Theoretical question about heatin cost.

[sgt7546]

A question that makes my head hurt a little:

Say the outside temperature is 20F, my insert is able to get the house to 60F, and my goal is to heat the house to 68F.
The furnace will kick on, heat the remaining 8 degrees, and then cycle to maintain that temperature.
My understanding (and I could be wrong) is that the amount that a furnace cycles is effected by heat loss and that heat loss is relative
to the difference of the inside and outside temperature. In other words your furnace will run less when the outside temperature is 65F vs. 10F.

My question is since my insert will not be able to heat the house on its own, and the furnace will be actively cycling to maintain my desired temperature, will burning wood really save anything?

 

[Rockey]

Burning wood will definitely help.It takes X amount of BTU's to heat your house. The more BTU's you supply from your wood burning is the less you need from the furnace. Think of it this way. Your out with your buddies and and having a good time. If it takes you 12 beers to have a good night and your buddies buy 1 of every 4 beers you drink, then you just saved 25%.

 

[HotCoals]

The house will cool slower with the stove going.

 

[nola mike]

Or you can think of it as the stove heats the house to 60', so the furnace is working as if the outside temp was 60' instead of 25' or whatever.

 

[robertmcw]

Last year I got a Kozy Grate Heater. Before we just used the fireplace and propane.

Last year, we saved about $30.00 - $40.00 a month using the gate over the fireplace only. I would set the thermostat and when we it got too cold for the fire only, it would kick in. It used a LOT of wood but I can cut my wood. This year I got an insert. We can’t tell you want the bill is yet – this year is really not cold, yet. I can say that I set the thermostat on 68 and using the insert, it as not kicked in yet. Now I need to learn how to do an over night burn and how to keep the glass clean.

Robert

 

[HotCoals]

Don't stress over the glass.
Most of us have that problem.just some won't admit it...lol.

 

[heatwise]

It should cut down on the amount of times your furnace runs between cycles and also take some of the wear and tear from your system as well . Good luck and enjoy the heat it gives off. Pete

 

[billb3]

If you shut your little wood furnace off then the big furnace will have to run longer and more often to make up for it.
There should be times on some warmer days that the big furnace doesn't run at all.

 

[firefighterjake]

Burning wood will definitely help.It takes X amount of BTU's to heat your house. The more BTU's you supply from your wood burning is the less you need from the furnace. Think of it this way. Your out with your buddies and and having a good time. If it takes you 12 beers to have a good night and your buddies buy 1 of every 4 beers you drink, then you just saved 25%.

But what if I'm a light-weight and get a little tipsy with just three Woodchuck ciders?

For the record, I agree . . . even if a woodstove cannot supply the entire heating needs for a home, it should in theory help cut down on the costs.

 

[firefighterjake]

Last year I got a Kozy Grate Heater. Before we just used the fireplace and propane.

Last year, we saved about $30.00 - $40.00 a month using the gate over the fireplace only. I would set the thermostat and when we it got too cold for the fire only, it would kick in. It used a LOT of wood but I can cut my wood. This year I got an insert. We can’t tell you want the bill is yet – this year is really not cold, yet. I can say that I set the thermostat on 68 and using the insert, it as not kicked in yet. Now I need to learn how to do an over night burn and how to keep the glass clean.

Robert

There should be many threads on overnight fires and keeping the glass clean . . . but here's the Cliff Note version.

Overnight Fires: Large splits and rounds. Many folks position a small to medium sized split at the front where the air comes in . . . larger wood in the back. Denser tree species such as oak, locust, osage, hickory, etc. do best. It also helps to have the fire going for a bit vs. lighting the first fire for the evening and expecting this one to carry you through the entire night. Get the fire up to temp and cut back on the air to the point where the secondaries are maintained . . . of course the real cat's meow when it comes to long burns are the stoves with catalytic combustors . . . barring that . . . bigger is better (in terms of firebox size.)

Keeping the glass clean: Burn at the proper temps (this is where thermometers help), burn seasoned wood and regulate your air appropriately -- too little air and you will suffocate the fire and cause the glass to blacken up. As for cleaning . . . there are many commericial cleaners, but perhaps the simplest and easiest way to clean the glass is to use damp newspaper . . . if the black is really stubborn and will not come off with just the damp newspaper you can dip it in the ash and it should scrub clean.

 

[katwillny]

Burning wood will definitely help.It takes X amount of BTU's to heat your house. The more BTU's you supply from your wood burning is the less you need from the furnace. Think of it this way. Your out with your buddies and and having a good time. If it takes you 12 beers to have a good night and your buddies buy 1 of every 4 beers you drink, then you just saved 25%.

Rockey, I was having a hard time understanding your answer but as soon as you used the beer analogy I immediately understood what you meant. Matter of fact, i am going to go get me a beer right now. :ahhh:

 

[Battenkiller]

Think of it this way. Your out with your buddies and and having a good time. If it takes you 12 beers to have a good night and your buddies buy 1 of every 4 beers you drink, then you just saved 25%.

Very good! Except if my buddies bought every 4th beer, I'd just buy more because I had more money. I'd end up getting drunker... but with all my money gone as it always is.

Same thing works with stoves. The tendency is to like it warmer once you have a stove. 76º becomes the new 68º, so the furnace will have to chip in more to get it up there. Financially, it's a wash. ;-)