Who's still holding out?

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
  • Hope everyone has a wonderful and warm Thanksgiving!
  • Super Cedar firestarters 30% discount Use code Hearth2024 Click here
Status
Not open for further replies.

EatenByLimestone

Moderator
Staff member
Hearth Supporter
Still haven't fired the furnace or woodstove! It's getting close though. Last night was raining and in the 40's. Night before was frosty. Wife is the one holding me back. She doesn't want her skin to dry out.

Matt
 
I finally caved last night and started it up for the first time. Got a little chill chaser headed up and right back down now.
 
I've had one fire a few weeks ago just to get it out of my system. Putting a new roof on the house and part of it is just felted right now, for some reason I want to wait until everything is shingled before having the fireplace or woodstove going (no real justification...just paranoia). Otherwise, mine would have been in action probably the past couple nights.
 
Yesterday was my breaking point. It was 58* in the house. An hour later is was 76* and I was loving life. Though I did notice my draft was no where as strong at this time of the year as in the middle of winter.
 
If the house drops below 68F I burn. Its either that or the furnace comes on - and I don't like to hear that bastage run.
 
Sure, I've been starting the stove before bed (using the 3 firestarter bricks and 5 split logs light it and come back in 1/2 hour to turn the air down technique sorry all you upside down sideways fire building geeks!) That way as the temp drops over night the house stays warm and it's 70+ when I wake up in the morning. A Couple logs before I head out to work so its still warm when the wife gets up and the house maintains temp during the day.
 
Franks said:
Sure, I've been starting the stove before bed (using the 3 firestarter bricks and 5 split logs light it and come back in 1/2 hour to turn the air down technique sorry all you upside down sideways fire building geeks!) That way as the temp drops over night the house stays warm and it's 70+ when I wake up in the morning. A Couple logs before I head out to work so its still warm when the wife gets up and the house maintains temp during the day.

Just set them there fire bricks on top of your 5 splits tonight...you might be surprised
 
I'm holding out. I got too busy running a small business etc to put up as much wood as I should have. On the plus side- I had my 30 yr old oil boiler replaced and the new system is pretty efficient so I don't feel so bad kicking it on a bit.
 
Not yet, here.
I get a pretty good solar gain 73/74 daytime and 67 /68 in the morning.

A non-sunny day and some of this colder / cloudy weather will put a chill on things quick.
Small house, so some cooking helps, too.

I f the price of home heating oil keeps dropping and we have a warmish Winter, and cordwood prices stay up, I may sell my oak and cherry.
 
billb3 said:
I f the price of home heating oil keeps dropping and we have a warmish Winter, and cordwood prices stay up, I may sell my oak and cherry.

There is such a glut of heating oil right now that even with forecasts for a very cold winter in the Northeast several refineries are shutting down.
 
We've had the stove going for quite some time now. If it is cool or cold in the house, we build a fire; that simple. It won't be long now before we keep it going full time. We surely haven't used much kindling this fall though. So far every day in October has been below normal temperature. No relief in sight.
 
BrotherBart said:
billb3 said:
I f the price of home heating oil keeps dropping and we have a warmish Winter, and cordwood prices stay up, I may sell my oak and cherry.

There is such a glut of heating oil right now that even with forecasts for a very cold winter in the Northeast several refineries are shutting down.

I think they shut refineries down a year ago to stem gas(auto) prices free falling.
I don't mind a cold Winter in the Northeast.
But I'll save all the pine for the cold Summers to move the stove out in the garden to keep the vegetables growing.
 
Haven't fired it up yet. Hasn't been that cold in the house yet and the wife hasn't said anything either. Would like to give the chimney a sweeping before I start burning and give the stove a once over (clean all of the pet hair out of the blowers and clean the outside of the stove) Was planing on doing it this past weekend but my wife came down with the flu and had to go to the hospital so had no time to clean. Hopefully this weekend. I probably won't start burning until the temp in the house drops below 60.
 
"Technically" I'm still holding out - hearth remodel is dragging on...and on...and on. Had a bunch of wood finishing I was trying to get done before the weather turned cold so the hearth has taken a back burner so to speak. So I haven't actually burned yet. Though the electric heat pump has been pressed into service for the last week of cloudy/rainy 50F high / 35F low days. Keeps the house warm and dang efficient compared to other fossil fuels, but I sure miss the stove. Just something about that red orange glow on a cloudy/rainy day and knowing you can always head to the family room to get a good dose of warmth instead of the whole house being a breezy 68F.
 
Game on. Possible frost. Atleast 35-40.

Burned a few fires testing out the thermometer. It's good to go.

Dry wood is awesome .
 
We've been burning regularly for some time now. I don't know why you keep asking this question. It's downright cold where some of us live. Last night we had freezing rain...everything outside covered with 3/8" of ice this morning. Burning all day in both stoves. Right now (~7PM), it's almost up to 32° F outside...warmest it's been all day. Ice is melting as it's getting real dark. If you're cold, light a fire...there's no prize for being the one to wait the longest into the year. If there was, then somebody from Florida would take it home every time. Rick
 
Her skins drying out? Just get her a bunch of gift cards for places like The Body Shop. She can shop for all kinds of lotions and stuff for the bath etc. Think out side of the box man this isnt brain sugery!
 
Occasional fires, just a couple of pine splits at a time. Not really justified by the weather.
 
Fired up the oil furnace about 3 short times so far.
I have abstained from firing up the Summit, that is not by choice though!!!!!!!!!
The wavering curtains just don't have the affect that flames have.
 
Adios Pantalones said:
I'm holding out. I got too busy running a small business etc to put up as much wood as I should have. On the plus side- I had my 30 yr old oil boiler replaced and the new system is pretty efficient so I don't feel so bad kicking it on a bit.

what boiler u get? how many sqfeet it heating? i wanna replace my 78 boiler someday! i know these old ones een know they nat gas are super inefficient i bet.
 
Still holding out here, not by choice though, waiting for our install this friday then we will be burning quite a bit i'm sure. Was 62 in the house when we got up, but we will resist the urge to turn on the boiler.
 
i still waitin g on one part of chimeny to show up and for me to install it, then also waiting on finding firebricks to put in stove.
 
I'm burn Pine at night since the end of Septenber.I burn wood because I don't want to be cold.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.