2013/2014 Winter Adjustment Factor

[mass_burner]

Any thoughts on applying a percentage factor to costs/fuel/wood usage for this winter since it was so harsh? What do you guys figure you used more this year than last year in wood, oil, gas, pane etc? This would make easier for me to estimate next year's usage.

 

[DBoon]

A good way to compare heat load from year to year is to compare degree days from one year to the other.

www.degreedays.net will let you compare two 12 (or other number) month periods. My guess is that this winter heating season is about 15-20% colder than last year.

 

[Grisu]

Just get as much wood ready as you needed this winter and you will be prepared for whatever the next winter will throw at you. Whatever is left you can burn the winter after.

 

[PapaDave]

I'm thinking like Grisu on this one.
If you always put up more than you need, it really isn't a big deal.
Do whatever you need to do to make that happen on a yearly basis, and burning wood gets much easier.
Thought for sure we'd be blowing into a good bit of the Oak I have in the shed for next year. I have used a little of that, but don't think we'll need much more of it.
So, having said all that, I'm guesstimating I've used the equivalent of close to another full cord (nat. gas furnace).
That would be about 20% more than usual.

 

[Jags]

15-20% more of both wood and LP is what I am guessing for me.

 

[weatherguy]

15-20% more of both wood and LP is what I am guessing for me.

Which is about a cord for most of us, that's in line what I estimate I used this year,5 instead of the usual 4. Course the year before that I think I used 3 1/2. So I'll go with the Grisu method, stack as much as I can.

 

[begreen]

Wowser, that is 25% more consumption. This should be the summer of sealing and insulation too.

 

[ailanthus]

All things considered (wood quality, etc), I think I'll be up about 25% more wood than the past couple of years.

 

[Bobbin]

I would say we're up 15-20% with respect to wood consumption. I will be able to fill the wood boxes 1 or 2 times before exhausting this season's wood supply. That's a tad lower than what the nice ladies at the oil company said about fuel increases this year. They commented that several of their customers have used 25-30% more oil and propane than last year.

That speaks to the necessity of insulating and sealing homes in a meaningful way. Maine has some of the oldest housing stock in the country and one (if not the) oldest population in the country. On a personal level I've had a lot of inquiries about insulated window treatments (particularly inside mount Roman shades). We have to replace our boiler this spring (if spring ever arrives) and along with that we'll convert the 5 thermostats to programmable units. I can't even imagine the cost of keeping a big old farmhouse with 1 or 2 heating zones at a comfortable level esp. if it's on a fixed income...