[sgorneau]

Originally Posted by Quiettimect

Just about done with five cord, probably burned four myself. Friends raided my woodpile a few times over the holidays for "ambiance" fires. I have maybe five days of wood left.

I know it's tough, I had friends and family ask a lot through the years and, in the early days, would bring wood to parties or let friends take a few. But, that adds up ... and I had to cut it off. It's my home heat they're asking for. I wouldn't let them take oil or electricity "for fun", so wood is treated the same. Now, granted ... I have a summer stash for outdoor fires that I do let friends grab from here and there ... but I limit that too.

Originally Posted by Quiettimect

So the moral question is do I surrender to the thermostat or get a cord or two delivered?

I'm usually a die-hard for "more wood" ... but with

• mid-high 30s and some 40s looking like the trend for the next few weeks
• oil being somewhere around $2.40-2.60/gal
• "seasoned" wood being expensive; I would expect $225-250/cord. (I use "seasoned" in quotes because most will say it's seasoned because it's been down for a while, but they are just splitting it for delivery, which is not going to burn well.)

I would lean more towards oil right now.

Originally Posted by Quiettimect

It seems like I burned through my supply quickly this year. Any of you burners experience the same usage?

At this point, I've probably gone through my typical amount. Burning from mid-Nov (evening to morning burns) and from mid-Dec on with full day burns with occasional breaks because of warmer temps ... I've gone through about 3.5 cords. The deep freeze we had really put a dent in it in a short time, but everything else has seemed a bit warmer compared to years past. I still have about 2.5 cords left ... so I'm about where I would expect to be.

[Cambium]

Originally Posted by Quiettimect

Just about done with five cord, probably burned four myself. Friends raided my woodpile a few times over the holidays for "ambiance" fires. I have maybe five days of wood left.

So the moral question is do I surrender to the thermostat or get a cord or two delivered?

It seems like I burned through my supply quickly this year. Any of you burners experience the same usage?

4-5 cords by February seems like a lot. Unless the stove is inefficient? Or maybe its huge where you can throw 4-5 pieces at a time? Maybe the wood was too dry and it was burning like paper?

I burned through 2.5 cords and I burn 24/7 so I'm thinking I'll go through over 4 cords this yr.

That 2 week Arctic blast was the core of the burn, otherwise been pretty normal.



Tough call on what to do.. We still have another good 1-2 months left of heating demands.
I say buy 2 cords.


And I agree with sgorneau that you should stop giving the wood away. Treat wood like its gold. Unless you're selling it to them. Friends or family need to understand it's your source of heat and it costs you money and time and storage space.

[beer belly]

Time for me to get more Cherry from the Wood pile to the garage.....really trying to stretch it this season. Between lack of time and Health reasons, fell behind on my C/S/S....probably gonna burn about 250 gallons of Fuel Oil in a calendar year.....usually burn 100

[Quiettimect]

Well I made the command decision to get another cord, in fact it was just delivered. It cost $220, but it is seasoned and it looks like more than a cord. As was mentioned above and discussed in the past a good cord is going to cost $200 - $250 in Connecticut. Unless you are part of the Swamp Yankee mafia .


I don't think my stove is particularly inefficient, it has a pretty fair sized firebox for an insert. I think it is 2.5 cubic feet, rated for 75,000 btu. It can hold four or five splits so it does use some volume of wood. It is true my wood this year was a bit over-seasoned, so that no doubt influenced my usage.


As an aside, I had a steel plate Hutch Rebel insert before my current stove. I think the firebox was around 4 cubic feet and probably the most inefficient stove known to mankind. But Good Lord that thing was a heat monster. If you stood in front of it when it was running full blast it would heat up the fly zipper of your jeans to the point of involuntary flinching.


Insofar as giving wood away....................I'm a softie, always was, always will be.


In any event, my battle with the thermostat continues .


( I went through the winters of 2009 through 2013 on one 275 gallon tank of oil. Ah glory years . I'm getting too old for that level of performance. )


Everyone have the best day.

[sgorneau]

Originally Posted by Quiettimect

Well I made the command decision to get another cord, in fact it was just delivered. It cost $220, but it is seasoned and it looks like more than a cord. As was mentioned above and discussed in the past a good cord is going to cost $200 - $250 in Connecticut. Unless you are part of the Swamp Yankee mafia .

If it's truly seasoned I'd say that you made the right move! Have you split any open to check?

Originally Posted by Quiettimect

I don't think my stove is particularly inefficient, it has a pretty fair sized firebox for an insert. I think it is 2.5 cubic feet, rated for 75,000 btu.

75,000 BTU!!! Wouldn't that be rated for 3500-4000 sqft!?! That alone would explain the wood use.

Originally Posted by Quiettimect

Insofar as giving wood away....................I'm a softie, always was, always will be.

I understand

Originally Posted by Quiettimect

Everyone have the best day.

You too, sir!

[Quiettimect]

Originally Posted by sgorneau

75,000 BTU!!! Wouldn't that be rated for 3500-4000 sqft!?! That alone would explain the wood use.

I didn't split any wood, but judging by weight it feels aged.


I think the manufacturer, Hearthstone, rates it "up to 75,000 btu". Their literature recommends it for a 2000 square foot house, roughly the size of my home.


Back to work.........................

[Cambium]

Didn't have it on all day with 50s outside. A nice break. But now for the evening and tonight and snowstorm tomorrow.. it's lit.

[Quiettimect]

Burned my last stick of wood this morning, stove has been running since October which proves I don't get out much


Quite frankly we are all a bit sick and tired of the process at this point. Hopefully the rest of you burners can put down the bellows soon and have a good spring/summer.


Is this a long winter or do I say that every year?

[Cambium]

Originally Posted by Quiettimect

Burned my last stick of wood this morning, stove has been running since October which proves I don't get out much

Quite frankly we are all a bit sick and tired of the process at this point.

I agree... I need a break now! It's truly incredible how much I've been burning. More in March than February.

Here I am at lunch gathering firewood with 13th day in a row with snow on the ground....in March. Temps only in the mid 30s with full bright sun!

And getting Cherry wood cause its hotter and lasts longer....As if this is January.

[beer belly]

I just wheeled in another load of Ash and Cherry myself......not fully seasoned, so we are throwing in a couple Bio Bricks to help it along. Got close to a Cord of Oak, but won't touch that till it's ready.