Why do we do it?

[Pallet Pete]

It is cheaper for us to run the wood stove than natural gas however I agree even if it wasn't we would burn wood. Its sorta like having insurance when things go wrong.
Pete

 

[schlot]

Woohoo!


Are you writing an article, Schlot?

Here's another thread on the topic:
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/unhappy-with-your-stove-fireplace-and-using-wood-do-tell.41431/

No I wasn't but maybe it would be fun to collect some stories and do one.

 

[firefighterjake]

Started to save money when oil prices were $4+ a gallon . . . kept burning to save money, for the view of the fire, because it's one job around the house I enjoy doing and I like being able to stay warm when the power goes out.

 

[Deep Fryer]

When I was a boy, I suggested that my grandfather should put in an oil furnace and we could stop scrounging for and processing wood. He smiled, and said, "Oil is a lazy man's heat." I was a boy then, who was trying to get out of splitting some wood. The wisdom in my grandfather's statement took about a decade to germinate. I agree, there is something very primitive about it that seems to run deeper than the money I save, the exercise I get, or any of the other common factors. For me, it's about a connection to nature and even to survival itself.

Thats a great observation, I couldnt agree more.

 

[Dunragit]

"Some people just want to watch the world burn."

 

[Sprinter]

...Here's another thread on the topic:
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/unhappy-with-your-stove-fireplace-and-using-wood-do-tell.41431/

The OP of that post practically begged for someone to say why they don't like wood burning. I found it interesting that our beloved BrotherBart was the only one to truly confess:

I pretty much hate it...

Since that quote was out of context, I should quote the entire post

I pretty much hate it. But less than I hate being cold. It is a lot of work and I get more and more allergic to work every year. Heck, every hour. But it keeps getting cold every year and the trees on this place keep dieing or blowing over or being pines...

So, I have to ask. BrotherBart, how do you feel now?

 

[gmule]

I live in a forest that has been ravaged by beetles killing thousands of acres of trees. This is my way of helping to keep the fire danger lower by removing the fuels that will burn uncontrollably if it was left for nature to do what needs to be done.
I also agree with what those before me have said.

 

[eclecticcottage]

Woohoo!


Are you writing an article, Schlot?

Here's another thread on the topic:
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/unhappy-with-your-stove-fireplace-and-using-wood-do-tell.41431/

I didn't get time to read that whole thread...but...I can really only name a few things that I don't like about heating with wood. I don't like beating up my vehicles scrounging. Even though we don't overload them, it still takes a toll. I don't like the occasional yellow jacket that hitches a ride in on the wood. I am totally ok with honey bees, mud wasps and bumble bees (where they belong), but most other wasps, hornets and especially yellow jackets are on my "do not like" list. I don't like providing housing (via wood stacks) for field mice. I hate those destructive little buggers. I didn't like stacking, or moving in any way, the wood when the tendonitis in my arm was really bad. That sucked. But all the don't likes are FAR out weighed by the likes.

 

[BrotherBart]

The OP of that post practically begged for someone to say why they don't like wood burning. I found it interesting that our beloved BrotherBart was the only one to truly confess:


Since that quote was out of context, I should quote the entire post


So, I have to ask. BrotherBart, how do you feel now?

The same. Still old. Still tired. Still hate getting cold.

 

[Sprinter]

I didn't get time to read that whole thread...but...I can really only name a few things that I don't like about heating with wood. I don't like beating up my vehicles scrounging. Even though we don't overload them, it still takes a toll. I don't like the occasional yellow jacket that hitches a ride in on the wood. I am totally ok with honey bees, mud wasps and bumble bees (where they belong), but most other wasps, hornets and especially yellow jackets are on my "do not like" list. I don't like providing housing (via wood stacks) for field mice. I hate those destructive little buggers. I didn't like stacking, or moving in any way, the wood when the tendonitis in my arm was really bad. That sucked. But all the don't likes are FAR out weighed by the likes.

Which was it, tennis elbow or golfer's? I've been dealing with "golfer's elbow" (medial epicondylitis) all summer while trying to put up wood, bulld a greenhouse, fix the house up, etc. It really took the fun out of it bad, but was all necessary stuff. Doc says I've got to stop all that now, so I've turned to other, less arm-intensive pursuits. I can still take an armload in from the stack and load it, though, usually with my left arm

 

[eclecticcottage]

Which was it, tennis elbow or golfer's? I've been dealing with "golfer's elbow" (medial epicondylitis) all summer while trying to put up wood, bulld a greenhouse, fix the house up, etc. It really took the fun out of it bad, but was all necessary stuff. Doc says I've got to stop all that now, so I've turned to other, less arm-intensive pursuits. I can still take an armload in from the stack and load it, though, usually with my left arm

I think Tennis. I didn't go to the Dr, just got a brace and wore it, took antiinflamitories and added more ginger to my diet. Much better now, but still have to be careful not to overdo it or I'll know about it.

 

[Sprinter]

I think Tennis. I didn't go to the Dr, just got a brace and wore it, took antiinflamitories and added more ginger to my diet. Much better now, but still have to be careful not to overdo it or I'll know about it.

It can turn chronic if you don't.

 

[bag of hammers]

Burning wood is hard work. Most things worthwhile are. Like the long walks out in the back 40 with the dog(s), even when the weather sucks, or the feet hurt a bit, or I'm really tired at the end of a long day. Wouldn't trade even a "bad" day full of those moments for any "good" day at the office.

It's kinda like that morning coffee brewed in an old percolator, on the side of the campfire, out in the middle of nowhere. It's the best coffee you ever had, even though it's a bit old, stale, the cheapest stuff on the shelf. Loading the stove, a bit of dirt, ash, some smoke spills out - geez, what a pain in the a**, when you could be turning up the thermostat - nice, clean, easy - and totally devoid of the spirituality and wonder as described in all the previous posts.

I sit in front of the fire on a chilly night and I feel truly sorry for those who don't get the opportunity, who don't "get it", only because they see that there's hard work involved and think everything should just be easy. Sucks to be them...

 

[etiger2007]

Burning wood is hard work, i got a free load from a non wood burning friend the other day and he threw two splits in the back of the truck and said "man this sucks" I laughed and said " this is fun" he didnt understand so I took his free oak lol

 

[Mike M.]

I like the work, excercise, toys involved, freedom from fossil fuels and electricty, ect but also the heat generated. Burning wood is different (hotter) than buring propane or natural gas. Its hard to explain, but most on here I think will understand. My house at 72 with wood heat feels much better than others who heat with fossil fuels and maintain the same temperature.

 

[jwoair23]

My house at 72 with wood heat feels much better than others who heat with fossil fuels and maintain the same temperature.

I think its because with a woodstove the heat is "always on" whether you have a blower or no blower, there is always heat coming from the stove. With a natural gas furnace its on and off, so when its off you don't have any heat circulating through the house.

 

[num1hitter]

I started three winters ago. Everyone on here had great reasons. My original reason was one that was stated by many others. I am quite cheap and hated paying the oil man 3x per year to come deliver 150 gallons of overpriced oil for extremely inefficient oil burning furnace. Found a DutchWest 2500 on CL and got a deal, found a chimney liner soon after. The sickness just spread from there. I found a great deal on a truck on CL because I needed something to scrounge for wood. Taught myself to work on the truck since it needed a decent amount of work. Bough a splitter the next fall and my wife bought me a chainsaw for Christmas. It all started with wanting to get away from using so much heating oil. But I am sure it ended up costing me a lot more in the recent past but will pay for itself soon. Now I have 3+ cords of wood on my 1/4 acre lot just outside of a city and always looking for more. Just last week bought a Quad 4100i and sold the DW2500 for the same price. Also am trying to sell a high quality hearth pad that came with the Quad. So in the end I am going to upgrade and pocket a few extra bucks.

Looking back at the last 3 years I have learned so much from this forum and working on vehicles all because I wanted to save some money by burning wood. I believe there is a definite sense of self sufficiency and increased self worth by providing heat for your family, not depending on someone else to deliver oil. My wife loves the look and smell of a fire and she loves the shorts weather all year long. I am sure I will be burning for the rest of my life. I enjoy everything about it.