I may be at the end of my burning season

[area_man]

Two nights ago I let my stove go cold out of pure laziness. I set the thermostat to heat to 62*, put a fan in the basement blowing cold air up the stairs and set the ceiling fan upstairs on high. I will be gosh darned if the temp didn't stay at 68-66 all night long when it was 39 outside.

I have a couple of computers that run 24/7, a fridge, a water heater and a washer/dryer combo in the basement and a dishwasher upstairs that run last thing before bed. All of those appliances throw off heat so maybe that's where some of it came from. Still, I was really surprised that the whole house stayed comfortable all night and into the early morning when the sunshine warmed everything up again. Maybe the previous owners insulated the house very well.

Last week I kept the basement at about 80* with the upstairs at about 74* by going through 30-50# of wood. Frankly it was a little uncomfortable.

Unless things change I guess I'm done running through my wood for now.

 

[savageactor7]

Ours goes cold because we sleep through the time it needs to be reloaded. But I do uderstand your observation about homes holding heat despite cold conditions outside...I've often noted the very same thing.

 

[fire_man]

I always find it kind of sad when burning season winds down.

No more dragging in cord after cord of wood, no more chasing the dog around the house to drop my wood, no more cozy fires.

There is always next year to look forward to!

 

[Slow1]

I keep thinking we're winding down here but then the weekend comes and I have to bring in wood for the next week... I am down to one fire that goes cold each day for the most part though.

I have one full cord plus a bit more left over from the wood set aside for this year. I keep hoping I won't break into that last cord just because.

As to overnight temps - I have found that the house will hold quite a bit of heat as the walls etc slowly let their heat out. That may be part of what you were benefiting from overnight - in milder temps you don't lose as much and if you get decent solar gain during the day heating up the south side of your home (walls etc) that will make a big difference.

I do have mixed feelings here about winding up the season. I am a bit tired of pulling wood in, but I miss the radiant warmth when I sit here with a cold stove like now.

 

[mellow]

I just did use up the last of my good seasoned wood, I did use a bit more this year with the bigger stove, but the longer burn times made up for that.

This weekend I am putting away my wood holders on the porch and switching into spring landscaping mode. Bring out all the chairs and swings for the porch once again.

I am just going to let the heat pump work from here on out and deal with putting a blanket on at night.

 

[begreen]

Haven't had a fire for several days now. Looks like it's going to be nice through next Monday too. Spring is definitely here. I've already mowed the lawn three times. Nice to have it arrive on time this year. Last year we were still heating with the stove in late May.

 

[mithesaint]

Haven't had a fire for several days now. Looks like it's going to be nice through next Monday too. Spring is definitely here. I've already mowed the lawn three times. Nice to have it arrive on time this year. Last year we were still heating with the stove in late May.

Wow. Three times? I know it's a completely different geographic area, but my grass is still brown. Not gonna mow for at least a few weeks yet.

 

[savageactor7]

btw we're burning willow in the daytime now, 40* and all.

The burning season is ending at a good time for us. The wood tent I erected was half collapsed due to a 50+ wind we had here a month ago.

Luckily there was still enough room I could squat down and a roll in with a wheelbarrow but 2 days ago it finally layed flat.

Not really a show stopper cause we have 20-30 days of splits in the wood shed. the things is last fall I was patting myself on the back that this was the best wind resistant wood tent we ever erected. ('pride cometh before the fall')

It was so wind resistant that the covered 'A' frame lifted clean out of the ground. Oh well next year I have some dead men for anchors...see how that works out.

 

[Seanm]

I came close to not having a fire the other night since we didnt get home from work until 8pm. I got all twitchy so I broke down and built one but it would have been the first day all season that I didnt make a fire. Our average low for this time of year is -5 c so I will be burning for awhile yet but its shoulder season for sure!

 

[firebroad]

I am about out of this years wood. Rather than dip into next years, I have resorted to burning oil sparingly during the week while I am away at work, and saving wood for weekends. This weekend will be my last load. I refuse to pilfer my own piles.

 

[Nick Mystic]

As many of you know I just got my new Jotul F 600 woodstove about a month ago, so I've been pleased that the cold weather hung on as long as it has so I could get a chance to get to know the new stove. We live in a log home and have a huge fireplace chimney that stores a ton of heat that it releases slowly after the stove dies down. I've been shooting the chimney with my IR after I've had a fire going for a few hours and the bricks between the stove and the mantel get up near 200 F. Even the back side of the chimney (which is four feet thick) I'm getting IR readings in the mid to upper 80s.

 

[firebroad]

As many of you know I just got my new Jotul F 600 woodstove about a month ago, so I've been pleased that the cold weather hung on as long as it has so I could get a chance to get to know the new stove. We live in a log home and have a huge fireplace chimney that stores a ton of heat that it releases slowly after the stove dies down. I've been shooting the chimney with my IR after I've had a fire going for a few hours and the bricks between the stove and the mantel get up near 200 F. Even the back side of the chimney (which is four feet thick) I'm getting IR readings in the mid to upper 80s. View attachment 98130

WoW, that is some fireplace ya got there. Nice painting, too.

 

[Augie]

Im close as well, Have a bit of wood left but it is much easier to let the house cool a bit at night and then the sun can heat her up....

 

[Nick Mystic]

Yes, the chimney is really massive. It goes down another full story and then above the roof about five feet at the ridge. The owner who built the house before I purchased it in 2001 told me there were over 6000 bricks in the chimney! It contains three clay tile flues - one for the stove you see in the photo, which I put a 6" SS liner in when I installed the Jotul F 600, a Woodstock Classic in the lower level of the house that uses an 8"x11" clay tile flue, and another flue the same size that has an antique cooking stove connected to it, which we don't use except for decorative purposes. Between the 8" thick log walls and the chimney the house radiates a lot of heat back once you get it all heated up.

 

[weatherguy]

Beautiful Nick
Ive been running mine on low with the blower off and it keeps the house just right during the day, after dark I load it on low but put the blower on.

 

[northwinds]

Winter isn't over for some of us. I'm looking forward to seeing brown grass. Still lots of snow to be melted. I am down to two fires per day.

 

[etiger2007]

I have had one or two fires in the last week, I raked the yard today and I am so glad spring has sprung, it was a long winter of being inside. I am moving all my wood to the other side of the property because it will get more sun and wind.

 

[lopiliberty]

Its sad winter is almost over Down to one fire every evening, almost time to go into wood burner withdraws Because I had the yard professionally fertilized 4 times last year I to will probably be mowing sometime next week and three time a week probably until June, after ALOT of raking and cleaning up a ton of gravel in my front yard the WVDOH put on the road this winter. Spring and summer bring TOO much work

 

[BrotherBart]

Wish winter would go away. I am tired of wood burning by December every year. Been paying the electric guy for two days but night temps go back in the twenties tomorrow night so the 30 will come back to life for a few days. Damnit.

Been a long one. Little over a half cord more than usual burned this year so far.

Yeah, I know it is cold in Alaska. The reason I don't live in Alaska.

 

[mellow]

Well the wood season is officially over for me, wood racks have been taken down and the kidco gate has been taken down around the insert.

Nice to have that space back and no fan noise. The hair on the back of my neck still stands up when I hear the heat pump kick on at night but I just keep telling myself warm weather is around the corner.

 

[Oldhippie]

I do have mixed feelings here about winding up the season. I am a bit tired of pulling wood in, but I miss the radiant warmth when I sit here with a cold stove like now.

Yep... I've got that same feeling. It's a nice day here in New England today. It's 46 right now on the central Ma/NH border, and will warm towards 60. But this afternoon will wet and windy and we're in for two days of cold temps in the low 30s.

I have already had to tap what I hoped to have set aside for next year.. but have only used 1/2 a tank of oil.. so it's all okay, I just won't have as good a stash for next season.

But I won't/don't miss the 24X7 burning at all. Even though it's a pain to restart the stove frequently. Luckily I still have over 1/2 a 70-box of SuperCedars.

 

[MishMouse]

I tried to only go to burning a fire at night using the sun to heat the house during the day.
But, due to poorer quality wood, lower temps at night (single digits), and cloudy during the day I was unable to properly heat the house.
Yesterday it stayed in the 30's with a strong wind and a few snow flurries.
Due to a few snow storms my wood got burried under 2 feet snow, we got some melting and now the wood got very wet especially the wood on the outside rows which I am now working on. Hopefully Spring will show its hand soon or I may jsut have to bite the bullet and let the propain take care of my heating.

 

[weatherguy]

Ive been throwing in a couple of big cookies in the morning to warm up then turn it down low for the remainder of the day since its been breaking 50, at night I have some nice coals to get another fire going. Like Oldhippie said a couple days of 30's coming in but looks like 20's or so at night for a while.

 

[firefighterjake]

Down to a morning and evening fire now . . . and I don't mind a bit.

 

[Slow1]

Well, was doing one fire a day, now it cooled down a bit. I built a smaller fire this AM planning to do the same again this evening, then the wife fed the stove anyway... I ask her if she was cold and she said "no, I just like it" she even went on to comment that her being afraid to touch the stove might have worked out better for me in the long run, ha!

Guess we'll have a warmer house for a while whatever I plan to do - glad I have enough good wood to do it. Will have to keep that in mind this year once summer hits (my wood gathering/processing time) and perhaps exceed my burn for last year in anticipation that she'll be feeding the stove even more next year.