If it's cold where you live, what are you heating with and what is it costing?

[4570Man]

How ever the unit measure of CORD become the standard, did the heating world an injustice.

But then, a ton of fresh wet wood is no bargain either. ;-)

ps

I heat with wood. There is an oil fired boiler for domestic hot water. Even that is $100 per month.

Last truck load of logs went up from $750 to $900.
Over a year's worth, but it's getting harder to get a load in. Competition with the pulp buyers.

Two saws, both getting older.
New TW-2 last year. that was about $1400 with my TW-1 trade. The TW-1 was 10 years old. In ten years, I'll likely not be splitting on my own.

I agree selling wood by the pound would be better but not all that practical. How far out of the way is the average seller going to have to haul to get it weighed? How is the buyers going to verify the weight?

 

[5030]

One thing I realized about pellet stoves is the usage rate is the same for both hardwood and softwood pellets because the auger speed determines the usage, not the energy level of the fuel.

That is true but and I say but, you can decrease the auger feed to compensate for the higher BTU rating. When I burn straight corn, I drop my feed rate at least one heat range to get the same output and comfort.

 

[5030]

I'm just about the opposite. My wood stove keeps the place toasty in winter, yet in summer after working outside all day my AC keeps temps close to that of a morgue.

We don't even have ac here. Just a box fan in the bedroom but the house is shaded by large maples so it's always cool inside.

 

[5030]

I agree selling wood by the pound would be better but not all that practical. How far out of the way is the average seller going to have to haul to get it weighed? How is the buyers going to verify the weight?

I see firewood sold all different ways around here, face cords, full cords, ricks and bundles. I think most are probably a rip off. I know what I'm getting with pellets and corn because it's all by weight not volume.

 

[brutus54]

We are starting the heating season off with a new Lopi Evergreen wood stove. We had 14 facecord of Red, White Oak and Ash delivered in Sept. for $1050. It is currently 17 degrees and we have used 1 1/2 facecord this season so far. We are in W. NY at 1700ft elevation in a 20 X 24ft log cabin. You just can't beat the comfort of wood heat.

 

[jyoutz]

We don't even have ac here. Just a box fan in the bedroom but the house is shaded by large maples so it's always cool inside.

We don’t have AC either because it only gets uncomfortably hot for 2-3 weeks at the 6,900’ elevation where we live. Ceiling fans and open windows at night work well most of the summer.

 

[CobyRupert]

It just started snowing here this week. It will be winter until April. Most winters hit -15°F, sometimes -20°F, but most of the time over 0°F to mid 30’s.
Heat with wood. I probably used a gallon of chainsaw gas, and 4 gallons for the wood splitter gas back in May. Everything else I’ve owned free and clear for years. It was premium ethanol free gas so may $25 total at the time.

Oh…there was some gas to drive my pickup back and forth to the wood lot about 8 times, about 60 miles total. I also bought a new bar and chain this year.

 

[jyoutz]

I see firewood sold all different ways around here, face cords, full cords, ricks and bundles. I think most are probably a rip off. I know what I'm getting with pellets and corn because it's all by weight not volume.

I have never bought wood, always cut my own. But it’s easy to get full value for those who buy wood. Drive T posts in a pattern 4’ by 8’. A full cord should fill that space and be 4’ high.

 

[BoylermanCT]

Heating oil in CT is currently $4.85 a gallon. Last year it was $2.82 in Nov 2021. Electricity is currently $0.25 a KWH. Beginning Jan 1, 2023, Eversource is raising the rate to $0.37. A cord of wood was $225 last year. Still $225. I set my oil boiler to kick on at 62. If we want it warmer than that, we burn firewood. I burn 3 cords a year and use 350-400 gallons of oil a year. Looking at adding minisplits to the house in the Spring. Gives us another option for heating depending on the price of oil.

 

[dlctcg]

Heating oil in CT is currently $4.85 a gallon.

I just read this & laughed... (ok cried)... so it always gets me how in Connecticut (the 3rd smallest State) their can be such a difference from town to town (only mile apart) for fuel, whether it be gas, diesel, heating oil etc...

I just checked prices on HHO this evening in our area (as we need to get a delivery this week.. ) & it is $5.40 per gal for under 150 gals & $5.20 per gal for 150+... From where BoylermanCT is located to where we are is only around 40 mile difference.

We heat with both wood & oil but unfortunately because we are not home for a good part of the time we need to rely on the oil furnace that is running a a radiant floor system...