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If we decide to stay here we have to start addressing the way we spend our money. I am looking into a seperate water heater thanks to your advice, now I'm thinking wood burner. Does anyone know much about them? We have over 3 acres with lot's of woods/fallen trees. All my neighbours have between 2 1/2 to 5 acres of the same so I can get my hands on LOTS of free wood. Are they easy to have installed, is it worth it or is there a better alternative?
At the moment we heat both the house and water off a 1960's oil furnace, running at 75% efficiency, and have no AC.
Thanks.
If you can find a forester or lumberman to manage your trees you may be able to use them for money making. I saw a show where a man managed his woods instead of cutting it down in one fell swoop, it was much larger than yours, anyway after 30 years he still had a forest and had made a couple million dollars, I think he was offered about a fourth of that to clear cut it.
As far as burning wood for heat, self feeding pellet stoves are better and more efficient than straight wood stoves and you still get the cool wood burning smell. They make part the pellets out of sawdust from sawmills to reduce how many trees they grind up. The also have cast iron gas stoves now. Both natural gas and propane. These would be the most efficient and environmentally clean.
I still think insulation would be the best investment even before getting a new heater. You will be very surprised at the difference if you do. You may even keep your oil heater for a while more. I've only added twenty gals. this winter. Of course it's much milder out here. but the principle is the same. The oil companies told me when I moved in I'd have to use the full 250 gallon tank in one winter to stay warm. I have only filled the tank once in five years, that first winter, and I added 100 gallons two years ago, about 50 last year, and 20 this year. I keep it at around 57. Insulation is very much worth it. Also in summer even when it's 90 it is cool inside. It doesn't get above 75-78 in here.
Last edited by nutleynut; 02-28-2009 at 07:19 PM..
I have a small wood stove, and we love it. Guy at work has a pellet stove, and while convienient, he says the pellets have increased in price by 25% each of the last 3 years.
They're not too bad to install, just need to be near an outside wall to vent the flue.. put a pot of water on the top and you have instant humidification
If we decide to stay here we have to start addressing the way we spend our money. I am looking into a seperate water heater thanks to your advice, now I'm thinking wood burner. Does anyone know much about them? We have over 3 acres with lot's of woods/fallen trees. All my neighbours have between 2 1/2 to 5 acres of the same so I can get my hands on LOTS of free wood. Are they easy to have installed, is it worth it or is there a better alternative?
At the moment we heat both the house and water off a 1960's oil furnace, running at 75% efficiency, and have no AC.
Thanks.
Hummm...central boiler may be an option for you. There's a place on 57, just outside of Washington that sells them... I have a friend who has one and they spent $0 on oil this year! But I would check with your township first to see if they allow them. I know that they have been modified recently to suit new NJDEP Air Quality Regs.
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