reduce heating bill with Wood Stove

[Fi-Q]

Of course a nice collection of chainsaws, a tracor, a atv, a trailer is all nice ans a ´´must´´. But here is too some people out there with very little money that do ´´scrunging´´. It is a way for them to save on money. Of course it take times. But some dońt even have a trailer and they put the wood in the truck of there car. And they manage to get all the firewood they need for free with looking for the opportunity on craiglist and in the neighborhood.

I remember many many years ago, during the 1990 economics crisis in Quebec. A few year priors to that, Dad sold the tractor and the wood splitter cause he was doing good financially and decide he was tired of doing is own wood so he sold the tools and bought the wood dry, split and deliver. But when money came an issue, doing our own wood was a money saver. So we used the mower tractor with the deck remove, with a sets of chain and a little trailer to carry the cut up wood from grandpas land to the side of the road where we put the wood in my dad old 2wd s-10 ( wich bcame the familly only vehicule for a while). And dad was splitting everything by hand. With the years, dad vot better financially and he now have a atv, tractor, trailers, ect.... But he have never bought wood since 1990 crisis. He is still doing his own wood now. He is retired and ennoying it. He even do woods for me

One of my friend went back to university a few years ago. Is house is in the city, with a wood stove. But he was really broke. He had a pontiac vibe and a small trailer. He bought a electric 70$ chainsaw and on week end he would gets free busted wood pallets and cut them in piece in his yard. He figure he saved 1500$/ year doing so. Back then 1500$ was meaning a lot for him. He is now a P.Eng runni gughes project and he dosen't care too much about burning pallets now .

So if someone really need to save money, burning wood can be a smart option. And if you have time, it can be done with very little tools.

 

[NS Gearhead]

I thought I'd throw my $0.02 in.

I built my house in 2010. We came from a 900sq ft starter home and had a wood stove in the unfinished basement and baseboard electric. Burned about 3 chord/ year. Our new house is 2,600sq ft, and R2000 certified.

What I ended up going with is an electric hot water boiler with in-floor heat and programable thermostats. We also have a propane fireplace as backup with a 1500lb tank and a 17kw propane genset even though the fireplace works on AAs. With electric being our primary, we get "time of day" rates. 1/2 price from 11pm to 7am, weekends and holidays. I set my thermostats up a couple of deg durring this time and lower then normal the rest of the time. The house heats up when it's cheap and slowly cools off when it's regular price. The difference is wearing a sweater and not. Well worth saving 50% on heating. We pay $262/ month for power so $3,144/ year... figgure half is heat... so $1,500ish.

I figgured it's comparable to an oil system for price, and I don't have to worry about deliveries, storage, cleaning and maint. It's still 2x wood cut split and delivered ($250/ chord x3)... and 5x 8ft lengths delivered ($100/chord). The two reasons I decided against wood were because I didn't (and still don't) have enough time for myself as it was (and that was before having a kid!)... that the Mrs didn't seem too interested in tending a fire in our last home... so in the interest of keeping the peace I decided aginst it.

Two things I wish I'd done differently; I would have put in two mini ductless heat pumps. Cheaper heat, AC and dehumidification in the summer. We're saving the $5k for an 18,000btu on the main and 9K upstairs. 2nd, I would have put in a wood fireplace instead of propane. Sure, fire at the flick of a switch is nice... but for the 6 times a year we use it I could build a fire from scratch. That and I'd have my back up source of heat for the apocalipse I have no idea how long we could heat the house if the power was out. I do have a wood heat sourse I'm peicing together but it'll only be for emergency use only... and not on my insurances raidar.

Anyway, that's my story. You guys might be interested in this fuel cost comparison;
Fuel Cost Comparison Calculator

 

[Midniteoyl]

A dual fuel propane/wood fireplace is the best.. No fire starters/kindling to worry about :thumbsup:

 

[NS Gearhead]

A dual fuel propane/wood fireplace is the best.. No fire starters/kindling to worry about :thumbsup:

I've never heard of such a thing! Sounds cool.

 

[crazyal]

I have friends who follow the power crews. When they limb trees so they can't take out the power lines they block up the wood and stack it near the road. It's not uncommon to see someone with a car filling up the trunk.

 

[Lloyd_E]

When we first bought our old house 21+ years ago I wanted to have the same kitchen range as my grandparents. It was a combo wood/propane. Left side was wood... like the old kitchen cookstove. The right side top and oven were propane with pilot lights they were also lit. When I first enquired about them the dealer said they were banned and they haven't been on the market then, for 30+ years. They had this combo because my grandfather refused to give up his wood stove.

I know based on BTU's that a cord of wood is equal to 200 gallons of furnace oil. I still use a tank a year for domestic hot water and the old week when it is really cold. We use mainly wood - average - about - 4-5 cords a year. Yes our house is old and drafty but we seldom have colds or the flu during the winter. I also know I cut my heating bill from $2600 a year for oil to around $1000 plus I also save around $600 a year for wood. I now cut from my own property and others(neighbours often want trees removed for safety or to gain a view).

Over the years, let's say last 5, I have saved approximately $10,000-$11,000 in fuel bills. The savings easily paid for a new(to me) logging winch, a new power saw plus all the gas/oil/fuel for the saws, tractor etc. The savings also paid for a few extra things for the tractor, as the money saved was redirected. Theoretically, if I save around $2200 a year, based on present oil and cord wood, costs my tractor will be paid for in the next 9-10 years easily.

They say a wood stove fire leaves a carbon neutral footprint. Meaning the smoke generated is filtered through growing trees and does not add to the carbon/greenhouse issue. The carbon produced is the same as if the tree was left to rot onto the forest floor.

Plus this process keeps me in shape, keeps the kids active and gives the family time together including the wife. She enjoys stacking wood too and my daughter is amazing at it. In the past month we have stacked 7 cords for us, 6-8 cords for grandma and 5 cords for my brother. All either chunked and or split and stored indoors or in a woodshed. In fact I had to build an extension on my shed(8'x11') to accommodate an abundance of wood this year. We now have 12+ cord under cover and more to come.

 

[clemsonfor]

Of course a nice collection of chainsaws, a tracor, a atv, a trailer is all nice ans a ´´must´´. But here is too some people out there with very little money that do ´´scrunging´´. It is a way for them to save on money. Of course it take times. But some dońt even have a trailer and they put the wood in the truck of there car. And they manage to get all the firewood they need for free with looking for the opportunity on craiglist and in the neighborhood.

I remember many many years ago, during the 1990 economics crisis in Quebec. A few year priors to that, Dad sold the tractor and the wood splitter cause he was doing good financially and decide he was tired of doing is own wood so he sold the tools and bought the wood dry, split and deliver. But when money came an issue, doing our own wood was a money saver. So we used the mower tractor with the deck remove, with a sets of chain and a little trailer to carry the cut up wood from grandpas land to the side of the road where we put the wood in my dad old 2wd s-10 ( wich bcame the familly only vehicule for a while). And dad was splitting everything by hand. With the years, dad vot better financially and he now have a atv, tractor, trailers, ect.... But he have never bought wood since 1990 crisis. He is still doing his own wood now. He is retired and ennoying it. He even do woods for me

One of my friend went back to university a few years ago. Is house is in the city, with a wood stove. But he was really broke. He had a pontiac vibe and a small trailer. He bought a electric 70$ chainsaw and on week end he would gets free busted wood pallets and cut them in piece in his yard. He figure he saved 1500$/ year doing so. Back then 1500$ was meaning a lot for him. He is now a P.Eng runni gughes project and he dosen't care too much about burning pallets now .

So if someone really need to save money, burning wood can be a smart option. And if you have time, it can be done with very little tools.

Are you a member at the Hearth? that wording and descriptions sounds just like stuff i read over there. Im also a "Hearth" member.

 

[Fi-Q]

Are you a member at the Hearth? that wording and descriptions sounds just like stuff i read over there. Im also a "Hearth" member.

Doh !!! Busted !!!! Yes I am. Got the wood burning disease !!!

 

[clemsonfor]

haha, i think were reading the same threads! i love the guys getting it intheir cars!!

 

[jimgerken]

How long are you guys able to make these outdoor wood boilers last? In my area, the Classic wood boilers are lasting guys between 7 and 10 years, then they are burnt/rusted through and the welding starts. They are paying 7-8000 dollars for these units. When I factor in the $1000 per year for the stove depreciation, that alone is a little bit more than my annual propane bill. I have come to the conclusion I have to build my own boiler, and make it such that the firebox slides out for quick swap/repair. I feel it shouldnt be too difficult to make it that way. I sure the heck won't spend $7000 putting it together. And yes, I already own all the metalworking tools I need to accomplish this.