wood usage is down

  • 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.

Woodsplitter67

Minister of Fire
Jan 19, 2017
3,617
Woolwich nj
I didn't realize how warm this winter was. just went out and measured my wood shed for what was used this year.. October 2019 to May 2020. This year to heat my home i used a total of 2.545 cords. Thermostat was never turned on, so no oil was used. This is the least amount of wood I think iv ever used. last year I was like 3.5 and my yearly average is 3.3 to 4 cords..anyone else have some unusually low numbers for what they normally burn
 
  • Like
Reactions: PA. Woodsman
Same here. Definitely a warmer winter we had!
 
  • Like
Reactions: PA. Woodsman
Yes same here, it was milder but still stock up for this upcoming one, as mild as this past one was this next one could be a doozy, be prepared!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Diabel
Some here in CT -- only a little over a cord. Avg is 2+ But I do believe I set a new personal latest season burn of May 10th when we had a snow squall or two.
 
About average here. Burned just shy of six cord. Last fire was just over a week ago but nothing like the year before with our 9-month winter when I was into my eighth cord.
 
Last edited:
I did pretty well but the cold spring up until a week and half ago ate up a half a cord. It was 3.5 to 4 cord year. I am switching to beech as my main fuel compared to red maple/birch this upcoming winter and expect lower consumption due to BTU content. I also was short on seasoning time last winter with one of my stacks. I have a couple of stacks that have been baking in the sun that will have two full years on them.
 
Same, I felt though that I kept the fire going 24/7 from November to basically the end of April, then a few flash fires in May, wood usage was noticeably lower this year, and I didn't get my end of season burn out either, you know when your just done with anything wood stove related.
I did on the other hand process more wood this year then years in the past, I think it was because of the lockdown though.
 
I didn't realize how warm this winter was. just went out and measured my wood shed for what was used this year.. October 2019 to May 2020. This year to heat my home i used a total of 2.545 cords. Thermostat was never turned on, so no oil was used. This is the least amount of wood I think iv ever used. last year I was like 3.5 and my yearly average is 3.3 to 4 cords..anyone else have some unusually low numbers for what they normally burn
I didn't do a count on what we burned but the area we were burning out of still has 3 face cord left, two of that is some nice beech and sugar maple.

We also have a pellet stove, I thought we burned 73 bags but the wife had marked everything down, we actually burned 53. You also burned just under 1/4 of a tank of oil. If we go out for dinner or something else, we don't burn in the Lopi Liberty or the Yankee Pellet stove, we just set the furnace at a certain temp.
 
Our winter was cold day, warm day, cold day, warm day, cold day, and so on, so it felt miserable, but we certainly didn’t burn as much as usual.
 
my neighbor burned alot less also hes been burning for years but its his first year with dry wood and a wood shed.. he now thing he doesn't need that much wood because he didn't burn alot this year.. i said to him it was warm.. what are you going to do when it gets really cold
 
  • Like
Reactions: thewoodlands
I think with this being my first winter with the Ideal Steel I probably added wood a bit more often than was needed as I was learning the in's and outs of the stove so I was around 4 cords burned this year. I believe for my area a 4 cord a year usage would be average for a 24/7 burner regardless of how severe the winter ends up being. I was heating from mid October to nearly the start of this month, 24/7. Ended up only doing 5 fires total this month here and there. I've got 6 cords ready to burn for the upcoming season plus another 2 cords of pine, cherry and white birch that can be used if the shoulder season goes longer in the Spring or starts earlier in the Fall. The freshly cut ash, elm, and maple that's still being added to I'll let sit for awhile, maybe do a moisture meter check on it in May 2021.