How much wood do you burn?

[EJL923]

I am not new to wood burning, but this is my first year with my own house and new stove. I tended the stove when I was younger for my parents, but never paid attention to how much would they used. I am trying to get a handle on how much wood people usually burn per day. This way, I have a ball park estimate if i am burning through wood like crazy or being to timid and not burning enough. I know, it depends on wood, split size, stove size, damper setting, etc...Again, a rough estimate here...

Thanks

 

[thewoodlands]

I am not new to wood burning, but this is my first year with my own house and new stove. I tended the stove when I was younger for my parents, but never paid attention to how much would they used. I am trying to get a handle on how much wood people usually burn per day. This way, I have a ball park estimate if i am burning through wood like crazy or being to timid and not burning enough. I know, it depends on wood, split size, stove size, damper setting, etc...Again, a rough estimate here...

Thanks

We are heating about 3400 square feet that includes the basement ( the liberty is installed in the basement) we have 21 face cord stacked and plan on burning 15 face cord. I have only been burning from 5:30 pm on. Have been burning mostly cherry at this point with some hard maple for overnight burns.

Zap

 

[ikessky]

Last year was my first year with my wood furnace. I burned just over 4 full cords. I don't even know the square footage of my house, but it's not huge. That is without an EPA certified stove also.

 

[Digital Wilderness]

We have an oil furnace to heat the basement and heat the upstairs with wood. We'll probably use about 4 cords this year.

 

[MofoG23]

I currently have 3 full cords for this year and I think I will be close to having enough (EPA stove) - I've already burnt around 1 face cord. I guess I'll find out as the winter progresses. I'm in the same boat with you, first year with my own stove but have tended the woodstove back home when I was younger - never paid much attention to how much wood we set back - I remember it was quite a bit though...

Over the last 2 months I have processed about 4 cords of wood for next year - all standing dead oak. I have another 4-5 cord that still needs processed (2nd year supply). I do not want to have another season wondering if I will have enough wood....

 

[Wood Duck]

There have been a few threads here about how much wood people burn, and it seems like about 4 cords is a reasonable average for wood stove users. This means about a cord a month in cold weather, or a face cord in about 10 days. This means a stack about 4 ft high by almost a foot wide per day. Does that sound reasonable to anyone? I think it is in the right ballpark.

 

[Gator eye]

My wood furnace keeps 3200 square right around 76 degrees (or higher) all winter with 8 cords.

First year I burnt almost 12 cords but I had a lot of punky wood I picked up off the ground.

 

[MofoG23]

There have been a few threads here about how much wood people burn, and it seems like about 4 cords is a reasonable average for wood stove users. This means about a cord a month in cold weather, or a face cord in about 10 days. This means a stack about 4 ft high by almost a foot wide per day. Does that sound reasonable to anyone? I think it is in the right ballpark.

From what I have noticed when burning 24/7 that is fairly accurate.

 

[Patapsco Mike]

Last year I burned one wheelbarrow full each day.

 

[Danno77]

i'd say that sounds ok for an average as well. I have around 3 cords and I'm afraid it won't be enough to heat like I want with wood. (wood for me is supplemental to NG because of stove placement and size). I can make 3 cords work just fine and i won't ever be cold, but i'd rather turn down the furnace and run the stove a little harder. Just can't do that with 3 cords. I figure if i had it my way i'd run probably 5 cords through this little stove. Now, if I was heating the whole house with a couple of stoves or a wood furnace I bet I'd need something like 8-10 cords (no NG usage)

 

[SolarAndWood]

It really depends. I burn 8 cord on average and have 12 ready to go just in case it is a bad year.

 

[madrone]

tell us your stove, what kind of wood, house size, layout, insulation level, and % of home heating you expect to do, and you'll get some pretty good guesstimates from folks here.

 

[Slow1]

So many variables come into play here - size of space being heated, how well insulated, how cold the climate is, how warm you like to keep it, type of wood you burn, stove type...

However, the cord/mo during peak 24/7 oddly enough seems to be a decent average estimate based on my reading of these threads too (I would hazard to say "per stove" but can't be sure on that one). If you have an above average sized home expect to burn more, adjust accordingly for all other variables.

My own experience to throw into the soup:

Last year I burned from the end of November on and was trying to burn 24/7 but stove didn't cooperate (and I didn't want to wake up at 2a to feed it) so it was more like 18/7 or a bit less. I went through about 3 cords of wood and almost one ton of sawdust bricks making it about 4 cords equivalent by my estimation. Not the best wood, burning style, or stove install. Also heating over 2,000 sqft.

So far this year I've only gone 24hrs a couple times so had a lot of starts since it hasn't really gotten into cold season. Burned more than necessary in the beginning since I of course had to play with the new stove... I've burned a total of 305 splits as of this morning which I estimate to be roughly 4/10th of a cord. So if I burn the same amount from this point on as I did last year then I would total about 4 1/2 cords. I actually am rather expecting to burn less than that due to having a better stove - easier to control and losing less heat up the stack - but will only know for sure once we get to the end of the season.

 

[CrappieKeith]

I burn oak and heat 1400 s/f here in northern Mn. I'll keep my home about 75 degrees 24/7. No gas required even when it's 30 below zero.
I go through about 6 cords from Nov-June.

A cord of hardwood makes close to what 250 propane or 200 of oil will make.
A 3000 s/f home would take a cord per month to heat displacing that oil or gas I just mentioned.
Of coarse like mentioned before there's a ton of variables.

 

[latitude45]

I have been burning 24/7 since Nov 1st, 8-14 maple/ash/oak/beech splits, 14in x 6in rough dimensions, non EPA stove. House is 2400sf upstairs @ 72 degrees, Basement 2400sf is heated by hot water baseboard @ 65 degrees.

 

[EJL923]

Wow thanks for all of your quick replies. Exactly the information I was looking for.

I havent burned it for a long time yet, basically start it when I get home and load her up before bed. Ive had a hard time keeping a coal bed for the morning, which would be about 6 hours from load to when I wake up.
My stove is a Jotul Rockland insert, house 2500sf, wood is mixed ash, oak, maple.

I havenet had to crank up the stove for very cold weather yet, but when I do, what is a safe operating stove top temp. (Insert, cant measure flue temp). When i have a good fire going, my stove likes to hover around 600-650, with the air control basically closed. I think i would need to bump that up when the weather gets cold, but I do not know what temp is too hot for todays stoves.

 

[CTburning]

With the old smoke dragon I burned 2 cords of soft maple from nov 15 to jan 15 last year. It was a very cold late fall and winter and I tried to burn 24/7 but there were a couple of days the fire went out. One of the reasons I purchased the stove that I did was because people living in colder climates than I live in were using a Fireview and burning around 3 cords a winter. That is the most I want to process/use every year.

 

[jadm]

I have the same insert. Expect to burn more wood your first winter - learning curve thing.

I now keep 4 cords on hand and would guess I use about 3.

A lot depends on our temps. and on type of wood. I order mixed hard woods so I am never sure what all I am burning. We do not have oak here which burns hot and long.

I also let wood sit for 9 months at least before using and I order it dry too so it has had a few months to dry before we get it.

Right now our temps. are in the 40's and 50's and one fire in the morning keeps our house warm all day. Sometimes I will build one in the evening depending on how cold it is. Like to keep the temp. around 75*.

When it drops below 40* I keep it going all day.

Enjoy your insert and check out the Rockland 550 tips thread. Lots of good stuff there all related to the 550.

 

[golfandwoodnut]

EJL923 I have the Jotul 550 as well. I love the stove, it is a little difficult to get an all night burn. If you do some research on the site you will find some good info on how to get longer burns. What I did find is the best way is to get it down to all coals, let it die down a little, then push all the coals to the front and the sides. Almost leaving no coals in the back (that is the key). Then put a big split in the back and fill it with as much wood as possible (cut your splits to 20 inches as in the manual to fill it up). Get the fire going with a little air, then close it down all the way. I guess the idea is to take some time to get the big split going then it will keep the coals going longer. I only tried it a few times so far but it worked alot better. Just make sure you have the wood arranged so that none will fall on the glass (otherwise you will get a big dark spot and it is not recommended).

 

[Lanningjw]

I burn oak and heat 1400 s/f here in northern Mn. I'll keep my home about 75 degrees 24/7. No gas required even when it's 30 below zero.
I go through about 6 cords from Nov-June.

A cord of hardwood makes close to what 250 propane or 200 of oil will make.
A 3000 s/f home would take a cord per month to heat displacing that oil or gas I just mentioned.
Of coarse like mentioned before there's a ton of variables.

How long to season that Oak?

 

[CrappieKeith]

I burn oak and heat 1400 s/f here in northern Mn. I'll keep my home about 75 degrees 24/7. No gas required even when it's 30 below zero.
I go through about 6 cords from Nov-June.

A cord of hardwood makes close to what 250 propane or 200 of oil will make.
A 3000 s/f home would take a cord per month to heat displacing that oil or gas I just mentioned.
Of coarse like mentioned before there's a ton of variables.

How long to season that Oak?

2 years.....

 

[Lanningjw]

Crappie Kieth, That the part I dont like about Oak. I get it sometimes but I think its over rated because of the dry time. I am limited with storage space in the City.
Are you way up north, dont remember?

 

[Backwoods Savage]

We burn white ash, cherry, elm, soft maple and a few odds and ends. We used to burn 6-7 cords per winter but now with the new stove burn only 3. We keep our home 75-80 degrees and wood is our only source of heat.

 

[bbeals]

Burn 5 cord in our insert to avoid burning oil. Neighbors think were crazy cause we have another 7 cord split and stacked for next year

 

[laynes69]

Burned probably 6.5+ cords last year with the old furnace. This year hoping for around 4 with the new furnace. Heating a 2400 SF victorian plus basement, well insulated. Heating 100% with wood, average temps inside 77 to 78 right now. Been burning over a month, used around a 1/2 cord or so.