Would you have a stove if you didn't have a wood source?

[Eman85]

I'm fortunate that I have my own wooded property and the equipment to harvest and process my firewood. I don't think I'd bother with it if it wasn't easily available to me. I would keep my stove and burn it like people burn a fireplace just for looks but not for a primary heat source.

 

[begreen]

Yes, without a doubt. It's hard to replace the glowing warmth and look of the fire. The wood stove is also our only source of heat during power outages which happen a few times a year in winter. In the past, some of these outages have been for several days. We now buy about 90% of our wood supply.

 

[Eman85]

Yes, without a doubt. It's hard to replace the glowing warmth and look of the fire. The wood stove is also our only source of heat during power outages which happen a few times a year in winter. In the past, some of these outages have been for several days. We now buy about 90% of our wood supply.

Are you buying your wood pre processed or cutting an splitting yourself? Are you buying "pre-seasoned" wood?
Before I owned enough woods I could buy a logging truck load and have it dropped so I could process it, but I had saws and a splitter also a tractor.

 

[TheElementalCashew]

I have wooded property, but no heavy equipment, and I buy all of our wood locally. Firewood suppliers are dime-a-dozen around here, its easy enough to get ahead on it so it seasons properly. We also lose power occasionally so I would absolutely have a stove for heat in the winter.

 

[Gearhead660]

You bet. Nice to have a back up heater or something nice and warm to sit around on a cold evening.

 

[EbS-P]

Yes. I processed and split all my cords with a cheap Ryobi chainsaw and an ax. I keep my eyes and ears out for free wood or tree services. And I made friends with a tree guy.

 

[TomMcDonald]

I don't have a personal wood source. I buy a permit for $16 from the local government that allows me to cut 2 tons of hardwood after logging operations move on in public forests. The forest is 1 hour away and I do between 5 and 7 loads a year. It's a lot of work but I love it.
Not sure I'd buy wood from a dealer as it's very expensive here.

 

[kennyp2339]

The wood stove lifestyle is my lifestyle, to me, it’s more than just heat, I love wood splitting, stacking, cleaning, that feeling of being a little more self sufficient than my neighbors.
Running the saws is what I dream of for the spring & fall, crisp straight wood stacks, or a full woodshed, it’s a great way to live.

 

[Chaka]

No, I would not have a wood burning stove if I had to pay $8/bundle at the grocery store for my firewood.

 

[Eman85]

I'm talking about primary heating. Of course a stove for back up or ambiance is nice. I also mean for those that don't have a pickup chainsaws splitter tractor or places to store a year or 2 ahead. As I said I wouldn't get rid of my stove.

 

[rwhite]

I cut my own wood on state and federal lands. With fuel, repairs etc, a cord runs me around $50. As long as the price of wood is comparable to propane I'd still burn even if I had to buy it. The "type" of heat it provides is much more comfortable than forced air.

 

[buc74]

We do have a wooded property but would still burn wood if we didn't. Oddly, we take very little from our 14 acres. I buy wood at times and scrounge wood for the last 11 years with no issues staying on our (3 cords per year) 3 year plan. I'm not that comfortably felling trees in our dense woods.

 

[BrownT10]

Buy wood? That pains me to even think about. I have never had to even think about it. I am fortunate and crafty enough to be able to mostly cut and occasionally scrounge my own.

 

[SpaceBus]

If I had to buy firewood I would probably just buy manufactured fuel like bio bricks/NIELs. Maybe even go for a pellet or coal stove at that point.

 

[Manly]

For many many years I would never consider buying wood. Now I’m older and retired. This is the first season I’ve purchased wood. Good wood and a good deal. I’ll continue to buy wood as long as I can handle it and can get a fair deal. Burn pellets as well.

 

[VintageGal]

FFirst year with a pellet stove. Prior 30 years I burned wood in a wood stove. Always bought my wood from local gentleman. Kept the economy fair and square 4x4x8. Price of seasoned oak cord is very similar to a ton of pellets. I'll be 63 and I'm not cutting my own firewood but I will do my kindling. My pellet stove is my primary heat and my wood stove is for power outages and shoulder season and I don't have to explain it to anyone LOL

 

[Kevin Weis]

Most of my wood comes from my neighbors 26 acres. I might buy a cord now and then to supplement that. If I had to buy all my wood I would likely go to a coal stove. My Intrepid takes 15" max. Any wood bought would have to be all re-cut to size. Wouldn't be worth that hassle to me to keep burning wood so hence a coal stove.

 

[begreen]

Are you buying your wood pre processed or cutting an splitting yourself? Are you buying "pre-seasoned" wood?
Before I owned enough woods I could buy a logging truck load and have it dropped so I could process it, but I had saws and a splitter also a tractor.

Cut and split. I am still stacking but am old and the bones are getting tired. I used to scrounge and split all of our wood, but not for the past few years. Our splitter has not been run in 2 years. Time to sell it.

 

[Highbeam]

I feel like some people believe it’s either free wood that magically appears in your wood shed or you buy it seasoned, cut, split, and even stacked. There’s a whole world of “semi processed” wood to buy. For me, even free wood costs more than a load of green logs dropped at my home after I consider hauling costs in my pickup. Yes, buying wood can be cheaper than free wood. Really, I’m buying delivery of the same free wood.

Then I process the logs and still end up about 1/3 the price of buying cut and split firewood.

I really enjoy processing logs into firewood.

 

[Dix]

Cut and split. I am still stacking but am old and the bones are getting tired. I used to scrounge and split all of our wood, but not for the past few years. Our splitter has not been run in 2 years. Time to sell it.

My splitter is going to the Dixette in CT probably this year. .

I've been mostly buying firewood for the past few years, and stack it myself. Split the "too big's" when I can.

I am lucky to have 2 excellent local sources, one right around the corner. There is a $40 - $50 price difference between fresh split & seasoned. For $100 (3/4 cord) for fresh split, I'm not even entertaining the thought of the work involved

I just keep the seasoned ahead 2 years, and bring in the fresh stuff. Lather ,rinse, repeat. Some times they call me with a deal, I usually take it

Yes, I would still burn. Heating oil was at $3.72 for 200 gallons plus today, and I know this house burns 4+ gallons a day when it's 20F or below.

 

[BillBurns]

I get most of my wood for free. Kiln dried oak, poplular. pine. it depends. I do buy bundles of wood sometimes, but my wife gets 15% off, so its like 5 bucks. Its usually wet, but a fan dries it up in about a day. I have my own trees too, but I live in town, so I have no idea if I can cut them down. I own the house, free and clear, and the land its on.

 

[Vg3200p]

I scrounge all my wood. And it's our only heatspource. I made business cards and hand them out when I seen wood. Leave a note that I'll clean it up for free. It works sometimes. Got a couple buddy's that let me pillage downed wood in thier propertys

 

[KDubU]

I plan to cut wood until the end…they can take maul out of my death grip. I like everything about being in the woods, harvesting sustainably, promoting brush piles for furry friends to live in. Then there is the heat from a wood stove, there is nothing like it plus all the activities of wood gathering is good for one’s health and I have missed that the past couple years (moved to FL and returned). I also have no qualms about buying wood, find a good source locally and you’re helping the local economy.

 

[Bobbob]

Before we purchased our wood lot we heated with wood. I had to work harder for it. But there are many places to scrounge from. Used to get wood from tree services that were clearing power lines. We also live close to government property and could get a permit to cut a cord of fallen timber once a month. It wasn't easy to get to all the time, but never ran out of opportunities. Having the warmth and glow of a fire makes me look forward to winter. As long as I'm physically able, our home will have a fire burning

 

[Woody Stover]

I'm talking about primary heating. Of course a stove for back up or ambiance is nice. I also mean for those that don't have a pickup chainsaws splitter tractor or places to store a year or 2 ahead. As I said I wouldn't get rid of my stove.

Even if I was forced to buy split wood, I'd probably do it. But you don't need all the equipment you named, either. With just a saw, small electric splitter, wheelbarrow and a place to stack, you are in business for cheap fuel.

We do have a wooded property but would still burn wood if we didn't. Oddly, we take very little from our 14 acres. I buy wood at times and scrounge wood for the last 11 years with no issues staying on our (3 cords per year) 3 year plan. I'm not that comfortably felling trees in our dense woods.

Buy wood? That pains me to even think about. I have never had to even think about it. I am fortunate and crafty enough to be able to mostly cut and occasionally scrounge my own.

Yep, you don't need a very big woodlot to have a sustainable wood supply. Even just going out and getting small, dead trees can get you enough dry wood to carry you a while, depending on how much heat you need.
buc74, Yeah, you need to be careful cutting in the woods. But if you read up, and start with easy stuff, you'll live and learn. At least we hope to live...I've had some close calls!

Heating oil was at $3.72 for 200 gallons plus today, and I know this house burns 4+ gallons a day when it's 20F or below.

$450 a month to heat in winter? Owch! That buys a lot of wood..