and I have been feeding it maple, ash, and cherry. I do burn some green wood but I sweep the chimney at least every month. It seems to be working well as my oil furnace has not kicked on at all even with the single digit temperatures.

 

[joshlaugh]

I burn between 1-1 1/4 cord a month during the cold season for both my stoves.

 

[Valhalla]

One cord a month here. 6 total per average heating season.

The burn cycle time depends on your wood fuel species and how it was split and also seasoned, besides your stove type.

 

[wkpoor]

Papa,

No, on days we're home we usuallty don't load it outside of a few pieces at a time. Will you burn much longer with the stove stacked rather than a piece or two? I guess I figured that the stove stacked would burn the same speed as a piece or two. In other words, if it takes 6-8 large pieces to load the stove as much as possible, that will give a 5-6 hour burn with good heat, I figured I could extend the heat longer with babysitting it putting in 1-2 large pieces every hour or whenever the flames die off and the coals look like they need another. Is this a mistake?

Maybe I'm mis-understanding. 1-2 pieces is different than "a few", to me. Still, if you're doing a couple pieces every hour, you're burning too fast.
I'll do the same sometimes when I'm home, but 2 splits will last more than an hour.
Are you having to burn wide open due to wood being less than dry? Usually, even with that, the moisture will burn off after a while, and you should be able to reduce air at that point.
Not trying to bust your chops, just trying to understand clearly, what's going on.

2 splits an hour or maybe 3 is what I put in if I want the top reading to stay above 500. At least till the coals build up and I have to burn them down to make room for more.

 

[Battenkiller]

One 8-pound split of seasoned wood an hour should net you about 45-50,000 BTUs/hr in a stove that has a 75% overall efficiency. Just by coincidence, I burn at about that rate in my 50,000 BTU stove when running it full bore.

 

[drhiii]

Colorado. Front Range. Temps vary from 50s to -10. Usually need to burn from late Oct to late April. When the temp gets above 40, will let the forced air come on which is needed maybe 3-4 times in a day above 40.

Otherwise, burning in the stove. 5 cords in a year average. What really makes a diff of course is the wood. I burn pinon 80% of the time and it throws off serious BTUs. When above 0, I can usually throw a fat pinon split onto a bed of coals and keep the house toasty for 3-4 hours, per single split. Not bad. Would need 4 splits of pine, elm, or similar wood to get the same heat output. Is 15 degrees out, an 1800sq ft house built in 1907, and have been enjoying a single pinon split for the last 3 hours. Me likie...

 

[jebatty]

Papa Dave, northern MI -- We burn ... 4 2/3 cord every year.... Usually start the last week of Sept., and burn through May. The average for that time is about 2/3 cord/month, with the heaviest use from the middle to end of Dec., through February.

Just about ditto for N MN for heating our 1500 sq ft 1950's home 24/7 with a stove in our living room. Except that 4-2/3 cords is Aspen. Been a pretty normal winter so far, only dropped into the -20's once, this week may hit -30. Not many things better than reloading the stove and enjoying a hot cup of fresh ground coffee while watching the flames dance, weave and bob.

 

[Tansao]

It depends on how many coals and if they are red on whether I put 1, 2, or three pieces on. I won't let just one fresh piece smolder because it doesn't seem like it will net a lot of heat. I usually will put one or two on if I can catch it during the day before the flames go completely out, to keep the flames fairly active.

I can most times keep the air flow closed when I burn. The exception would be at the end of the cycle when I load the stove on top of coals at night before going to bed. I'll open it then to get it going then after maybe 10 minutes of flames I'll shut it down again.

I think mostly I've been putting on too much because of the stove being new, coming from heating in a fireplace with no glass front and the mindset of just feeding the beast. And, it's been hella cold. Yesterday it was up to 30+ degrees here and I used far less.

 

[VCBurner]

Welcome Tansao,
Chris here, I'm in Paxton, just down the road from you. Sorry to jump in so late into the thread. I will use about 3-4 cords this year to heat 1000 square feet of a 1930's ranch. The walls are decent but the windows and doors are not. Old windows with storm windows. Old doors. Attic could use some more R-value, too! 2x4 exterior walls with aluminum faced fiberglass insulation with two layers of siding outside (vinyl over cedar over homosote.) I've saved close to $4000 burning wood over the past 2.5 burning seasons but the wood was free. If I had bought the wood at $200/cord it would have cost about $3000. A lot has been covered in this thread and I'll try to address most of the questions and advice with my opinions. Not knowing your house I'd say you will use no less than 4 cords to burn 24/7 and keep your 2500 ft. warm for an entire season(Sept- May.)
Here are some of the issues and questions:

1) I wonder what the 12 hour burn is defined as?
2)I think mostly I’ve been putting on too much because of the stove being new
3)As for loading, when we are home, we keep it going with a few pieces every couple hours, or whenever the last piece is down to coals. When we go to bed, I load up every inch I can, same as when I go to work and if I come home for lunch. During the planned long burn times I close the air flow and open it half to full when we are home.
Am I doing anything wrong or any advice? Seems I will use almost 2 cord a month this way for the deep winter months, which seems a lot to me? My house is about 2500 square feet. Not all windows are new. The attic insulation should probably be replaced.

As others have said the wood that is delivered may not be completely dry. Are there cracks on the ends? Does it hiss when loaded into the firebox? Get a moisture meter and split one of the logs to measure the moisture inside the wood. Then, you can see if it's really dry. Here are some of my opinions:

1)I think most manufactures refer to burn times as the time between reloads that the stove still gives off the range of BTU's it is rated for.
2)using too much wood is a side effect of being a new stove user, I burned about 6-7 cords last year. Probably 3-4 this year. A lot of the change came from having bought a better stove last February. But also from learning how to use the stove. You may be able to burn .5 -1 cord less your second year based on the learning curve, improvements to the insulation and improved wood conditions. As others have stated, you need to be ready for at least one year in advanced. This means that by the end of this season you should have at least 6-8 cords in the back yard to get you through the next two seasons. Buy green wood or log lengths if you are looking to save money. Process the wood yourself. You can get green wood for $150/cord on Craigslist. Buying multiple cords will often get you a discount. Scrounge as much as yo can. Look for free wood or good deals on CL. If I had to buy my heating fuel, I would opt for a pellet stove. They are set it and forget it. Clean it once a week and load once a day type of thing. Much easier to operate and control. Set the temperature and they go on and off by themselves. I get my wood for free. I cut down trees for people and haul it out for free if I have to, just to get free wood. Saving money is not easy. If you are going to buy your wood look into bio bricks. Much easier to store, less space, less mess.
3)Loading the stove will come with time. The best advice I can give you, is to load it up enough each time to be able to get a good secondary burn without heating yourself out of the house. It's at this stage that your stove is most efficient. The less you open the doors the more efficient it'll burn. Just like a cooking oven. Open the doors and it'll waste a lot of energy up the flue. With good wood you should be able to get a good secondary burn with as little as three splits at a time on a good bed of coals. Two cords for the month of January is not a lot to burn. Considering you are heating 2500 square feet, not all your windows are new and attic insulation is not adequate. Whatever you do don't replace the insulation, add to it. Buy rolls of unfaced bats and add to the top of the old stuff. Use caulking around the window trim and weather stripping where possible.



As I said, saving money is not easy, but burning wood sure is fun and you'll be warmer than with the furnace. There are a lot of people here with the Merrimack insert, use the search function to find out who has it and PM them asking questions about your particular stove. Have fun ang good luck!!

Chris

 

[Tansao]

Thanks for your replies, again. You folks are such a helpful bunch, it's refreshing from the other internet forums out there.

As to the secondary burn (I am completely new to the concept), I know what it is, but not when. If the tubes are shooting flame, that is the secondary burn, correct? I mostly only see this when the flames are highest shortly after I reloaded the firebox, and not when there is no flame remaining in the firebox. Isn't the secondary burn supposed to kick on after the flames have mostly died off and there is mostly just coals remaining? If so, I must be doing something really wrong. Seems like my primary burn occurs at the same time as the secondary burn.

I plan on spending spring, summer, and fall scrounging wood off craigslist, fallen trees in the woods behind my house and whatnot. I hope to get 4-5 cords stacked up by winter for the year after next.

 

[dafattkidd]

I am just this week reaching my one year anniversary of wood burning- so I'm not sure of what i average per year- and even my wood consumption per month has changed significantly because i just doubled the size of my firebox last week. So I'm not sure how much wood I'll be burning, but I'm pretty sure it's more than what I was burning. I'm guessing 4 cords per year. We'll see.

 

[Fechmup]

VCBurner - great post.

I can understand looking at the woodpile beginning to dwindle and leaning towards only putting a split or three in to slow down your consumption. I've learned quite a few things from family as well as this forum in regard to burning that really helped put the pieces of the puzzle together for me personally. 1) Things in threes (or at least odd numbers). My setup always burns better with three or more splits added. Two just doesn't get much done. When I open the doors to the firebox, I put at least three large splits in, then let it run it's cycle. 2) Get the flue up to temp (whatever that is for you), then shut the air down. I do the same thing every time, and do not change my pattern whether I'm home or not. Without getting too technical, get the fire roaring, then shut the air down (usually about 20 minutes for me).

In reading through this thread, I tend to think you're not loading the firebox enough, so you're not letting the stove reach it's potential. It's hard to sit here 400 miles away and give advice, but I don't think there's anything wrong with your consumption if you still have anything left from a cord delivered Dec. 15 and you're burning 24/7. I'm happy to say that I went through 3/4 cord from mid Dec - mid Jan, to the day, heating our 1800 sq' ranch - heater off.

Experiment - try something different. It's part of the fun. I hope this wasn't a complete waste - Good luck.

 

[remkel]

VCBurner - great post.

I can understand looking at the woodpile beginning to dwindle and leaning towards only putting a split or three in to slow down your consumption. I've learned quite a few things from family as well as this forum in regard to burning that really helped put the pieces of the puzzle together for me personally. 1) Things in threes (or at least odd numbers). My setup always burns better with three or more splits added. Two just doesn't get much done. When I open the doors to the firebox, I put at least three large splits in, then let it run it's cycle. 2) Get the flue up to temp (whatever that is for you), then shut the air down. I do the same thing every time, and do not change my pattern whether I'm home or not. Without getting too technical, get the fire roaring, then shut the air down (usually about 20 minutes for me).

In reading through this thread, I tend to think you're not loading the firebox enough, so you're not letting the stove reach it's potential. It's hard to sit here 400 miles away and give advice, but I don't think there's anything wrong with your consumption if you still have anything left from a cord delivered Dec. 15 and you're burning 24/7. I'm happy to say that I went through 3/4 cord from mid Dec - mid Jan, to the day, heating our 1800 sq' ranch - heater off.

Experiment - try something different. It's part of the fun. I hope this wasn't a complete waste - Good luck.

So proud of our new little wood burner....and envious of your $25 a pickup truck wood supply!