Surprising Math

[lumbering on]

I just did some rough calculations.

At the going rate of $200 per cord:

My 12 free cords saved me $2400.

And it cost me $4000 in oil last year to heat the house.

If the 12 cords last me 3 years, that's up to $12,000 in oil savings.

For a total savings of $15,000.

I have near $15,000 sitting in my yard right now.



Anyone else add up their savings?

 

[StuckInTheMuck]

I don't understand the math.. How does 12k turn into 15k? You can't add the 12k to the 2.4k and come up with your total savings. Looks like you're just saving 12k.. That is of course if you didn't have any expense to process your firewood and don't burn a drop of oil. I would think that your savings (at current heating oil prices) would be more like 10-11k. Still not bad. Depending on the efficiencies of your boiler and wood stove as well as the price of oil, each cord of wood would be worth about $500-600 in savings (at current heating oil prices). Just some bar napkin math..

 

[Coal Reaper]

Total savings=oil savings - wood cost=$9600. I think you both were at the bar too late!

 

[pyroholic]

Wood was free, I'm sticking with 10-11K on my bar napkin.

 

[ScotO]

what if you get "paid" to gather your firewood? Adds a whole other factor to the equation, eh?

 

[fespo]

Even free wood cost you $$$$$$$$$$$. Gas, oil, saws, etc... I get my delivered to my dad house for free, then I have to cut it and split it, then truck it my house, then stack it. What does your free time cost you? Yes wood does save you money, yet it still cost. This is on my kitchen napkin.

 

[StuckInTheMuck]

what if you get "paid" to gather your firewood? Adds a whole other factor to the equation, eh?

Nope.. Inevitably, you end up surrendering any extra cash at your local watering hole. And then of course you're in the hole for whatever hangover recovery remedy you self prescribe... It all works out in the end.

 

[ScotO]

Nope.. Inevitably, you end up surrendering any extra cash at your local watering hole. And then of course you're in the hole for whatever hangover recovery remedy you self prescribe... It all works out in the end.

Dammit you got a point......let me write that on my napkin here at the bar.....

 

[StuckInTheMuck]

Dammit you got a point......let me write that on my napkin here at the bar.....

それは日本では午後9時ですので、あなたは私よりも良い人です。

 

[ScotO]

それは日本では午後9時ですので、あなたは私よりも良い人です。

 

[StuckInTheMuck]

http://translate.google.com/?tl=ja#auto/en/

 

[bmblank]

I'm still thinking $200/cord is crazy.

 

[Ashful]

I figure each cord of wood saves me $700 in oil. This is based on actual tracking of wood and oil usage. I get my wood for "free", and before anyone points out fuel and equipment costs, realize that this is saving me the cost of a gym membership and that I enjoy collecting and processing the wood!

I have two 3.0 cu.ft. Stoves, so I could rip thru 6-8 cords per year, but I've only budgeted stacking space for three years at 5.5 cords per year. We'll see how that works out...

 

[lumbering on]

To buy a cord here, the going rate is $200. So if I got 12 cords for free, that's $2400 I didn't have to spend.

And if the 12 cords last 3 years, and I don't burn any oil for 3 years, that's $12,000 I didn't have to spend.

So $12,000 in oil savings. Also, $2400 I didn't have to spend on wood to replace the oil. $14,500.

But I'll give you that I might burn $1,000 worth of oil per year. So I'll adjust down to $3,000 per year X 3 years=$9,000 plus the wood savings of $2400.

Either way that's over $10,000 sitting there.

And I don't use a chain saw, I pick up all wood on my way home from work, so minimum gas money spent, and I do this for exercise each night, so I'm also saving in gym membership and no wasted free time.

I'll even throw in the cost of medical bills when I reverse my type II diabetes and cholesterol issues from daily exercise.

Of course the savings may be offset from the fines from the village for having a hoarders wood dump on my front lawn and of course the divorce attorney and child support if I don't get my habit under control...

 

[Jacktheknife]

Fuel, oil mix, bar oil, chain sharpening supplies/costs, chains, bars, saws, saw cases, work gloves, hearing protection, eye protection, leg protection, work clothes, truck fuel, truck insurance, truck registration, trailer registration, building materials for things like saw bucks, stock racks, ramps, or row covers, splitting maul, wedges, sledge hammer, gas powered splitter, splitter glass, ash vac, wood stove, chimney and stovepipe, chimney and stove pipe accessories, chimney brush, glass cleaner, lighter or matches, creosote powders and bricks.

Have you or will you purchase any of the above? The all count against your savings. I am sure I missed quote a bit.

 

[lumbering on]

Have you or will you purchase any of the above? The all count against your savings. I am sure I missed quote a bit.

Stove's a one time expense (or 2 time expense in my case). But I think I'm still ahead.

 

[Jacktheknife]

Stove's a one time expense (or 2 time expense in my case). But I think I'm still ahead.

Yep, but you have to recoup the cost before you can start counting savings,

Ash bucket, outdoor ash can, coal saver, kettle humidifier, fire extinguisher, emergency chimney fire chemicals, fire brick, wall brick, hearth stones, "Woodcutter Parking Only" sign.

 

[lumbering on]

Yep, but you have to recoup the cost before you can start counting savings,

Ash bucket, outdoor ash can, coal saver, kettle humidifier, fire extinguisher, emergency chimney fire chemicals, fire brick, wall brick, hearth stones, "Woodcutter Parking Only" sign.

Veterinary bills for pet beaver...

 

[Jacktheknife]

Veterinary bills for pet beaver...

You only have to count that if you wouldn't have the pet beaver if you were't burning wood, or if it is the direct result of wood cutting. Did you drop a tree on your beaver?

 

[lumbering on]

You only have to count that if you wouldn't have the pet beaver if you were't burning wood, or if it is the direct result of wood cutting. Did you drop a tree on your beaver?

The beaver does all the tree felling around here.

Actually he's been spending too much time on hearth.com recently to get any real work done.

I think he's responsible for the fuzzy math above.

 

[Jacktheknife]

The beaver does all the tree felling around here.

Actually he's been spending too much time on hearth.com recently to get any real work done.

I think he's responsible for the fuzzy math above.

View attachment 107080

Looks like you might have to add PC water damage to the list.

 

[PapaDave]

It works for some and less so for others. Very hard to compare apples to 2x4's. Too many variables.
Oh man, I didn't even think about the sign. Puts me way over the top. I should stop burning.
Dang it.

 

[PapaDave]

Yep, but you have to recoup the cost before you can start counting savings,

No need to recoup the cost in a year, or even 3. Most stoves should last 20 years or more.

 

[Gark]

Shoot, folks - my wife says that we save "maybe a couple hundred bucks" on propane after figuring gas, oil, time, etc. Her degree is in theater, not in math. So I tend to ignore and disagree with her calculations about savings. She is amazingly smart and accurate about most other subjects though. I figure we save, oh, about a million per year. I failed math in school miserably.

 

[PapaDave]

I figure we save, oh, about a million per year.

Pretty much the same here.