Yet another poll. Do you need to heat with wood?

[karl]

You really need to add a category.

The wood stove allows the house to be warm enough that there is harmony between the spouses.

 

[gregp553]

I only burn my insert on weekends and other days I'm not working. Like two weeks during late December. Without calculating average temperatures or other data, my natural gas bills were simply $600 less for Nov.- March last year compared to prior year. Regardless of what the actual savings are, I know I saved money so I'll keep doing it. And the cat, dog and my wife enjoy the den more than they ever have before. So do I. I heat with wood because I can.

 

[woodchip]

I answered number 3 but it isn't as simple as that.........

We are warmer with wood as we could not afford the gas bills the way they were going (our wood is free, just the cost of my time in sawing and chopping).

The additional benefit is that we can use the gas central heating as a back up, and it is not wearing the gas boiler out as it gets used far less.

But to be honest, if all other things were equal, and I had to buy wood, I would not enjoy heating any other way.

Is there anything better in life than going out and collecting your own fuel, storing it, and then burning it. It must be a basic caveman thing.......

Coming indoors after a day outside in the cold, I cannot imagine standing in front of some soulless radiator and instantly feeling warm and cosy.

 

[Cearbhaill]

Yeah, need another category
I could pay for the furnace to handle everything- it would hurt but I could do it.
But but no matter how high I cranked it I would not feel nearly as warm and cozy in the rooms where I spend 80% of my time as I do with the wood.
Mostly I do it because I love the type of heat it provides, so my motivation is not economic.
Maybe 30% economic and 70% comfort.