Here's the poll of polls: with the compulsive concern with tools here e.g. IR, Moisture Meter (M²), big saws, bigger gas splitters, Flue Monitors (colonoscopy things), and now "Magnahelic", does anyone really heat with wood ?
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burntime
New Member
Sad I know, too early in the day but I will be the first reply, just stoked the fire! It bugs me when the gas furnace runs so I got the insert running again!
iceman
Minister of Fire
burntime said:
i didn't answer because there wasn't enough options for me.
I have an insert that runs 24/7 unless for some reason i can't get back in time.. then the furnace kicks on at 68.. i learned that if i can't get back its easier to keep the house warm by setting the furnace higher.... takes forever to get the house back in the 70s if i get home real late
back to the answer so.... 2000sq wood insert
lower area of the house (in law apt) pellet stove
basement -- oil when i get a new stimulus check i will put a wood stove down but have to modify the fireplace a lil bit
my other room/den/tv room whatever has a gas insert on a thermostat
so in closing i burn 4-6 cords of wood
2 tons of pellet
less than 100 gallons of oil
and about 25 worth of gas each month
vs 500-1000 gal of oil
but the in apt is electric heat so i will always burn pellets in there
and i spend all my time in here
wife sleeps with a fan on in the bedroom room still stay in the upper 60's at night
oil is 2 a gal here
will top off tank and let it sit
neighbors hate me because yard has to much wood it
so i always ask them to come in and sit enjoy the heat
burntime
New Member
I am burning softwood like silver maple so my burn times right now are not the best. Knee surgery kept me from stockpiling the GOOD stuff...Next year I will have a cord and a hlf or two of oak, and a cord or so of oak to add to the mix.
We have lived in our 2600 ft2 three dormer cape cod for four years and have Never used the furnace. We heat 24/7 with wood (oak and hickory). Maryland has not been the Artic ( thanks Al Gore) so we go through 3-5 cords a year. I have never spent a dime on wood as I have a tree trimmer drop off a few loads of logs and between the logs and culling from our 5 acres of woods we always have plenty. A Sthil 029 and an armstrong splitter (from HD) is what I use for processing.I have found the 6lb Fiskars knock off (splitter) the HD sells is as good or better than any maul now being sold.
Mike
Mike
ansehnlich1
Retired Hearth.com Member
Only time I run the OIL burner is if we are out of town for a few days, and always once or twice during the heating season just to keep it tuned up.
Our home layout is on one floor and the master bedroom and bathroom are far removed from the wood stove. So, when it gets to 25 degrees F. or less we fire up an oil filled electric heater back in the bathroom cuz the wood heat just don't get back in there.
I'm callin' myself a 24/7 burner!
Our home layout is on one floor and the master bedroom and bathroom are far removed from the wood stove. So, when it gets to 25 degrees F. or less we fire up an oil filled electric heater back in the bathroom cuz the wood heat just don't get back in there.
I'm callin' myself a 24/7 burner!
jpl1nh
Minister of Fire
98% of our heat is wood. Furnace may help for 1/2 hour here or there in bitter cold (-15 windchills or colder) and if we are away which is not often. We are CO2 nuetral and except for about 30 gals heating oil per season, we heat for free. Plus, my furnace is fun to watch! ;-)
glassmanjpf
Member
Usually from Oct to mid Nov it's not 24/7 but fires are made daily letting it burn out overnight then firing up the Quadra Fire Cumberland Gap in the late afternoon. Need to have outside temps in mid to low 40's. Once Dec hits it's the burn is pretty much 24/7. I too hate to hear the burner kick on. Basically the oil burner is used only to heat hot water for the showers and occacially when the stove's out and the thermostat sees 62F (rare occasion).
We've ben running since October. There have been a few times when I had the furnace run only because we had some issues come up with the stove. But the furnace is only for back-up when needed the stove runs 24/7. I love the heat that comes from wood. It's a lot of work but I think totaly worth it. We've had a pretty cold fall this year glad we put the stove back in after nearly ten years of not using it.
This is my first year heating with wood. We've been running it 24/7 and the oil heater has not kicked on yet this season. Being it's my first year I 'voted' 100% wood, but we'll see what happens as the season progresses.
What I love is that the house has been staying at about 68, but it feels much warmer than when I run the forced air / oil heater set at 72.
What I love is that the house has been staying at about 68, but it feels much warmer than when I run the forced air / oil heater set at 72.
25 plus years wood only indoor wood furnace
might be in trouble if house was ever empty for 2 or more days but with couple
20 + kids still at home there is always some one around to put the wood in
bob
might be in trouble if house was ever empty for 2 or more days but with couple
20 + kids still at home there is always some one around to put the wood in
bob
bobfeather said:
hh: with 20+ kids running around i'm suprised their body heat doesn't warm the house.....so do you have 21 or 22....maybe 23 kids? ;-P [heh...just reread it...2 kids 20+ years old...move along, nothing to see here :sick: )Anyhow...i'm a 100% heatin' with wood.
Cearbhaill
Feeling the Heat
My fire goes 24/7 and my furnace is set to kick on at 55ºF. Last year it came on maybe 4-5 times. Hasn't been on once yet this year and I've been in the teens a couple of nights now- I'm better at managing my fire.
My living area stays in the 72-75ºF range and my upstairs back bedrooms are around 65ºF.
My living area stays in the 72-75ºF range and my upstairs back bedrooms are around 65ºF.
100% wood heat with absolutely no backup. This is my first year trying 100% and I had my doubts two nights ago when my leg went out Joe Thiesman stlye at wrestling practice. The wife and kids are helping out and I can still hobble between two stoves when I'm here. I still do not plan on filling the propane tanks as it went down to about 10 degrees last night and the inside temps hit 64 but it is now back up into the lower 70's inside.
Rockey said:
:grrr: gahhh...THAT sucks. I hope you have a speedy recovery.
That hurts just thinking about it.
Backwoods Savage
Minister of Fire
Question: How can one heat 100%, 24/7 w. very minor backup? 100%, 24/7 should mean exactly that, so how to vote? We heat 100% with wood and do not have a backup.
Now if one had those 20+ kids, they would give enough heat by themselves to heat the house! lol
Rockey, hope you have a speedy recovery.
Now if one had those 20+ kids, they would give enough heat by themselves to heat the house! lol
Rockey, hope you have a speedy recovery.
Valhalla
Minister of Fire
A good survey question. Thank you!
We try for 100% and 24/7, however as all wood burners know, it is sometimes a very tough stretch.
Therefore some backup is always needed. I work to seeing that my backup is actually solar, wind, etc. i.e. carbon neutral at least! Today it is the oil tank in the basement and the 240V lines on my house! I work to change that.
The guys that have homes with their families off the grid, I give great credit to!
We try for 100% and 24/7, however as all wood burners know, it is sometimes a very tough stretch.
Therefore some backup is always needed. I work to seeing that my backup is actually solar, wind, etc. i.e. carbon neutral at least! Today it is the oil tank in the basement and the 240V lines on my house! I work to change that.
The guys that have homes with their families off the grid, I give great credit to!
savageactor7
Minister of Fire
For years we burned wood with an unreliable oil backup furnace that didn't go on for years. Couple years ago I got activated and the wife got a propane backup...and except for it doesn't feel as warm as oil heat I'm happy with the back up. I think it's set on 62.
For a lot of reasons I think back ups are important.
For a lot of reasons I think back ups are important.
sublime68charger
Member
my wood boiler out in the deattached garage has been online since 2005,
I run my Nat GAs furance for a 1 day every now and then just to make sure it still kicks on.
Have a eden pure cermaic heater in the new baby's room cause there wasn't a good way to run heat to that room and the wife wanted it nice a warm in there for the 2 month old.
other than having to get up in the middle on the night to make the treck out to restock the boiler its been great. I need to get some storage added after what I have been reading on this site.
I burn between 4-6 cords a winter. also it heat's my 2 car garage is usually around 40 degrees for temp and can boast that up to 60 when I out there working on something.
sublime out.
full time burner
I run my Nat GAs furance for a 1 day every now and then just to make sure it still kicks on.
Have a eden pure cermaic heater in the new baby's room cause there wasn't a good way to run heat to that room and the wife wanted it nice a warm in there for the 2 month old.
other than having to get up in the middle on the night to make the treck out to restock the boiler its been great. I need to get some storage added after what I have been reading on this site.
I burn between 4-6 cords a winter. also it heat's my 2 car garage is usually around 40 degrees for temp and can boast that up to 60 when I out there working on something.
sublime out.
full time burner
Vic99
Minister of Fire
I'd say 90% with wood.
Some mornings need a blast of natural gas. Vacations require 100% natural gas.
Some mornings need a blast of natural gas. Vacations require 100% natural gas.
LLigetfa
Minister of Fire
There is a lot of range between 50% and 100% so I had to pick "none of your business" since there was no "none of the above" option.
I stoke it for overnight burns but the programmable thermostat is still set on the gas furnace it kick in before I get up to ressurect the fire. That's the way the wife wants it and SWMBO, is to a point. When she's not around I let the temp fall as low as 70 but she will then kick the furnace on when she gets home.
In my youth, most places I had no backup heat source. Sometimes had to break the ice on the top of the water pail to draw water for the kettle in the morning.
I stoke it for overnight burns but the programmable thermostat is still set on the gas furnace it kick in before I get up to ressurect the fire. That's the way the wife wants it and SWMBO, is to a point. When she's not around I let the temp fall as low as 70 but she will then kick the furnace on when she gets home.
In my youth, most places I had no backup heat source. Sometimes had to break the ice on the top of the water pail to draw water for the kettle in the morning.
I ain't gonna pay for no stinkin gas (except for hot water) when I have the wood burner. 
Thermostat is set as low as it goes but I normally get the fire going before the house drops below 65.
Thermostat is set as low as it goes but I normally get the fire going before the house drops below 65.
We have a LP furnace we use only during the shoulder seasons, +/- 100 gal. per year. Other than that it's wood heat, 24/7.
Jim
Jim
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