The Forestry Forum

mine, very well.  Warm toasty and little events

burning slabs and splits from rounds I dropped in the back yard last spring

about 13 cord up in stack, but still not using them

snow will change everything, but so far, so good

Heat is fine, but November and December , thus far, have been as cold as a usual January.  I think that I have burned a little more wood than I anticipated to burn prior to the new year, but I think, given our conditions, that's to be excpected.  With 14 cord up at the start of the season, I am not worried about wood consumption now.  Doctorb

burning more thani want to  haveing january in december i think

not burning as much so far put in new thermal pex this fall and havent had to mow on top off my water lines (still covered with snow)

Temperatures have been below normal here, too.  The forecast is for even colder temperatures next week, perhaps as much as 20 degrees below normal in some areas. I'm burning oak right now.  I usually burn maple or popple in December.  Probably burning close to 50% more wood than the "normal" December.

December was cold last year, too. One of the ten coldest on record in this area according to a local meteorologist.  The rest of the winter was closer to normal.  Maybe the same thing will happen this year.

Only burnt 1 cord in three months, still another 6-1/2 cord in the basement and another 1-1/2 cord in the shop. The shop stash will do all winter. Been not too bad for cold up here so far. A really cold January can eat up close to 2 cords.  :o

SwampDonkey-

That's not much wood for where you live.  How about a little data on your heating situation, such as square feet heated?, temp you keep it?, vary temps during the day?, hot water baseboard, radiant, or FHA?, wife and kids?  With my size house, inefficient heating (2 basements each with its own exchange system), and a wife that likes the house warm, I can go through more than 2 cords in a month if it's cold.  Either I am doing something wrong, or our situations are completely different.  Still I can't complain as lots of my wood is low-cost.   Doctorb

Good so far as well, burning nothing but pine chocks I usually go through 1 cord every 15 days.  If I run all hardwood its more like a cord every 25 days.  Heating 2 floors of 1400 sf at 70-72 and the attic (insulated, no wallboard) at 55 degrees at 1400 sf.  Forced hot water with super store water tank, 2 women who like long showers and temp in house is always constant. House was built in 98.

I know I need a new chamber door as its now bowed approx. 1/2" after two full years of heating.  Drilled only the 2 back holes that CB recommended.  The new fire box was replaced last year and looks great after a full season, no warping or cracking.

Temp in boiler kept at 190 degrees.

Clean the reaction chamber about every 2 weeks, not much ash, more nails from the wood chocks.  Actually the nails stay nice and warm and helps keep the fire going. Turbulators cleaned maybe every 2 months if not longer. 

2 story farm house. 10 foot ceilings upstairs and down. 42 feet x 30 feet, 9 rooms with 8-12 inch petitions, 6" insulation in walls, insulated ceiling from upper attick. Rock wall basement 2 feet thick, 8 foot ceiling, 25x30 foot cement floor, with cellarway down from an insulated shed. 12 x 18 foot crawl space also heated next to basement. 180 litre (46 US Gallon) hot water tank on electric, one occupant, no dogs or cats or skunks. Maybe the odd squirrel or mouse, dead or alive. :D  43 feet or so to the top of the brick flu. Forced air Fawcett Wood burning furnace and an oil burning furnace to the side.

I hover around 85 degrees while home, on milder days I let the fire burn down low until the fan is shut off for 2 or 3 hours after, some days. Then I let temps get down to 60-65. I have oil for backup, but have not used all the oil in one tank full in 3 years. I prefer a cooler house, but what are you going to do? Can't waste that heat. Sometimes I have to open her up, windows and door I mean. :D

I was rethinking what I burned, it's closer to 1.5 cords. Many of those days over the past 3 months was only a fire here in the evening and some days none at all. I'll probably burn another half cord by new years. 3 winters ago was the worst winter on record and I never froze to death on the same wood, burnt 2 cords that January...-30 F about every morning or colderrrrr. ;)

After the nicest fall I can remember in my fitty nine years I guess I should have expected a cold snap to lead into winter

really cold days I cut and split some shorts and rounds I keep back behind the garage, so as to warm the blood flow for a day outside.  Maybe do an hour or so in the morning.  Last 3 days and hour of that gives me a days worth of shorts and tee shirt weather inside my heat monster house


for the rest, say hi to your oil man

I have no idea how much wood I burn. I burn ALOT of dead wood. Some comes out of the bog too. Will start on that again when the snow hits. Have alot of dead ceder leaned up against another tree.Probably been there for 50 years.All limbs out too.Fir does not grow too well in most places on my land.I have alot of that fell over. I try hard not to cut any good trees to burn. Want the good ones to grow for logs. I have a OWB so now I can burn all this junk wood and not have a run away fire.