All fired up and out of the basement

[KarynAnne]

I want to thank you guys for all of your advice/help during my first wood burning winter last year. I had the usual newbie problems:
1 - Poor quality wood but not knowing it.
2 - Being sure that I could figure out a way to be cozy on the middle floor if the stove was in the basement.

The oil burner did not turn on last winter (mission accomplished) but I froze my *#&%@ tushie off.

But this year - I ignored ppl who said that moving the Jotul Oslo to the living room on the middle floor instead of the basement would run us out of the house, heatwise. I also bought my fabulous husband a lot of boxes of Corona to accomplish the move from basement to middle floor.

Long story short, this year the wood is good quality. We finally (FINALLY) got the Oslo hooked up in the living room (yes, it's done right). So yesterday afternoon we turn on a football game, light that baby for the first time this year and AHHHHHHHHHHHH. I'm in love, and my husband isn't bad either.

Life is good in New Hampshire.

 

[DriftWood]

What is that old saying? "You feeling a little cool? Well at night you keep a good friend close to you, otherwise you keep that wood stove even closer, loaded and hot!"

 

[begreen]

Yay, awesome KarynAnne. Sounds like you're falling in love all over again. Keep us up to date with winter burning and post a shot in the Perfect Pictures.

BTW, when it gets very cold, be sure to still have enough heat in the basement to avoid pipe freeze up. A remote digital thermometer with a temp alarm might be a good idea if this is a possibility.

 

[WarmGuy]

It's also good if the husband is loaded and hot.

 

[KarynAnne]

Husband is definately hot.

As for pipe freeze - we're going to keep an eye on that. Corona man is going to heat tape the exposed pipes in the laudry room, insulate walls that are still showing, stuff pink stuff between joists, etc. I'm down there every day with laundry and fetching wood from the cave so I can keep an eye on the digital thermometer. It's chilly, but I'm tougher than I look. Haha. The basement is 3 sided underground with prevailing wind side underground. Almost all of the walls on the exposed side are finished. Actually the exposed side is partially underground. We really should replace the walkout door...we'll he's done enough this fall. He can wait til next spring.

 

[begreen]

Sounds like you are going to have a great winter. Perhaps a small electric heater in the laundry room will suffice. You could hang an insulating curtain over the doorway as an alternative.

 

[wg_bent]

Great to hear. I'm so glad that you got back to let us all know how it's going. Good to hear happiness.