Warm when the power was out?

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.
W

WellSeasoned

Guest
Anybody have any stories where you woodstove played a role in survival?

I bought my woodstove last year after that freak october storm when the trees were full of leaves, the foot of snow came, power was out everywhere for 6 days, and our house made it out with minimal tree damage, although lots of people weren't so fortunate. First, I borrowed a friends chain saw, I had so much wood, the ol lady and I decided to get a wood stove, to be no longer dependent on oil, warm our home without power and cook in an emergency. Be well
 
Summer of 09 my gut kept telling me to get a stove so i went and got the coal stove. Well that winter a big storm came and dumped a foot of snow. Power was out for 2 weeks That stove is now in my workshop.

Now i have the Mag and after 09 i never plan on a winter without a stove.
 
We bought our woodstove after we purchased the land I cut on, we still have not had any big storms in the winter that knocked out power but we are ready. We also have a small generator for powering lights,freezer,fridge,microwave,furnace along with the well pump.

zap
 
  • Like
Reactions: Oldhippie
Many times over the last 30 years. The last two times were the winters of 09 and 10 when both times we were without power for a week and no way to get down to the road. Wood stoves and generators are da bomb.

Well, those and groceries.

Of course wood is our only heat source anyway.
 
I have always had a fireplace to at least put some heat into the house in case of a power outage. I am now an insert owner(what the hell took me so long!) and its great. I see all the new houses going up around me with no other heat besides electric...the power goes out all the time and they are going to get mighty cold.
 
I have always had a fireplace to at least put some heat into the house in case of a power outage. I am now an insert owner(what the hell took me so long!) and its great. I see all the new houses going up around me with no other heat besides electric...the power goes out all the time and they are going to get mighty cold.
Naah, they will be knocking at your door;lol
 
Oh....dont remind me. There are already some who come to borrow a generator...think I will just lock the gate and ingnore them...ha
I spray every year and they keep coming back!

Yeah they always chuckle about the guy with all of the wood and generators until...
 
We've had our butts saved by the woodstove in winter about once ever 3-4 years. Being in a rural area means that when a large scale storm takes out a lot of trees and powerlines, we are out of power for days. We are set up with it with a propane kitchen cook top, the stove, lots of camping lights, a generator and a healthy supply of candles.
 
First year with the Vigilant the furnace died on us during the coldest part of the winter and was out for a full month before we could get a replacement installed.

The stove saved our bacon. We were still cold (the upstairs temps were 40 degrees), but we would have been a lot colder without the stove and the pipes didn't freeze. If it would have happened just a year later, we would have been a boat load warmer since the wood supply sucked the first year.

But, the death of the furnace allowed me to install the stove in the kitchen, since the new furnace was direct vent and that freed up the chimney in the kitchen.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Shadow&Flame
Grasshopper and the Ant....

28 years and just our leg of the power would go down. Majority of the neighborhood never did and they didn't buy generators and heated with the heat pumps. In 2009 they were all out for a week and in the Spring it sounded like a chainsaw test yard around here and when the power went down again in 2010 the number of generators running made the place sound like Indy.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Shadow&Flame
I just bought a new generator last year for a backup...Champion 3500/4000watt. I really like the little genny and it was only 300. Now if I can keep people from borrowing it and having to go and get it back....ha
 
  • Like
Reactions: Beetle-Kill
S&F, not to hijack, but can you provide more info. on your genny? Champion 3500/4000, I need one and the cost is totally in my ballpark. Thanks, JB
 
"I just bought a new generator last year for a backup...Champion 3500/4000watt."

You got a great gennie at a great price and their customer support is kinda legendary, Good move. And 2,000 watts will handle the base load for most houses sans well pumps and water heaters.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Beetle-Kill
3.5 Kw is minimal. 5.5 at 230 volts will cycle everything sans electric range,dryer,hotwater. but that is a good price for that unit if it lasts
 
I have a 5.5 Kw generator.
 
farted around with portables and all the chores that go along with them, fetching gas, long heavy cords, transfer switchs, finally after a long procrastanation period, I installed a Generac 17KW auto. What a great feeling that is. dont even have to be here
 
I don't know if I can say the stove has saved me, but the generator sure has. I ain't doing my job the old way!
 
farted around with portables and all the chores that go along with them, fetching gas, long heavy cords, transfer switchs, finally after a long procrastanation period, I installed a Generac 17KW auto. What a great feeling that is. dont even have to be here

My neighbor did that after the 2009 failure. Twenty grand for the generator and 500 gallon propane tank and propane. Hasn't had another blip since it was installed. Twenty grand would make for a lot of nights in a first class hotel.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BrowningBAR
Status
Not open for further replies.