What outside temp will you start to use your stove?

[Slow1]

Interesting read here - and after some thought I do have to admit I do pay attention to the outside temp in one regard. In the winter we do have a rule that if it is below freezing outside at bedtime, we have a fire burning when we retire. Naturally there is the exception for those weird "temp rising all night" thaw conditions, but that is the general rule of thumb here. That grew out of the experience of waking up a bit too cold a few too many times.

Now I do wonder if once we have the PH and the ability to warm the place faster (greater heat output) if perhaps we will revise that rule of thumb or not...

 

[firecracker_77]

47 degrees by 7 PM outside and forecasted lows in the low 40's or colder and house temps around 70 and falling. That usually gives me plenty of time to get a fire going and settled before bed. Anything warmer I just let the furnace handle it. Now I said that I have had a fire already when it was in the 50's and lows in the mid 40's.

It was 80 today with a 43 low tonight. I want to be a little cold tonight after today's roasting temps

 

[Jack Straw]

If it's sunny my house gets really warm, so I have to go with the inside temp, or if it feels damp inside.

 

[rideau]

Go by what makes my family and guests comfortable - unless I want to cook on the stove, then I just light a small fire. Don't light the stove to cook if it is over 75 in the house, because we die of heat even with the windows open if I do.

 

[JBinKC]

Always when it is 45 or less outside and under 67 inside.

 

[PapaDave]

The inside temp is what I look at, but also use the current and forecast outside temp to gauge the type of fire I'll light.
We've mostly had morning fires here, when the house is down around 64 or below and the outside temp is below 40.
It 's been hitting 60 or more outside, so a small morning fire does the trick.
This weekend may require morning and evening fires. Started fires on the 18th of last month(I took out the pipe damper, so I had to test), which is about a week early for us.
The first 3 years at this house, I had a fire if the house got below 67-68.

 

[Jaugust124]

No fires yet. Still sleeping with the windows open most nights. Supposed to near 80 tomorrow, but will cool off after that. Don't really mind the house a little cool. Maybe when the inside temps get to 60 or below and outside temps get into the high 40s low 50s during the day. I have to admit, I'm itchin' to get started.

 

[Shadow&Flame]

Got to get below 45 before I will have a good fire. Might play with kindling fires in the morning sometimes, but it doesnt take much to get it warm enough for me. I like it on the cool side...

 

[fossil]

Well, this morning it was right around 23°F at 0700 (outside, of course). Haven't burned yet, but did run the electric forced air in the house for a few minutes. I'm thinking my first burn in the workshop, where I spend a lot of time, may happen tomorrow morning. We'll see. This morning it was still ~63°F in there, which I can live with while waiting for the sun to get up into the sky. It's coming though...Winter, that is...I can feel it. The central Oregon high desert is officially in shoulder season. Rick

 

[rkofler]

Haven't thought about it yet since my AC just kicked on!!

 

[tfdchief]

My wife has RA and sometimes she just needs warm dry air. My back likes the heat too. When you get old, everything changes

 

[bogydave]

Mid 40° day time temps & mid 30° at night.
Had a fire for 3 days, warm front here now, 58 today, mid 40s at night.
Oh yea, Also when the wife says so.

 

[Dix]

Haven't thought about it yet since my AC just kicked on!!

Are you serious ???

My Acs have been out of the windows for a month !!

 

[Dix]

Who cares about the temperature, a glass of sherry or port always seems better in front of a fire...........

You're a good guy, Neil

 

[Dix]

I don't worry about temps until it gets to 40 ish. The house holds the heat to atleast 65F to that point. If it's windy and damp, I might fire up the PE, but with those conditions, the PE can handle the entire house.

When it dips lower, then we think about the 13.

I pay more attention to the temps for the horses, they might need sheets or blankets if the temps drop. Ya never know

 

[lopiliberty]

Just had the AC on yesterday and last night but its always set on 80. Looks like sunday will have to have a fire all day with highs in the low 50s, rain, and wind. I refuse to have to run around in my house dressed for alaska. If its delow 75 inside you can bet there will be a fire in my liberty

 

[begreen]

Round about when the daytime temps fall below 50.

 

[DuckDog]

In my case it depends more on sunlight rather than temperature. Even if it gets down to mid 30's at night the house seems to never dip below 62-63. As long as we get a sunny day the next day, the sun on the windows usually has the house recover to 70 or so. Now if we get a couple cool nights and an a rainy or cloudy day inbetween then I will put a fire on. So far I have not had a fire yet. We have had frost twice already. I assume I will have a first fire within a week or 2. The sun will be getting weaker and weaker.

 

[Highbeam]

]


Have you burned it yet?

Heck yeah. I burned it on day one and since have burned a few small fires that lasted way over 12 hours. Small like one or two small splits. Tonight I fully loaded the stove for a long run to see if more wood really does mean just longer burn time and not just a hotter stove. Still learning to trust the cat principle. Hard to believe that this much wood won't just cause an explosion of heat.

 

[robertmcw]

Wife had RA too so she really can’t deal with the cold. If it was up to here, the house would be set in the 90’s but we keep it in the low 80’s inside but keep it in the mid 70’s at night. Most times I won’t burn at least 60 outside but I did burn one fire last week when it was 64 and it did get a little warm but I wanted to break in the new baffles and burn tubes and I wanted to sure they wound not smoke out of the place when I really use it.

 

[nate379]

I usually wait till we are no warmer than the mid 40s during the day before I start messing with the stove. I don't have the desire to mess with starting a fire every day or two. Once it's cold enough that I can just keep throwing in wood, then it's time.

Until then I just let the natural gas boiler handle it. The $20 I spend "extra" on gas is worth it.

 

[Woody Stover]

If it goes 60/45 for a couple of nights and it drops to 67 in here, I'm lighting up.
Had two fires so far, will be burning for the next few nights.

 

[etiger2007]

Definatley this weekend, in Michigan were looking at low 50's for the high and low to mid 30's for the low. Ill probably wait until Saturday night to fire it up.

 

[Kaptain]

I keep an eye on the weather\forcast daily to determine if I need one. In central PA on Saturday it's going to be about 65 and rainy, going down to 41. The high on sunday will be in the upper 40's and rainy then going to back to 32 overnight. That means a fire will be happening for the first time this year... of course, I need to get the 30NC off the skid first

 

[Ashful]

Who cares about the temperature, a glass of sherry or port always seems better in front of a fire...........

I dunno about that... but scotch and bourbon sure do. I'll have to ask my wife about the sherry.