Less Wood, More Auto

You'd think that, especially since the house is full of "family" while we wait for the power to come back on in their homes, that we would be burning the wood in the wood stove daily, but that is not the case..........

Not sure if it is ONLY because there are lots of little ones running around, and all that that means (safety, ease of use, etc.), or what the reason is, ..........but the wood stove has sat more idle (we HAVE "power".........that's why everyone moved in HERE), than you might think, around here.

One group (the younger daughter and her family of four) will be moving back home today (I hear they FINALLY got their power back yesterday), will be gone by today, and the other .............well..........they are still without power and will be going home (obviously) once THEIR electrical is restored. In both cases, they live in dwellings that would not allow a wood stove.

I just realized this morning that the wood stove has become a secondary source of heat and I'm fighting that. I'd rather it was primary, but I guess the "family" doesn't want the duty when I'm at work, so it goes "unlit." I could light it in the morning (and have) but they would let it go out.

Ah well...........perhaps when its just "the wife and the dogs" again, we will be back to burning daily.

-Soupy1957

Soupy, why not fire up a load in the early AM and shut her down to a slow burn to take care of the chill. By the time it goes out, the outside temp will help maintain the heat in the house. Just a thought...

What would happen if the heater somehow stopped running

Hey Soupy, too bad you family is without power, I have a brother who left for your area on Sunday for two weeks to assist in getting back going again. Here's hoping you burning again real soon!

So would the visitors really be good at working the stove in the efficient range? Some EPA stoves have that learning curve... Sad for it to go unused, but maybe for the better? Things will get back normal soon...

I had a guest and told them to feel free to use the stove. They burned almost all my small wood and kindling.

It sounds like it would have been an ideal time to fire up the wood stove! Most times your guests would be fascinated with the "novelty" of burning wood in the home. Methinks sometimes people tend to over-think this safety part. Perhaps I look at things different as when I grew up wood is all we had. We had 2 heater stoves and a wood cook stove. Many were the time we'd have a huge gathering of relatives and all sorts of little ones. I never recall an accident with little ones.

As a young person, recently wed, somewhat recent grad, more recent homeowner who fled their parents coup to be with my bride, leaving them in affect 'empty nesters'

I burn for monetary reasons, see above, but i can also tell you its due to my upbringing around stoves and wood. Passed down like hunting or fishing traditions. Teach them early and you dont have to fret about it, stove gets respected. I got great responsibily from taking wood in and out. Hated it then, some days now too, but i cherish those times. Wife did not grow up with wood heat. I or rather the warmth converted her. She loads runs cleans stacks now too. The old young and in betweens will remember that time the power went out and everyone sat around the stove.

They will recall that with a smile.