Why do you burn?

[JotulOwner]

I am new to the forum although I did lurk here a lot when researching my purchase of an insert. This place has been a wealth of knowledge in that aspect and a lot of you have helped me without knowing it. For the sake of getting to know the posters here I would like to know why you burn. Is it out of necessity? As in its the sole way you heat your house for whatever reason. Do you enjoy it? We all know its a lot of work. For me personally it really makes no financial sense for me to burn. I may "save" money on my heating bill but I have spent more money on everything that comes with burning (woodshed, upgraded saw, etc.) and it will take me a decade to recoup it (so the wife says). With that being said it is very nostalgic for me as my parents had a wood burner growing up. I get an amazing sense of accomplishment every time I light a fire and the heat comes spiting out. I feel that in today's age anything that requires a lot of work and you do on your own is a lost art. With that said why do you burn?

For me it is more the enjoyment of the warmth of a fire. I also enjoy the work part (preparation and maintenance) and I benefit from the exercise I get doing the work. I feel like I learned how to be more self- sufficient. It is more of a hobby for me than a necessity. That being said, the stove came in very handy after Super Storm Sandy hit in 2012. No heat or electric for awhile. I heated the house and cooked on the stove as well. I do save quite a bit on oil bills, but I also spent a bundle on all the stuff that goes with this interest. I am not sure how all of that pans out financially , but I have no regrets at all even if there is no net financial benefit . After twelve or so years of burning wood, I would really miss it if I couldn't do it any more.

 

[Rockey]

After twelve or so years of burning wood, I would really miss it if I couldn't do it any more.

I think that rings true with just about everyone here. I know I would miss it. Well that, plus I have this crazy reoccurring thought that we are thrust into an ice age where it rarely reaches -75 during the day and we need to rely on our ability to provide our own heat for survival. My hair and beard grows long as I carry a machete in one hand a musket in the other and a spear clenched in my teeth as I fight off coyotes, bears, and wild......wait, wait Im digressing. Yes, I would miss it.

 

[Prof]

I've written about this a couple times in the past, but can't help but answer the question again: I urged my grandfather to install an oil furnace more than once when I was in my teen years--each time, his reply was "Oil is a lazy man's heat." Admittedly, when he was in his 80's I did the bulk of the splitting and stacking, but a kernel of his wisdom was deeply in-bedded in my being. Until recently, the old guy's aim with an ax or sledge was superior to mine, even when he had a few beers. I could hold my own these days, but at best, my swing would only be as good as his. My grandfather has been gone for some time now, but a few years ago I built a house that is heated by wood (to satisfy the code folks it has an electric furnace, but this is by no means the primary source of heat and hasn't been used since we moved in). When the power goes out, we don't miss a beat, since we typically cook our food in the winter months by either the stove or the masonry heater. Our house is plenty warm--sometimes more so than I would like. I don't need a gym membership since the preparation of firewood heats me several times before the wood is ever burned. So, why do I heat with wood? In part, I honor my grandfather. In part, I take solace in the independence it provides--there is something special about heating and cooking with wood that is hard for me to describe, but is well-known to folks on this site.

 

[firefighterjake]

I don't have much to add that hasn't already been said.

Always wanted a back up source of heat for when we lose power, but never got around to it until 2008 when oil prices began to skyrocket to $4/gallon. I used about 600 gallons of oil a year which was actually pretty reasonable, but when you do the math you realize that's a hefty stack of cash that one is figuratively going up in smoke. At that point I figured the days of 79 cent/gallon oil probably would not come back and if anything the higher prices would become more of the norm and so I bought a woodstove.

My original plan was to actually get a pellet stove, but at the time everyone was buying them and by the time I decided I wanted a Harmon or Quadrafire I was being told (during the Summer nonetheless) that I would have to wait until January or February. And so . . . I switched to the woodstove. In hindsight I am quite glad I ended up with the woodstove.

So for me . . . the original reason was due to the economic savings.

I guess you could say it still is the primary reason as oil hovers around $2.48/gallon this year. In truth I had most of the "toys" to process wood as I owned a chainsaw, ATV and trailer, etc. I did however buy a splitter . . . and over the years I have bought a replacement saw and now a replacement splitter. I have yet to pay for a single stick of firewood.

However, like others there are other reasons why I enjoy heating with wood.

We lose power a few times each year. In the Summer it's not a big deal. In the winter I don't really have to worry about frozen pipes. We now have a generator that can pretty much power most of the home which is nice, but it's still nice knowing that if for some reason we have a natural disaster which prevents me from getting gasoline I still will be warm.

Like others I enjoy the "work." For me working with the wood is almost therapy. It never has been "work" to me.

Finally, I like the feeling I get when I've been out snowmobiling all day long or have been outside in the freezing cold and snow plowing and shoveling snow and I come inside to a toasty warm home. There is just something about plunking down in front of the roaring fire that gives one a real sense of comfort.

 

[Beer Belly]

The Wife wanted a woodstove right after we closed on our house, not taking any chances, she ordered our stove 2 days after. We have never had a woodstove in any of our other homes, nor while growing up, so my guess would to have the ambiance of a fireplace, and save on fuel oil. So far, I believe we have more than recouped our money....$2,800 for stove (installed)....two chainsaws $750.......splitter $900....in 12 years burning an average of somewhere around 230 gallons of fuel oil in a calendar year.....this includes hot water....1,700 sq. ft. 3 bed 2 bath home in Connecticut

 

[moresnow]

Can't figure out what else to do with all my wood?

 

[VirginiaIron]

I am new to the forum although I did lurk here a lot when researching my purchase of an insert. This place has been a wealth of knowledge in that aspect and a lot of you have helped me without knowing it. For the sake of getting to know the posters here I would like to know why you burn. Is it out of necessity? As in its the sole way you heat your house for whatever reason. Do you enjoy it? We all know its a lot of work. For me personally it really makes no financial sense for me to burn. I may "save" money on my heating bill but I have spent more money on everything that comes with burning (woodshed, upgraded saw, etc.) and it will take me a decade to recoup it (so the wife says). With that being said it is very nostalgic for me as my parents had a wood burner growing up. I get an amazing sense of accomplishment every time I light a fire and the heat comes spiting out. I feel that in today's age anything that requires a lot of work and you do on your own is a lost art. With that said why do you burn?

For starters, we have a fuel supply that would require mamagement by either giving away or selling the deadwood in order to prevent the similar tragedies that have occurred in California. We have a heat pump with a fossel fuel kit, so technically we burn as an option. However, we feel the industrial system we live in and are dependent on is very fragile, so having an off-the-grid alternative is mandatory. And, since the quality of heat is similar to our oil system, it seems the best option to use solid fuel during the colder months. However, it is very nice to have the central system to switch on when someone is sick, or it is just inconvenient to burn.

 

[VirginiaIron]

I just bought an insert and I cant wait to have it installed. However, I was wondering how the heat compares to that of a forced hot air system since when the fire is burning it will be warm but once it starts to die out and you are down to glowing coals, is it the same feeling as the forced air at that point or does the heat still permeate towards the end of the burn cycle?

We ditched the insert for a free standing unit. Granted, the free standing stove is larger, for some reason the quality of heat is better, especially the radiant heat. I do not think we could ever recommend an insert over a free standing stove unless you just do not have the available clearances. [Edit]And, without power for the fan, your heat is dramatically reduced with an insert.

 

[Kevin Weis]

House is 135 years old. The living room is an old addition that has 3.25 exposed sides. So it is a cold room even with a heat duct from the forced hot air oil furnace. This room has an open doorway to the rest of the house so we put a smallish stove in that room to heat it adequately and the excess heat can spill into the rest of the house to help out the furnace. We save about two tanks of fuel oil a year this way. So far I figured we saved about $15,000 or more over the years plus the room is comfortable now. Firewood is free from neighbors property next door. Just got to CSS.

 

[JohnDolz]

We ditched the insert for a free standing unit. Granted, the free standing stove is larger, for some reason the quality of heat is better, especially the radiant heat. I do not think we could ever recommend an insert over a free standing stove unless you just do not have the available clearances. [Edit]And, without power for the fan, your heat is dramatically reduced with an insert.

Interesting, thinking about this exact question today. I am considering putting in an insert (more specifically a flush one to get a more contemporary look) but was wondering if I will regret it. In the spirit of most responses on this thread, I get that a flush insert will not give me the "best ROI" but if it is what we like most I am thinking that is the direction we will go. Would love to hear comments.

 

[PaulOinMA]

For all the reasons others have stated:

Had fires growing up. Grew up in a wooded lot in CT and cut wood with dad.

Save some money by keeping the thermostats low.

Exercise splitting wood.

Clears the yard and woods here.

It's fun.

 

[VirginiaIron]

Interesting, thinking about this exact question today. I am considering putting in an insert (more specifically a flush one to get a more contemporary look) but was wondering if I will regret it. In the spirit of most responses on this thread, I get that a flush insert will not give me the "best ROI" but if it is what we like most I am thinking that is the direction we will go. Would love to hear comments.

Our insert was more for ambiance, with a minor thought on power loss, so we got an insert that protruded from the masonry. That protruding top permitted cooking, but without the NOISY fan the heat was minimal. The wifey could stand close to to the door/fan outlet and be happy- she could not do that now. It seems that we can feel the heat from across the room.
I would suggest starting a new thread so thread is not hijacked.

 

[tadmaz]

Interesting, thinking about this exact question today. I am considering putting in an insert (more specifically a flush one to get a more contemporary look) but was wondering if I will regret it. In the spirit of most responses on this thread, I get that a flush insert will not give me the "best ROI" but if it is what we like most I am thinking that is the direction we will go. Would love to hear comments.

If your stove room has the real estate to put in a free standing stove, I think everyone would tell you to do it. I have a flush insert since if I was to extend the hearth you would have a hard time walking in the room. With the blower I'm able to heat adequately.

 

[Zack R]

Just this morning my little one says "daddy lets warm up by the fire" which is good enough reason for me. The stove is a center point where everyone gathers around.

This is a few years ago at our previous house but you get the idea:

 

[ispinwool]

I grew up in an old farmhouse that had a fireplace--LOVED to sit in front with a good book toasting my toes.
We now have a lovely soapstone wood burner where I can still see the fire, toast my toes and enjoy a book or making
some yarn. A side benefit is that our natural gas bill for the house dropped by half plus a bit more! Our wood is free.

 

[K-Mac]

wife and i always wanted a wood stove for the looks, warmth, and self reliance they provide. when we moved we put it high on our list of must haves for our next home. now going into year 3. havent saved any money as of today because we just replaced the stove that came with the house as well as put in a new chimney pipe but i guess in the long run its taking a lot of strain off of the electric heat pump and gas furnace. winters gets very cold and gloomy here. in our old house i kept the house at about 63 so as to not spend too much on the gas bill and nurse our aged furnace along....house is so much warmer now thanks to wood heat. i enjoy the work of gather, splitting, stacking, loading as much as i do building the fires and watching them burn. self sufficiency is a big deal to us so its only one part in the process. we do have the occasional power outages in the winter and every time theres a polar vortex we dont have to worry that the gas pipes and electrical wires will become too strained like others do.

 

[Threelittlefish]

I built my house 2.5 years ago and built it around my wood stove in the great room. Except for the bedrooms the house is open to the heat of the wood stove. Only the master bed/bath on the lower level needs some supplemental heat from the boiler. Even the boiler supplies old cast iron radiators. No baseboard here.

In old times houses were built around fireplaces. That’s where everyone gathered. It provided light, heat for cooking and warmth. Humans have been gathering around fires since we learned how to make them. The fire is a place of comfort.I love watching flames dance in the stove through the glass. Some people get it and some don’t ... most don’t.

When I was 10 my parents put a coal stove in the house and I was responsible for keeping it running. I enjoyed it. I’ve had three stoves in the new house. I like taking different stoves for a test drive. Going to try a Jotul F500 this winter.

When we were building the house there was an issue with the transfer of the electric account. I was in FL and had no idea the house was without electricity for the month of Feb. The interior house temp was 33 degrees when I got up here. I had a Jotul F600 and lit it up. The house was in the mid sixties within a few hours. It was 3 degrees outside. No boiler could have done that. The boiler would have taken a few days. There was still no electric so the stove provided some light as well. It was pitch black, cold and spirits were low. A fire in the stove changed all of that!

 

[mcdougy]

Because personally I can't come up with a better option.
I find peace within from all aspects.
In the grand scheme of things, it's one of 3 things that is super important to life, and I like the fact that I have the ability and want to be self sufficient.
My family notices and appreciates my efforts.
My wife said she wanted a wood stove

 

[JohnDolz]

Our insert was more for ambiance, with a minor thought on power loss, so we got an insert that protruded from the masonry. That protruding top permitted cooking, but without the NOISY fan the heat was minimal. The wifey could stand close to to the door/fan outlet and be happy- she could not do that now. It seems that we can feel the heat from across the room.
I would suggest starting a new thread so thread is not hijacked.

Thanks, started a new thread as well.

 

[JohnDolz]

If your stove room has the real estate to put in a free standing stove, I think everyone would tell you to do it. I have a flush insert since if I was to extend the hearth you would have a hard time walking in the room. With the blower I'm able to heat adequately.

Thanks, the (internal) battle is always what one likes best vs. what is best.