Just for fun let's see what everyone thinks they will burn this year. Should be more of a real winter this year so I am guessing ill run about 2.5 cords. Ill bump this thread again come spring.
Call your shot on wood use
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I don't know...
I have 6.5 face cord of mostly oak available. Minimum of 4 years old. And an emergency stack of 1.3 face cord of fir or spruce .
Most is 17.5ish inch long, so that's 2.4 cords of the oak and 0.45 cord of the spruce.
So I hope it's not more than that.
I do use my solar electrons in a mini split when it's not below 40-45 for a full 24 hrs so generally my burning doesn't start early and won't last late.
I have 6.5 face cord of mostly oak available. Minimum of 4 years old. And an emergency stack of 1.3 face cord of fir or spruce .
Most is 17.5ish inch long, so that's 2.4 cords of the oak and 0.45 cord of the spruce.
So I hope it's not more than that.
I do use my solar electrons in a mini split when it's not below 40-45 for a full 24 hrs so generally my burning doesn't start early and won't last late.
Gearhead660
Minister of Fire
4.5 cord. Not including the shop. I am thinking I will be out there more this winter, and I havent burned enough out there to have data to go from for average usage.
AsylumResident
Feeling the Heat
If I get things dialed in this year and we do in fact have a winter in Wisconsin, I would guess around 3 cord. This will be the first year of burning almost primarily ash so I'm not sure how much more of that I will burn compared to oak. Hopefully it burns well, I have ash for years to come.
should be similar; I see 24 vs 23.6 MBTU/cord - that's a difference that's hard to impossible to notice.
New stove this year, it's kinda advertised to use 30% less wood, but maybe I will keep the house 10% warmer, and now I'll have two stoves running sometimes and sometimes the one in the shed and a campfire...
(3x.7x1.1)+(second stove sometimes)=3.00... I reckon I'll still burn the 3 cords I usually burn...
Although I'm not counting campfire cause that's a cooking appliance and it eats uglies.
And I'll sweep the shed stove usage under the rug with shed/parts/maintenance costs cause the wife does not need to know any of those numbers, and it mostly eats uglies and pallets...
(3x.7x1.1)+(second stove sometimes)=3.00... I reckon I'll still burn the 3 cords I usually burn...
Although I'm not counting campfire cause that's a cooking appliance and it eats uglies.
And I'll sweep the shed stove usage under the rug with shed/parts/maintenance costs cause the wife does not need to know any of those numbers, and it mostly eats uglies and pallets...
Some things are best left unknown by the other half, lol.
Between the cabin, sauna and work shop I’m guessing 4 cords mix of Pine, Aspen and Oak. I have more in reserve if needed.
Been mild in Mass the last two winters. This year The Old Farmer’s Almanac says it will be a cold one. Large Acorn crop here so I agree winter will be colder. I used a cord last season. This season projecting using a cord and a 1/3. I have 4 cords total in a 3 year rotation.
So far my wood usage is down to zero. My Garn wood boiler started leaking again in August so I shut it down. I normally burn year around 10-15 cord of hardwood mostly hedge. Started looking it over and it was needing a complete rebuild so its gone and at this point I am boiler less. Probably not going to get anything bought and installed before winter. Back to heating domestic water with propane and furnace has kicked on a couple times the last couple mornings. Guess I better get some propane bought. I guess it serves my right for getting my wood put up this spring early. Now I don't need it.
Depends on how long before we move... I generally have 4 1/2 - 5 cord inside for here at home and usually use 4 - 4 1/2. In the Northwoods I have about 2 cord inside and expect to use most of it assuming we're moved by December... Northwoods is new construction with good insulation and sealing with natural gas forced air, so burning 24/7 for 5 months isn't as critical as here in SE WI with electric heat.
Usually we'll burn 3.12 cord (not face) of hardwood and 1.875 cord (not face) of shoulder season wood. If were talking face cord, we usually burn 10 face of hardwood and this year 6 face of shoulder season.
We didn't buy any bags of pellets this year so we'll see how much those numbers change.
We didn't buy any bags of pellets this year so we'll see how much those numbers change.
We put five full chords in, In a mild winter I burn 3.5 and in cold winters 4.5 always
have some in reserve just in case Another cord in the basement entrance
I just hate to have to use propane
have some in reserve just in case Another cord in the basement entrance
I just hate to have to use propane
Once it gets cold, I plan on it. Doubtful the wife will run the stove when I’m not here on my (2) 24 hour shifts per week.
We’ll see how much resistance I get in general
Going to use a different technique this year. going to try to let the house cool off before reloading as to not overheat the house and make the wife too hot and give her reason to complain. Even if it means letting the stove go out
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Our house is just too small for full time burning 24/7 until its obscenely cold so I also let it go out and spend a lot of time cold starting. I've gotten real good at making kindling, and spending the money on super cedars or any starter made the cold starts bearable.
I am working to insulate my rim joists in the (finished, stove-)basement. Given the drop ceiling that's there (and also is getting replaced), and the framed wall in front of the poured concrete that was not going up all the way to/through the floor joists above, but just stopped at the drop ceiling, it involves some framing to close off the top of the 7" space between the framed wall and the concrete. Long story to tell that I have been using my hand planer a bit again.
The curls one gets from that are great instead of super cedars (and better than chain saw noodles imo), and much cheaper.
Get a 2x4 and go to town with your hand planer, and you'll have all the starting material you need for under $5
Just a thought.
Not a bad idea, been toying with making my own as well, but with the hearth.com discount I like to support them and I have a family member who always gets me a pack for Christmas. Thankfully this year my wood is well below 20% as opposed to marginal like last year so it seems to need a lot less to get going so far.
Don't forget about these Free Pine cones. "Fire Cones". If you or a neighbor has white pines in the yard.
Same here. My wife and I found our small Vista can cook us out of our 1,800 sq ft Cape. We spread out our reloads unless it is single digits. Since we have a small firebox we don’t get an overnight burn so we do a cold start every morning.
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