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  1. claybe Member

    joined: Nov 13, 2008
    203 posts
    Colorado
    We use to only burn when it was below freezing and we had a furnace. Now we have a new place with radiant heat. It is supposed to be in the mid thirties tonight and in the 50s tomorrow don't think I will lite a fire tonight because it is 70 inside and the heat isn't on. What is your rule on when to lite a fire???
    #1

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    Jon1270 likes this.
  2. KaptJaq Minister of Fire

    joined: Jan 31, 2011
    555 posts
    Long Island, NY
    We have very precise rules in this house. I light the stove when my wife tells me to.

    KaptJaq
  3. bmblank Member

    joined: Jan 17, 2013
    193 posts
    Michigan
    I make a fire when the storage tank gets down to the 110-130 range... I realize this doesn't help a ton, but i just can't recommend heat storage enough.
  4. fox9988 Feeling the Heat

    joined: Jan 15, 2012
    462 posts
    NW Arkansas
    When the house gets down to 68::F and the forecast isn't going to warm it.
    burnt03, WoodpileOCD and n3pro like this.
  5. Dustin Feeling the Heat

    joined: Sep 3, 2008
    270 posts
    Western Oregon
    Any excuse I can make to light up! If it even touches 50 outside at night, and dips below 70 inside, I light
  6. Regency139 Member

    joined: Jun 25, 2009
    60 posts
    Connecticut
    When the temperature drops below 40 outside my stove gets lit.
  7. lopiliberty Minister of Fire

    joined: Oct 7, 2011
    565 posts
    Mineral County, WV
    Considering its my main source of heat usually when the inside temp drops below 75
    Hearth Mistress likes this.
  8. Augie Member

    joined: Nov 8, 2012
    180 posts
    North Of Canada
    I'll light the stove whenever I feel a chill. If I. Get to warm open the house up to air it out.
    Beer Belly likes this.
  9. BrowningBAR Minister of Fire

    joined: Jul 22, 2008
    7,103 posts
    Doylestown, PA
    When I'm cold. It's our main source of heat.
    PA Fire Bug and Hearth Mistress like this.
  10. n3pro Feeling the Heat

    I used to just supplement the propane, then I wanted to use less propane, then I got addicted and hate to hear the furnace kick on at all. I used to have a rule when it got 45 or below by 7 PM which would give me enough time to get a small starter fire and a reload before bed. Then the temperature outside began to become less relevant and inside temperature did. Now if the house gets below 70 and when I get home the stove gets lit. If it's in the mid 70's and don't look like it is going to drop too low then I just leave the furnace maintain the heat. Of course this is subject to change without notice.
  11. BrotherBart He Who Moderates

    joined: Nov 18, 2005
    21,962 posts
    Northern Virginia
    When it is cold. It is our only heat source.
    mfglickman likes this.
  12. begreen Super Moderator

    joined: Nov 18, 2005
    36,134 posts
    South Puget Sound, WA
    We burn when we are chilly. That's more of a psychological thing. The house can be at 70F, but if it's 45F outside, wet and windy and you get a chill, light a fire. Generally once it's above 50F we don't burn unless we want a small warmup fire. Shoulder season burns for 45-50F and 24/7 below about 43F
    Jon1270 likes this.
  13. WoodpileOCD Minister of Fire

    joined: Jan 19, 2011
    659 posts
    Central NC
    Pretty much when it gets below 70 inside and it's not going to warm up on its own from the sun.
  14. nate379 Minister of Fire

    joined: Sep 21, 2010
    4,010 posts
    Palmer, Alaska
    Outdoor temps below mid 30s and indoor temps below 65ish.
    Regency139 likes this.
  15. realstihl Member

    joined: Dec 4, 2007
    208 posts
    eastern kansas
    No rules here. When I get cold.
    mfglickman and Beer Belly like this.
  16. firefighterjake Minister of Fire

    joined: Jul 22, 2008
    13,477 posts
    Unity/Bangor, Maine
    When I am cold = woodstove is going.
  17. BobUrban Minister of Fire

    joined: Jul 24, 2010
    945 posts
    Central Michigan
    Light it sometime mid to late October - let it go out sometime in March/April with occasional cool down under 200 to check flue and run a brush through if needed.
  18. Wood Duck Minister of Fire

    joined: Feb 26, 2009
    3,764 posts
    Central PA
    I light the stove whenever heat is needed between about the beginning of November and the end of March, which includes most days. If it is sort of warm I may let the fire burn out overnight or during the afternoon. If it is cold outside I'll make an efort to keeo the stove hot all day and night. Before about Novermber and after April I don't generally have the urge to use the stove, and we don't need much heat so I let the electric baseboard heaters do the job.
  19. coaly Fisher Moderator

    joined: Dec 22, 2007
    1,028 posts
    NE PA
    When it's cold, it's our only heat source.
    When we cook, it's our stove top and oven. My wife cooks, bakes and cans a LOT.
    When we want hot water, clothes dryer (winter), chicken broder....... basically stays lit.
    Summer = summer grate - bypass open into chimney not heating stove.
    Lots of open windows and shaded house. No A/C
    Here's green leaves mid-summer with smoke;

    2012 Summer Burn.JPG
  20. remkel Minister of Fire

    joined: Jan 21, 2010
    1,433 posts
    Southwest NH
    There are several rules I have in placed on 10 sheets of legal paper outlining the conditions needed before lighting the stove, but then I get the urge to have a fire and use the paper the rules are written on to light the kindling.
    n3pro and PapaDave like this.
  21. PapaDave Minister of Fire

    Whenever the house gets chilly. Very subjective. Ask my wife, then ask me, you'll get 2 different answers. See how easy this isn't?;)
    House doesn't hold heat well enough due to inadequate insulation and the stove won't keep temp long enough, so I fire up sooner than some.
  22. ohlongarm Minister of Fire

    joined: Mar 18, 2011
    703 posts
    Northeastern Ohio
    I burn 24/7 since 2004 despite having a new gas furnace,I don't care for utility companies.So basically it's our only heat source in my opinion.
    Mitch Newton likes this.
  23. Beer Belly Minister of Fire

    joined: Oct 26, 2011
    886 posts
    Connecticut
    Like others here.....when the Wife, or I, get a chill
  24. northwinds Minister of Fire

    joined: Jul 9, 2006
    1,082 posts
    south central WI
    When it's too warm in the house, I don't light a fire. As an example, if the house is 74 at 9 p.m., and I know it's going to stay above 30 degrees overnight,
    my house is only going to fall into the high or mid 60's. So I'll use that opportunity to let the fire go out and clean out the ashes in the morning.
  25. mtcox Member

    joined: Apr 6, 2007
    60 posts
    Stafford, Virginia
    I'm probably part of the majority and burn because it's a better heat and a lot cheaper than running a furnace or heat pump. Here in Virginia, it's about as cold as it's been in 2 or more years. Having said that, with today's high efficiency heat pumps and furnaces, you'll have to come up with your own "formula". If it doesn't get below 40 degrees at night, I let the heat pump do its work. It might cycle 3-4 times in an 8 hour period. This allows the HVAC system to filter the indoor air. The wife's allergies don't do well heating with wood 24/7 (unless it's been like these past few days with highs in the 20's and she sucks it up). If nighttime temperatures are between 30 and 40, I fire up the Quadrafire. Once we're below 30, I fire up the second stove (Hampton H300). However, even with both stoves running now, I struggle to get to 74 during the day and 68 at night. I have a house built in 1947 to blame for that.

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