Well, we're MOST of the way through our first winter with the fireview, and we've been comparing last year's bills with this year's. Of course, the comparison isn't perfect because weather varies and I believe gas prices went down a bit this year, but here's how it breaks down so far:
Nov-Dec bill: $366 last year, $157 this year.
Dec-Jan bill: $465 last year, $230 this year.
Jan-Feb bill: $467 last year, $165.65 this year.
Total savings in three months: approximately $747.
Now some background information to factor in:
—Our house is an 80-year-old brick house with new windows but no insulation in the walls and not a lot in the attic.
—It is a 2-story house with a central chimney but not really an open floor plan, and the back and upstairs were pretty chilly at times
—We tried to minimize furnace usage but did turn it up a bit to knock of the chill in the morning. The highest we keep the stat is 65º, and it is in the same room as the stove (although I think it reads cold because it's on a basement adjoining wall)
—This being my first year, I didn't have as much wood as I would have liked, and what I did have was marginal in dryness—probably averaged in the upper 20s on moisture content, maybe higher
—On the other hand, most of my wood was high-density stuff—hickory, black locust, osage orange, mulberry, a bit of cherry and some oak.... oh, and some chinese elm and semi punky silver maple.
—On average, we didn't stay warmer this year than last (unless we were in the room with the stove), but we did save a lot of dough.
My wife is duly impressed.
I'm about out of the wood I was going to use this year, and I'm debating on whether to buy a 1-ton load, but first, I'd have to vet some of the guys who sell it around here.
I must say I am thrilled to hear about Woodstock's new, bigger stove and am already scheming how I can upgrade to it.
Nov-Dec bill: $366 last year, $157 this year.
Dec-Jan bill: $465 last year, $230 this year.
Jan-Feb bill: $467 last year, $165.65 this year.
Total savings in three months: approximately $747.
Now some background information to factor in:
—Our house is an 80-year-old brick house with new windows but no insulation in the walls and not a lot in the attic.
—It is a 2-story house with a central chimney but not really an open floor plan, and the back and upstairs were pretty chilly at times
—We tried to minimize furnace usage but did turn it up a bit to knock of the chill in the morning. The highest we keep the stat is 65º, and it is in the same room as the stove (although I think it reads cold because it's on a basement adjoining wall)
—This being my first year, I didn't have as much wood as I would have liked, and what I did have was marginal in dryness—probably averaged in the upper 20s on moisture content, maybe higher
—On the other hand, most of my wood was high-density stuff—hickory, black locust, osage orange, mulberry, a bit of cherry and some oak.... oh, and some chinese elm and semi punky silver maple.
—On average, we didn't stay warmer this year than last (unless we were in the room with the stove), but we did save a lot of dough.
My wife is duly impressed.
I'm about out of the wood I was going to use this year, and I'm debating on whether to buy a 1-ton load, but first, I'd have to vet some of the guys who sell it around here.
I must say I am thrilled to hear about Woodstock's new, bigger stove and am already scheming how I can upgrade to it.