More snow/harsher winter cost-wise this yr vs other yrs?

[Radio Flyer]

Originally Posted by jp03

But has it happened in this short a period? Think about it that way ...

Yes...Those are the stats I'm curious about.

I actually enjoyed the first blizzard this year. Those are the types of storms I REMEMBER from long ago. But, we got one of two of those per winter, with breaks in between.

I don't REMEMBER ice storms, roofs caving in and ice dams. Not saying that these things didn't happen, I just don't remember them....Perhaps it was because I was a kid and didn't have adult responsibilities and just wasn't aware. I dunno.

BTW, The Bangor Daily online has a photo feature on winters gone by. Some good shots, but I like the title of the piece the best, "Uphill both Ways".

[RMoore007]

I judge the winters by "sled use" from my house, not trailering it. In the '08-'09 winter in Dover, I put 1400 miles on my snowmobile. In the winter or '09-'10, only 60 miles. Next year in '10-'11, even less. I wasn't back in Maine the next three winters but my brothers said that I would have probably put over a 1000 miles a season on it if I was back there then.

I do know one thing about my brief time in Maine the last few years is that you can not trust Maine weather. You are better off to put your money in lottery tickets than to try to figure out what kind of a snowy winter you might have. Bet on cold all you want as it is always sub freezing at night and sub zero on many occasions. That you can count on. But snow depth is out of my depth.

[slyfox2]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

There is a significant shortage of wood pellets in Maine. Our local Aubuchon Hardware got a few pallets from a Connecticut company and they sold as fast as they could be unloaded. People should have a backup source of heat when it is this cold. I recently bought a propane radiant heater as a backup. It does not require electricity. The people who built my house heated with wood. There was no backup in those days. They just burned as much wood as they needed.

The problem here is that people expect to buy wood pellets like they can buy gas. They are quite plentiful in the early summer. If you heat with pellets then you buy your whole supply in the summer, just like you should have done for your wood. And if you need power to run it, then you get enough battery(I suggest two 56 volt golf cart batteries) power to fun for at least three days.

Since my woodstove has a blower I don't have to run it as hot, but its rated for a steady 700F in the exhaust pipe. With the blower, I run it at about 500-550 most of the time, when there are volatiles to burn.

Even if your wood dealer has wood, he may not be able to get to it when you have had 70+ inches of snow.