Winning with wood heating!

[KennyK]

My house was built around 1890, it's pretty big, poorly insulated, drafty and I have an oversized, forced hot air heating system that is about 25 years old. Since I moved into the house seven years ago, during every fall and winter month, and even into the spring, I get monthly home energy reports from my gas company that shame me saying how much more energy I used than all my neighbors. I try to keep the thermostat at 66 or sometimes 67 when we're home (except when my wife bumps it up to 68/69), and at 50 when out of the house. Man, I hate to open these emails! Well, today I got one of these emails after the first full month heating cycle since having a wood stove, and for the first time in seven years I beat out the majority of my neighbors (though not quite my most efficient neighbors)! And this is with a little Jotul F100 and using it just when I'm home (wife hasn't gotten used to running the stove yet, so if the family is there without me, it's usually the furnace). Can't wait until I upgrade to a bigger stove and can beat out even the most efficient kid on the block! (Or I guess I'll be the most efficient kid on the block!). See first image below from December, pre-wood stove, and then from February, with wood stove, to see the difference.

 

[Bigger_Al]

I’m waiting for the next bill to see this. I just started with wood heat about 2 weeks ago and have only run the forced air gas furnace 15 minutes in that time.

 

[peakbagger]

Expect a visit from the gas company and one day you may come home and see a new meter. Most utilities have antifraud software and if you make a big change in usage, they think your meter is bad or you are playing games with it.

 

[Bigger_Al]

I still have gas hot water, but I’d welcome a new meter. That thing is so old, nasty and right in the front yard.

 

[brazilbl]

I get similar "statistical analyses" from my demonically-inspired public utility here. This time, a year ago, I faced a $1700.00 electric bill (long story - but lets say "space heaters" were being employed by family members). The thermostat *never* saw a reading above 68...

Fast forward to October 2017. Purchased a wood stove and had it installed. From the first month of use, huge savings. Now - 5 months into this, the savings of primarily heating with a wood stove is putting me on a track of having the wood stove's cost fully paid for within a 2 year period. Now if I hear of a railroad car filled with low moisture content wood accidentally dump their load nearby, I will certainly volunteer to help with the cleanup.

Probably too long to put on a baseball hat and the slogan needs refinement, but "Make Wood Stove Heating Great Again"...

In a way, I would look forward to receiving a visitor from that same demonic utility, inquiring about my electric use. Wonderful opportunity to share the benefits of relying on the bounties of nature to heat your home, all-the-while, being "carbon-neutral" (at least within this context).

 

[Rearscreen]

Expect a visit from the gas company

Yeah, I installed the Progress in an 1860's non-insulated house. The gas company came the next summer to change the meter.

 

[brenndatomu]

Since I moved into the house seven years ago, during every fall and winter month, and even into the spring, I get monthly home energy reports from my gas company that shame me saying how much more energy I used than all my neighbors.

Anybody else find it ironic that they send out "nastygrams" for "using too much" of their product?!

 

[Bigger_Al]

I’m confused, but are they not in the business of selling energy to us?

 

[Happy Stacker]

I find it funny that they charge me more for delivery than the actual electricity I use. $53 this month and actual electricity used was $23. And once again none of my 975 neighbours used less electricity than me.

 

[HisTreeNut]

I find it funny that they charge me more for delivery than the actual electricity I use. $53 this month and actual electricity used was $23. And once again none of my 975 neighbours used less electricity than me.

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It takes a lot of effort to unload and stack all those electricity logs you are using. lol

Pre wood stove our electric bill from the co-op with the thermostat between 56-60 degrees was averaging $400.00 a month. Our heat is a circa 1983 electric hot water baseboard heat system. Since getting the wood stove, our winter electric bill has not been more than $25.00 over our summer electric bill and we do not have A/C....oh...we turned the electric heat on once during this time as we were out of town for a brief holiday gathering.
We love our wood heat.