Why do you burn?

[Green Energy]

Save money over electric resistance when the heat pump goes to backup
Keep house (family room, eat-in kitchen area) at a higher temp when we're home
No worries when the power goes out
Stove look neat in the family room, stove with a fire in it makes the room
Nice to have a hobby that does all the above and has the support of my wife

 

[Seasoned Oak]

All of the above except stacking and splitting ,i could live without that.

 

[pixelmountain]

Most or all of the above, PLUS:

Probably my primary reason is that I like having to work for my heat, or at least stay aware of what it requires to stay warm. Rather than turning a dial and forgetting about it, I think there's some honor in having to consciously DO something to get and stay warm. It makes you aware of how much energy you're using and sometimes even makes you consider NOT wasting your energy source if it's not really needed.

With that attitude, I should really hook up a stationery bicycle to power the TV. ;-)

 

[santacruzbluz]

All of the above, and because it is the only source of heat in this cabin I live in, unless I want to run electric space heaters.

 

[woodjack]

A-O-T-A

 

[akennyd]

YES.

 

[nate379]

All the above.

 

[tcassavaugh]

I also check all the above and......BECAUSE I CAN!

cass

 

[BrowningBAR]

you need an "all of the above " option

I agree, but my primary reason is so I am not spending 5 to 6 grand in oil heat per winter.

I'm with the others all of the above.
5-6K a winter to heat is either a huge house or you need new doors/windows/and insulation. To quote someone I know "why is everyone always trying to find a better way to heat the outdoors"

5-6K on oil really isn't that out of the question when your paying close to $3/gallon. My oil guy told me 1,200 gallons on an average house isn't out of the question.

For me, it is north of $3 per gallon. Nearly $3.50. I would go through about 1500 gallons per winter. That brings me to $5,250.

I do need new windows. If anyone has $20 grand sitting around, feel free to send it on over to me. In regards to insulation, kind of hard to insulate stone walls.

 

[raiderfan]

I checked the "I like the look of a fire in a stove" (or something like that) option. I guess that's part of it, but really I do it because I needed a heat source in my basement for my "Cave". When I converted from oil to NG, my new boiler is direct vented out my house, so my lined chimey was left empty. My BIL had a Jotul 602 at his shop that a homeowner no longer wanted, and he said "let's put a wood stove down there!!". Sounded good to me, as my only other option would have been PAYING for a NG stove to be put down there.

The rest is history. Found Hearth.com shortly after the install, heated the room with a 602 for two seasons, upgraded to a T5 this year, and am loving the look of the fire in the T5, as well as the warmth of the heat. Even my cold, mostly uninsulated stone foundation is no match for that beast :coolgrin:

 

[billb3]

I'm writing my Manifesto and can't afford a cabin in Montana.

 

[basswidow]

I was originally pissed off at the propane man but found I enjoy making firewood.

Me too. My propane was $ 5500 a season.

On my 3 rd year of using 100% free wood.

Found I really enjoy everything about it. The wood processing to the warmth of the stove.

Burning wood is something I will do at any home I live in from here out!

All of the above.

 

[Entburner]

All of you "all of the above" people- imagine the government decided, in an effort to combat global warming, to tax firewood. You have to pay a "cord tax," even if its your own wood on your own land that you split yourself. The cord tax makes wood slightly more expensive as your next cheapest method if heating, whatever that would be for you. Would you still burn?

(I hope this would never happen, but I'm trying to get down to the PRIMARY reason. If I had "all of the above" almost everyone would check it, and we wouldn't learn anything.)

 

[Danno77]

I dunno what to choose. I am not saving money (because of CAD and Moisture meters, and another stove here, and another splitter or three, gas to get wood, etc), I hate stacking, Buying a generator for power outages is a heck of a lot cheaper and easier than a wood stove install/upkeep...

I guess I'll check other. None of those is the main reason, just a lot of little reasons that add up to make the whole.

 

[Backhoe]

I checked "other" as my primary reason now is exercise. My primary used to be more energy independent but as you put a few years on the body (upper 60's) and have a few skirmishes with the medical profession they make it clear that substantial exercise is a key factor in prevention/recurrence for a good deal of medical problems. So, I do not use the splitter anymore, except for the uglies, but now split the vast majority of my wood with a 12 pound maul. It's great exercise and a good excuse to be outdoors as opposed to working out on the dreaded treadmill.

 

[THEMAN]

I gotta say that originally it was to save money because I was still in school and could not afford to fix our heater when it went out. Then after the first winter using the fireplace and figuring out that the only room that was warm was the fireplace room, I figured I better get an insert. I never wanted an insert because I like the to see and hear the open fire. However necessity and lack of money called. I managed to "steal" a great insert for $300 from the guy that cleaned my chimney. After many hours of reading here on the forum(thanks to all) I installed it and let her rip! I now can afford to purchase a new AC/heating unit but have not. I love the fact that I am "sticking it to the man" by not having to pay for my heat. Not only that I rather enjoy going up the the hills and finding and cutting my own wood. and to see the fruits of my labor in my family warm and cozy with the heat that I provide. There is something to be said about providing for your family. and knowing that even when in need I was and am able to provide warmth for my family. So there you have it the reasons I burn.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

I think there is also "the fear factor" Yea i can afford oil at $3 a gallon or propane at $4,but what if theres a terrorist attack or some other calamity that upsets the whole world market. It HAS happened before. WHat if oil goes to $6-8 or worse its not available at all for some reason. Theres a sense of comfort in knowing theres a 2 year supply of heat sitting in your back yard.And its paid for already. IF there is another category it should be "peace of mind".

 

[midwestcoast]

I went along with the premiss of a Primary reason & chose "Lower my Environmental impact" since I originally started thinking about wood as a lower carbon heat source. I probably would have spent the $ & time investment elsewhere if it didn't make some sense in other ways though: Reduced cost of heating, Warm cozy living-room, Getting outside more in winter...

 

[wkpoor]

you need an "all of the above " option

I agree, but my primary reason is so I am not spending 5 to 6 grand in oil heat per winter.

I'm with the others all of the above.
5-6K a winter to heat is either a huge house or you need new doors/windows/and insulation. To quote someone I know "why is everyone always trying to find a better way to heat the outdoors"

5-6K on oil really isn't that out of the question when your paying close to $3/gallon. My oil guy told me 1,200 gallons on an average house isn't out of the question.

For me, it is north of $3 per gallon. Nearly $3.50. I would go through about 1500 gallons per winter. That brings me to $5,250.

I do need new windows. If anyone has $20 grand sitting around, feel free to send it on over to me. In regards to insulation, kind of hard to insulate stone walls.

Holly cow!! That is is over 1000.00 a month for the 4 worst heating months or an a budget over 400.00 a month for 12mos. And that doesn't include other utilies like electric (and water and sewer if you live in town). Here again if this isn't a McMansion (or you have no mortgage so it doesn't matter) at what point do those #'s get so big it would be cheaper to live in a new home. I live in a newer (1996) home. Including basement 2800sqft. If I didn't burn a stick of wood my monthly utilies averaged over 12mos to heat and cool would be about 150.00. I only heat with wood cause I like the warmth and my hobby is firewood.

 

[Northern NH Mike]

First it was to beat the oil company; which I'm pretty close to doing.

Second was because I could get a nice steady heat out of the stove that the forced hot air system could never come close to.

But in the end there is nothing like spending a quiet evening with the wife and a roaring stove after a day on the slopes.

 

[Wood Duck]

I guess heat during power outages is why we are installing the stove, saving money and just because we like to burn wood is why we will use it most of the time. Even with our sorry excuse for a dependable power supply I can't see that 'heat during power outages' would be our primary reason for using the stove except for three or four days per winter.

 

[SlyFerret]

I suppose cost was my main motivating factor to put in the stove. I simply couldn't afford to heat with propane at the time.

I still wish there were an "all of the above option".

-SF

 

[Smokey Bear]

Would have to say ALL THE ABOVE again!!

 

[modo]

Primary reason would be money savings, but yes I could click "all of the above" if there was one. My house would be hard to heat with my heat pump alone also. As everyone on here knows, wood heat is just a different type of heat, and once you get used to it it's hard to imagine heating without it.

 

[LLigetfa]

Because I can.