When to end the burning season?

[LONDONDERRY]

Last night my wife and I where discussing on when the burning season usually winds down for the year. We've been burning stead since end of October and will probably stop close to the end of March. And to be honest, I'm getting tired of dragging a large wheelbarrel of wood from outside to inside 1-2 times a day.

Whats the typical season for some of you veterans

 

[crazy_dan]

my season is usually from sometime in October till sometime in April.
But I only heat with wood and some of that is just fire in the AM or the PM to take the chill off not all of it is 24/7

 

[Highbeam]

Last season was mid september to early june. This year started mid October so I hope to stop mid May since I installed new windows and insulated.

When you have lots and lots of wood then starting up the fire is no big deal. If you are tired of burning in February then you will have a long few months coming. Sure it is 50-60 degrees outside and that feels warm in May but that is too cold indoors where we keep it from 70-80 through the winter.

I think your secondary source of heat determines when you stop burning. If I had a nice electric heat pump system that I could cheaply run for an hour or two each day then I would be able to stop burning much earlier in the spring. No second source means you either get cold or wait until June.

 

[Corey]

It will vary a lot with location. I used to start late October/Early November and finish in early April. But the past several winters have been colder than normal - requiring some fires in early October and even into late April/early May. As a general rule, ~January 21 is the middle of the season, so how ever many days you started before Jan 21, figure about that many after as well.

 

[begreen]

We stop burning when the fat lady of summer start singing her song. Or when we run out of wood. :shut:

Though truth be told, it's pretty much evening only burns when it gets above 50. The heat pump carries the house fine and we're outside a lot in spring working in the gardens.

 

[fossil]

Mother Nature answers that question according to her whims every year. Like Highbeam, we were burning off & on into early June last season. Seemed like burning season would never end. Hard to tell, but it looks like we may be able to stop burning earlier this year. Ya never know. It's not a calendar thing, it's a what's happening outside today thing. Rick

 

[savageactor7]

When it warms up is when we stop.

 

[burntime]

When you see summer :lol:

 

[MovingOffGrid]

when the wife stops saying she's cold when sitting by the large dining room window before sunrise in the morning ;-)

Usually late September when evenings cool off until mid May in this area. Shoulder seasons are typically only evening and overnight burns.
It was so hot and sunny today and the house captures solar heat so well, that I didn't need to keep fire going at all ... but I did anyway (windows wide open), cause it's easier than re-starting it if I'm around to throw in the odd stick throughout the day.

 

[BrotherBart]

Wood is our only heat too so like Highbeam we burned into early June last year. Usually the middle of April is it for us. Late March and early April will be early morning and late night light'er up and burn'er down fires to bring the stove up to five hundred and let it bleed off heat for four or five hours after the fire dies. In fact that is what I did last night and this morning with the April like two days we are having and will be doing for two more days until the bottom drops out again later this week. Which I hate because the frequent start ups are when I get a fuzzy flue.

 

[Northern NH Mike]

When it warms up is when we stop.

Love it; that's my kind of scheduling. Savage, can I surmise that when it gets cold is when you start? ;-)

 

[carp]

I don't burn when the outside temp is high forties or above. Gets too hot inside and the house will stay warm with minimal use of the gas furnace. If I burn anything in these temps it is usually just pellets.

 

[humpin iron]

Last May it was 60 and rainy for the first two weeks...ran the stove every other day. A week later had the AC on

 

[bsruther]

My stove's been down for 5 days. The stove just makes the house way too hot when it gets above a certain temp. It's easier just to warm the house with ceramic heaters or let the furnace kick on once in a while. It's in the 60s today and It's not supposed to drop below freezing until thursday night. The weather is always erratic around here, so I never know what to expect, but I'm pretty sure I'll be shutting it down for the season by march 15.

 

[[email protected]]

Hmmmmm....I agree with the mainer above me........."when hell unfreezes over", which could be soon, today we hit 20, HEATWAVE CITY.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

We usually stop sometime in May but will light a fire whenever it is needed. Wood is our only source of heat.

On the other hand, if you are hauling in one or two large wheelbarrows of wood per day, that is a lot of wood! Either you have a huge box to heat or your stove doesn't heat too great. Well, it could be the wood too. Poorly seasoned wood will cause you to have to burn much more to get the same amount of heat. Those who have never burned 2 or 3 year old wood are always amazed at how much heat you can get out of a couple of splits.

 

[pen]

Out of spite I refuse to burn in May, even though many in my area do. I do the same in the fall, refusing to burn in September, regardless of the temp. I figure burning from October thru April is 7 mo's. As much as I do enjoy winter, I just would become depressed if I were to say that I NEEDED to burn for 8 or 9 months out of the year!

Somehow, in my mind, being cold a few nights during those border months makes where I live warmer!

pen

 

[Redox]

We have the heat pump running right now as it got up to the 50's today. It is just too hard to keep from overheating the house when it's this warm out. Besides, the wood piles are looking a little depleted right now. I'd rather save it for when the cold weather sets back in. We'll probably be burning till the end of March or as long as the wood holds out.

Chris

 

[Bobcatter]

When you live in the country, your wood stove is like a firearm..... ya never know when you are gonna need it! I've been known to build a fire the week of 4th of July when it stays in the 50's and rains.

 

[jadm]

Varies from year to year but usually sometime in Oct. I begin with a fire in the morning to take the chill off. Coals from that fire will keep house warm all day and evening.

Right now out weather has been really warm so I am only doing the one fire a day thing. I could turn up the thermostat for a couple of hours in the morning without it costing us a lot but I love my fires and would rather get up and build a fire so I do. Something very soothing and relaxing. Helps me begin my day in a gentle way. Can't get the same feeling turning up the thermostat.

We burn until it warms up and that changes here a lot too. Last year cooler temps went on forever so we burned well into May. Usually we quit in early May.

My frustrations this year are the opposite of yours. Our weather has been so warm that on many days I let the fire die down by early afternoon or we cook ourselves out and then have to build it back up in the evening when temps. drop again. I miss letting it burn and do it's thing all day long and all evening long. It is what it is.....

 

[swestall]

When you live in the country, your wood stove is like a firearm..... ya never know when you are gonna need it! I've been known to build a fire the week of 4th of July when it stays in the 50's and rains.

I do agree with this! But another good measure is when you melt all her candles it is most likely time to stop burning for a bit...

 

[Martin Strand III]

This is easy. The wood burning season is over when you no longer need heat from your stove.

Aye,
Marty
Grandma used to say, "KISS." (Keep It Simple Stupid)

 

[pinewoodburner]

This is easy. The wood burning season is over when you no longer need heat from your stove.

Aye,
Marty
Grandma used to say, "KISS." (Keep It Simple Stupid)

I agree with Marty and would add or when you run out of wood.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Probably late April. Early April if we're lucky.

 

[stockdoct]

When does the burning season end? February 10th.



(When Northern Illinois is 62 degrees on February 10th, that is. Never been this warm on this day ..... ever.)