It's been stated on this forum that a cord of good hardwood is the equlivant of 100-125 gallons of oil.The cords in my area average 350.00-425.00 plus delivery and climbing.The lowest cost of oil that I found is $329.00 per 100 gallons.If wood continues to rise it'll be cheaper to buy oil.In some cases it is already.
Wood? or Oil
- Thread starter Rich L
- Start date
-
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. -
Super Cedar firestarters 30% discount Use code Hearth2024 Click here
- Status
325, 450...OUCH....Make a man leave the house and a horse eat his bedding!....
Glad I cut my own......
WoodButcher
Glad I cut my own......
WoodButcher
oil is 3.15 a gallon in southern maine and dropping everyday, still don't think i'll be buying any except to heat my hot water. although if it drops evn lower than this i will definitaley fill my tank and i will have hot water for quite a while. i cut my own wood so it is cost effective unless oil drops to 1.00 a gallon(LOL) then i will stop burning and build up my reserves : )))
Rich L said:
Huh...I didn't know that, now I feel better about all that dead wood I've been cutting up since the hurricane remnants hit us last week. Some of it was going bad but I said 'what the heck this will heat my home for almost 3 weeks'.
Rich L said:
This is the wrong time of year to be buying firewood anyway. next year buy it in the spring, much cheaper, specially if it is scarce in your area anyway. You should get in the habit of constantly scanning the newspapers for good deals on firewood (at all times of the year). sometimes a fool or two will come along and think it is an easy way to make a buck and try and undercut everyone else. you have to jump on that when you see it.
As for the oil, yes I have it as well, but can tell you that it isn`t nearly as nice to help ya get that nice warm feeling flowing thru your bones, and not nearly as ambient as well. ;-)
1 cord or hardwood = 100 - 125 gallons of oil?
Depending on the wood I figure 150 - 185 gallons at least. check this
This article has it between 200-250.
I just read two books that both stated the 200 gallon figure.
Depending on the wood I figure 150 - 185 gallons at least. check this
This article has it between 200-250.
I just read two books that both stated the 200 gallon figure.
the prices around here for wood is CRAZY - 300 to 350 csd.. high demand and no new construction / no new roads means no one is cutting down trees. Heck i've been searching for log length since March to no avail
don't know about you guys BUT i think it's much easier to turn the t-stat then to keep feeding the fire -
the biggest difference though is with wood my home is always in the 80s and with oil it would only be in the mid sixties
don't know about you guys BUT i think it's much easier to turn the t-stat then to keep feeding the fire -
the biggest difference though is with wood my home is always in the 80s and with oil it would only be in the mid sixties
Stevebass4 said:
down here in springfield its still 185-250 might be worth looking into of course i am sure it would be more for the drive but hey check it out
I guess it depends on the wood and the oil - home heating oil is ~138,000 btu/gallon so 100-125 gallons = 13.8 - 17.3 million btu (Mbtu)
That puts it about even with a cord of cottonwood on the low end, willow, spruce in the middle or pine on the high end. Most of these woods are regarded as pretty low grade firewood - unless that is the only thing available or you get it for free. When you start looking at hardwoods - oak, ash, locust, hickory, you've got 24-28 Mbtu/cord - which is closer to 173 to 203 gallons of heating oil. Then there is hedge at 33 Mbtu/cord or ~ 240 gallons of oil.
For an even closer comparison, you'd have to take into account the energy efficiency of the oil/wood appliances as well. But assuming a modern wood stove may be roughly equivalent to an oil heater, you could use the numbers straight across.
That puts it about even with a cord of cottonwood on the low end, willow, spruce in the middle or pine on the high end. Most of these woods are regarded as pretty low grade firewood - unless that is the only thing available or you get it for free. When you start looking at hardwoods - oak, ash, locust, hickory, you've got 24-28 Mbtu/cord - which is closer to 173 to 203 gallons of heating oil. Then there is hedge at 33 Mbtu/cord or ~ 240 gallons of oil.
For an even closer comparison, you'd have to take into account the energy efficiency of the oil/wood appliances as well. But assuming a modern wood stove may be roughly equivalent to an oil heater, you could use the numbers straight across.
$25 for a delivered cord of wood! Wow, sorry to hear that. I would suppose that this is ready to burn too? Thats ridiculous! Around these parts a sesoned cord of hardwood delivered is around $225! I buy in pole length when I do buy. That brings me down to under $100/cord
Those cord prices are really high. Sorry to hear that. Please plan ahead next year. Also call the local tree service companies and try to make a deal where they dump the logs in your driveway for a few bucks.
A triaxle goes for about $750 here in central NY.
Carpniels
A triaxle goes for about $750 here in central NY.
Carpniels
Yes but oil doesnt grow on trees you know. Firewood does and many people including myself harvest and scrounge it for free. You have to add our labor in of course but a penny saved is a penny earned. My favorite thing about firewood fuel is that is does grow on trees so you cant use that saying on me.
Pardon me for giving the wrong impression,I do scrouge for my wood and have 8 cords at present.I feel for those that have to buy their wood.A wood dealer 5 miles from me charges a $50.00 delivery fee it's getting crazy here.Can't wait to see the prices when it gets cold though if oil continues to drop maybe the price of wood will also.
Reasons I prefer burning wood to oil
I find that whenever I fill up my woodstove with oil it leaks everywhere. Wood is so much cleaner.
Woodpiles look better than tanks of oil on my property.
Wood supply expands in my backyard as the trees grow bigger. Oil slowly evaporates.
It's tough getting in good shape splitting oil.
The smell of a fresh oil fire doesn't put my girl in the mood like the scent of burning hickory.
Have you ever been to an online oil burning forum. What a bunch of duds.
I find that whenever I fill up my woodstove with oil it leaks everywhere. Wood is so much cleaner.
Woodpiles look better than tanks of oil on my property.
Wood supply expands in my backyard as the trees grow bigger. Oil slowly evaporates.
It's tough getting in good shape splitting oil.
The smell of a fresh oil fire doesn't put my girl in the mood like the scent of burning hickory.
Have you ever been to an online oil burning forum. What a bunch of duds.
My wood is good excercise, carbon neutral and costs me the gas for my chain saw, a chain or two, and the diesel for my tractor to haul it back in. BUT.... Even at equivalent cost as Oil - at least it is still carbon neutral, renewable, still better excercise (stacking, hauling in), much better looking than an oil burner, and the dollars I would be spending are staying in my community (or at least county) rather than sent overseas to nations known to be less than supportive from time to time (Russia, Venezuela, Iran and company). For me it makes "good cents" and good sense.
If you have to buy wood, you quickly learn to buy it green a year ahead. It costs you nothing to season it on your property and a lot to season it on someone elses. I hate the sound of my furnace kicking on, never hated the sound of my stove burning. 
I'm thinking that it will still never be cheaper to burn oil, the heat you get from wood will always be better (as my father says, no one is opening a window while heating with oil), and you dictate how much or little you take in. I'll stick with wood. Have about 20+ on hand for two houses using about 5 per year and I'll keep getting as I can. Not much more for this fall and winter, but come spring time, I'll be out in full force again. This might be the first year that I am 2 years ahead and I'm looking much more forward to being able to cut as I want not as fast as I can. I had a great deal for the past about 6 months from another local and guy on here being lucky to down over an acre of mostly oak (picking what we want) that will be sitting for at least another year split and stacked.
Oil can't compare.
Chad
Oil can't compare.
Chad
- Status
Similar threads
