Starting to burn less

[NH_Wood]

I'm sure some cold temps will return, but the past few days have been mild and the outlook for the next week or so calls from mild temps as well. Just began cutting back from 3 loads per day to a morning and night fire. House temps might be down to 65* at night before the bedtime fire, but that's okay. Last year at this time, I was not close to lowering the number of fires yet. Cheers!

 

[eclecticcottage]

We've been running night only fires lately. I cant get over how the Cottage retains heat. It drops FAST to @ 58-60 but then hold there. We'll have a few coals in the am, not relight, and come home and it's still @60. And we did that today and the VF was NOT on, so I don't think that's doing it. It's making me very happy this year with it being our first year, with typical first year burner wood.

 

[fishingpol]

Agreed, the cold air mass has receded back up to Canada. Neighbors daffodils are pushing up, bluebirds came into to check the nest box at work two weeks ago and I saw a flock of robins today. I did not see any overwintering ones this year. I've had only about 2 fires in the last week. Temperature projections are mid forties all next week.

 

[pen]

Still having at least 2 fires a day here, usually 3 just haven't put a full load in the stove in a week. And it was probably a week or more before that since it saw another full load.

It's looking like I'll burn about 2 cord less wood than normal this winter. Amazing.

pen

 

[jharkin]

We might be done here. Daytime highs in the mid to high 40s and a a couple of 50+ for the rest of the 10 day. Unless we have a freak cold March its likely to stay like that.

 

[BrotherBart]

Just lit the stove for the evening. I ain't even gonna see a sixty degree house on my watch. The snow isn't supposed to start until around sunrise in the morning.

Not putting up with a cold house and not having another heat source our wood consumption doesn't vary much mild winter or cold winter.

 

[corey21]

I have not been burning much here lately.

Big snowstorm on the way they are calling for up to a foot of snow here.

 

[NH_Wood]

Just lit the stove for the evening. I ain't even gonna see a sixty degree house on my watch. The snow isn't supposed to start until around sunrise in the morning.

Not putting up with a cold house and not having another heat source our wood consumption doesn't vary much mild winter or cold winter.

I hear you BB - even with the relatively mild winter, I'll still burn about 4.5 cord, rather than 5 cord - perhaps a little more - not a huge savings in wood. I also only use wood to heat a big space (3000sqft), so I need to burn a reasonable amount to keep the plan warm on even milder days. I don't mind letting the house get into the mid-60's if it's mild and I know a single hot fire will get me back into the 70's - no big deal and can save a load of wood. Over a lot of days, this adds up to a lot of wood saved. Cheers!

 

[NH_Wood]

We might be done here. Daytime highs in the mid to high 40s and a a couple of 50+ for the rest of the 10 day. Unless we have a freak cold March its likely to stay like that.

By 'done' do you mean you'll just burn oil, etc., rather than wood? You don't mean done with heat, do you? Cheers!

 

[BrotherBart]

Just lit the stove for the evening. I ain't even gonna see a sixty degree house on my watch. The snow isn't supposed to start until around sunrise in the morning.

Not putting up with a cold house and not having another heat source our wood consumption doesn't vary much mild winter or cold winter.

I hear you BB - even with the relatively mild winter, I'll still burn about 4.5 cord, rather than 5 cord - perhaps a little more - not a huge savings in wood. I also only use wood to heat a big space (3000sqft), so I need to burn a reasonable amount to keep the plan warm on even milder days. I don't mind letting the house get into the mid-60's if it's mild and I know a single hot fire will get me back into the 70's - no big deal and can save a load of wood. Over a lot of days, this adds up to a lot of wood saved. Cheers!

2,500 sq. feet with not one south facing window in the joint and surrounded by trees. Pretty much calls for some heating every day of winter. Shoulder seasons and mild winters pretty much being wood burner's hell and great for business for Thomas at Super Cedars.

 

[eclecticcottage]

Just lit the stove for the evening. I ain't even gonna see a sixty degree house on my watch. The snow isn't supposed to start until around sunrise in the morning.

Not putting up with a cold house and not having another heat source our wood consumption doesn't vary much mild winter or cold winter.

I prefer it cooler to sleep, and it doesn't need to be too warm when we're not home-the dog hate the stove so she's happy when it's @60 in here. It only takes @ an hour to get it back to 70 from 60 when we get home. I might run fires unless it's 40/45 next season when we have more good wood to burn, but for now I'm good with this. Then again, next season might be all 10 degree days!

 

[BrotherBart]

We all does it the way we need to does it. I used to love sleeping with a pile of blankets or a comforter. The last few years sleeping under a sheet in winter is my preferred mode.

 

[jharkin]

We might be done here. Daytime highs in the mid to high 40s and a a couple of 50+ for the rest of the 10 day. Unless we have a freak cold March its likely to stay like that.

By 'done' do you mean you'll just burn oil, etc., rather than wood? You don't mean done with heat, do you? Cheers!

Done just means done with wood.... Our central heating system is natural gas. Gas is ridiculously cheap this year. The house is small, and we have good southern exposure and get a lot of solar gain. When its in the high 40s and sunny out my living room will hit 72F mid afternoon with the heat off. On a day like today the gas might not kick in at all till well after sunset. In this weather using the gas wont cost us more than $100 a month. Just not worth the effort with the wood to light a lot of small fires and deal with large temp swings.

Right now its 40F at 8:30pm. If I lit the stove it would probably hit 80 in here. Too hot for my blood.

 

[rdust]

Done just means done with wood.... Our central heating system is natural gas. Gas is ridiculously cheap this year.

If I had natural gas I don't know that I would've ever looked to wood for heat. Now that I use it and love the heat if I ever moved to a house with natural gas I would still heat with wood.

 

[jharkin]

I grew up with a stove so I'll still use it no mater how cheap the alternative is. Plus I like the feeling of self sufficiency and locally sourced heat. Gas just gives you the luxury to not have to deal with the extra work of shoulder season.

And who knows there may come the day when gas is again the "expensive" option.

 

[eclecticcottage]

Done just means done with wood.... Our central heating system is natural gas. Gas is ridiculously cheap this year.

If I had natural gas I don't know that I would've ever looked to wood for heat. Now that I use it and love the heat if I ever moved to a house with natural gas I would still heat with wood.

The Old House sucks to heat with NG, I tried for years to find a place to put in a wood burner. We pay @ $300 month to heat 800 sq ft, and it has new windows and blown in insulation in the walls (and it NEVER feels WARM in there). I'm pretty sure it's caused in good part by being set on piers, but I don't really care why. I'm just happy as heck to heat the Cottage with wood and finally feel WARM.

 

[WoodpileOCD]

Agreed, the cold air mass has receded back up to Canada. Neighbors daffodils are pushing up, bluebirds came into to check the nest box at work two weeks ago and I saw a flock of robins today. I did not see any overwintering ones this year. I've had only about 2 fires in the last week. Temperature projections are mid forties all next week.

Pushing up?? Ours were blooming in mid Jan and now some of them in my yard have already faded. There are cherry tree blossoms everywhere and the forsythia bushes are out. Damnedest winter or non-winter I've ever seen. Helps with my get ahead 3 years wood plan though.

 

[NH_Wood]

We might be done here. Daytime highs in the mid to high 40s and a a couple of 50+ for the rest of the 10 day. Unless we have a freak cold March its likely to stay like that.

By 'done' do you mean you'll just burn oil, etc., rather than wood? You don't mean done with heat, do you? Cheers!

Done just means done with wood.... Our central heating system is natural gas. Gas is ridiculously cheap this year. The house is small, and we have good southern exposure and get a lot of solar gain. When its in the high 40s and sunny out my living room will hit 72F mid afternoon with the heat off. On a day like today the gas might not kick in at all till well after sunset. In this weather using the gas wont cost us more than $100 a month. Just not worth the effort with the wood to light a lot of small fires and deal with large temp swings.

Right now its 40F at 8:30pm. If I lit the stove it would probably hit 80 in here. Too hot for my blood.

Got it! Cheers!

 

[fishingpol]

Agreed, the cold air mass has receded back up to Canada. Neighbors daffodils are pushing up, bluebirds came into to check the nest box at work two weeks ago and I saw a flock of robins today. I did not see any overwintering ones this year. I've had only about 2 fires in the last week. Temperature projections are mid forties all next week.

Pushing up?? Ours were blooming in mid Jan and now some of them in my yard have already faded. There are cherry tree blossoms everywhere and the forsythia bushes are out. Damnedest winter or non-winter I've ever seen. Helps with my get ahead 3 years wood plan though.

Daffodils coming up in February is rare around here. They are up before the Crocuses which are the first bloomers. Were are usually still under a snow cover. We are quite a bit north of you. I'm usually still ice fishing in Feb.

 

[Hass]

!! I was thinking about how cold it's been, so I figured I'd check the weather after you 40s...
Supposed to have 50 on tues, then mid 40s all week! wow.

 

[Woody Stover]

Just lit the stove for the evening. I ain't even gonna see a sixty degree house on my watch.

Amen, Brother. I've gotten real used to 70. I imagine the stove will be burning for a couple more months yet. But with the Fireview and the small house, fewer/smaller fires have cut my wood usage in half this season.

 

[jimbom]

Heating degree days to date 3032. Thirty year average to date 3522. The magnolia tree had two flowers second week of Feb until two nights of single digit lows. It has decided to wait to bloom. At the end of the season we will have burned two cords. Would have been much less had I been a quicker learner in the fall. But this was my first winter completely on wood in decades. Next year if we have a normal or colder winter, two cords will still be good. Love this stove.

 

[Todd]

Lately I've gone to burning 1 stove on a 12 hour burn schedule. I can really start to feel more strength from the sun and can open up my 3 seasons porch on sunny days.

 

[begreen]

38 this morning. The beast has a bellyful and is warming up the house.

 

[mfglickman]

Done just means done with wood.... Our central heating system is natural gas. Gas is ridiculously cheap this year.

If I had natural gas I don't know that I would've ever looked to wood for heat. Now that I use it and love the heat if I ever moved to a house with natural gas I would still heat with wood.

This is me, exactly. My old house had steam radiators, 4 zones, natural gas. It was a nice, gentle, quiet heat and there were no fireplaces or spots to situate a stove (1880's stick Victorian, very simple and very small high ceilinged rooms). This "new" antique cape drove me to seeking alternative sources due to absurd oil bills (absurd being 1/2 of my monthly mortgage payment AND we were cold, keeping the tstat around 58-60). Now I"m so glad, DH and I are having fun playing the game, learning about wood, trying to scrounge, planning ahead and being pleased at no longer being dependent on the grid for our heat.

Next up - solar panels? LOL. We've got a big barn, with both flat and pitched roofs, in the sun and south facing...hmmm...


Mary