Tried a new compressed-sawdust briquette product - "Eco Energy" Fuel Blocks

[MarkinNC]

In my climate with my house, I save about $5-$6 a day by not running the heat pump. To be fair, the house is much warmer with wood heat, I would save even more if using the heat pump to heat to an average of 73 (like with the stove). I can see using more than $180 worth of those bricks pretty quick and actually costing more than electricity for me.

On the other hand, I have friends and read posts on here also about folks with older houses that spends thousands of dollars annually to heat their homes. It may be cheaper for them. Like the other poster pointed out, I'll keep getting my fuel for the cost of bringing it home.

 

[fredarm]

I mix bricks and wood about 50/50. I can keep a ton of bricks in the garage, but I'd wouldn't feel comfortable keeping a cord of wood in there, plus a cord would take up more space. I store my wood in racks out side. I scrounge my wood so my net cost is maybe half of what it would be buying bricks only. I usually burn a ton of bricks and a cord of wood per winter.

 

[spirilis]

Yeah, for the most part I don't have a good place on my property to store cordwood (there's space in the backyard, but it's all on a hill), so my garage is my only option... Could do pellets, honestly I'm thinking about scoring a used pellet stove next year, but still the cost of a pellet stove on top of the fuel would require quite a few years to payoff vs. paying the premium for this stuff and using my existing woodstove. I was only thinking I'd stay in this house maybe ~5-8 years, but with the housing market the way it is who knows... I may have to think long-term now so a pellet stove may be worth the investment. FWIW that's how I rationalize paying for this stuff.
Oh yeah, and the convenience factor/guaranteed to be dry and seasoned as I stated in the first post of this thread But no if I had a flat backyard I'd probably have stuffed it full of oak cords when I bought the house and this would be the last year burning the bricks since the oak would be seasoned... Just didn't work out that way.

 

[ScotO]

don't get me wrong fellas, I am not bashing anybody for using these engineered firewood products (as a matter of fact I think it is a great way to recycle), my main complaint is the cost of the stuff, considering at one time it was all waste.....kinda like one of my favorite bar foods, hot wings.......at one time they threw that part of the chicken out, now they sell for a premium!.....lol...

 

[spirilis]

Yeah, I agree, it's quite a premium they're charging for this stuff ... Capitalism at work though. Until the market for these bricks grows competitive like pellets the price ain't going anywhere (but up, I bet). Although it has been relatively steady the past 3 years now that I've used them (WoodBrickFuel, the one I found locally 3 years ago, went for a net of ~$300/ton delivered for the past 2 years)

The most direct competition is cordwood, but the bricks distinguish themselves by the cleanliness/convenience/dryness so they really carve out their own market. Just need more suppliers competing. Maybe that'll never happen though, since most folks will just trade the convenience and go with the cordwood.

 

[Danno77]

...plus I am assuming you have some sort of adhesive used in bonding those fuel bricks and pellets together...and we know that stuff isn't good to breath...

It's my understanding that the only adhesive or glue or whatever that they need is the natural lignin found in the wood cells (or however you spell that) that "works" when extreme pressure (and subsequently heat) is applied to the wood fibers.

At least that's how I've stored it in my brain, probably off on a few details, but the concept is there.

 

[spirilis]

...plus I am assuming you have some sort of adhesive used in bonding those fuel bricks and pellets together...and we know that stuff isn't good to breath...

It's my understanding that the only adhesive or glue or whatever that they need is the natural lignin found in the wood cells (or however you spell that) that "works" when extreme pressure (and subsequently heat) is applied to the wood fibers.

At least that's how I've stored it in my brain, probably of on a few details, but the concept is there.

That is correct, there is no glue/binder used. Just like pellets, exactly like them in fact. There's always a risk that some stuff got mixed in with the sawdust, and that would be the only real source of non-woodstuffs of concern. My neighbors always comment on how it smells so good outside when I'm burning though, so I think it's mostly wood :D

This is the company that makes the brick compressors (Fuelmaker listed it earlier in this thread)- http://www.ruf-briquetter.com/
(UK site: http://www.briquetting.co.uk/)

 

[fredarm]

I got my Eco Bricks for $240 a ton on sale at Tractor Supply. Two trips in the minivan brought it all home. The 25 pound packages are a little easier to handle than the 40 pound Bio Brick packages, which is nice when you're moving a ton of them.