reduce heating bill with Wood Stove

[330T]

Your suggestion of copper brings up a question for me. What drives the stove companies to the materials they use? Would copper even work? would it be too soft and get damaged by tossing in the wood? OK, that's three questions.

Copper is soft, and very expensive compared to steel, or SS. It also has a much lower melting point that both SS and carbon steel so if you had a run away or high fire it could cause problems.

My guess is the cost is the biggest things holding people back from using it. In my area (Kentucky) most of the good bourbons are made in copper stills and they have held up very well over the years.

 

[DarkBlack]

It's not the cost of copper. It just wouldn't stand the temperatures.
Regarding the stainless, I think a properly run boiler is going to fail from the hazards of the wood fire side of things not from the rusting of the hot water side.

 

[SpringHollow]

It's not the cost of copper. It just wouldn't stand the temperatures.
Regarding the stainless, I think a properly run boiler is going to fail from the hazards of the wood fire side of things not from the rusting of the hot water side.

I definitely would agree with that.

Ken

 

[Michelle K linnane]

This has been interesting thread. I started on Christmas day 2010. It has amazed me that someone would think I would
buy a tractor, ATV, chainsaws, to burn wood. Being out in the country I can not imagine living here without them. Last week we just picked
rocks from digging out the ponds to fix muskrat damage, and using the forks to pick up rocks almost 4 foot wide is a must.
Before I ever owned a wood stove I owned three chain saws, the tractor, an ATV which was 17 years before I replaced, a 4010
mule and a gator, snowmobile,, ETC. But I know my stove has paid for itself in two years no fuel oil. And living in rural area
we do not have city amenities, I live on 106 acres.
I was brush hoggin the fields to get them ready for hunting and the preserve and having to go slow you can not believe how
many dead tress there are in the hedgerows. We took some time the other day and brought up a tractor fork full of dead wood
in log lengths, it was all well seasoned and some was a little punkie, but most of it was good. The punkie stuff we will use for a camp
fire and the other stuff which was small (no splitting) just to take the chill out of the house. I know alot of people will only use the big
stuff I burn it all. Last night it got so hot I let fire go almost out stired the coals this morning and thru wood back on to take chill out. The wonderfull part about that is I never heard my furnace run. Silence is golden. I also like different lengths and shapes of wood, so I can pack the stove. I also look for round peices and keep them seperate for longer burn times. Round wood burns longer than split wood.
another thing I really enjoy yesterday when we had kind of raw day, compared to what we have had, was I pot of water on the stove
with scents in it and yesterday I had an apple scent in there and just made the house seem so much more cozy.

 

[Buppies]

We used to burn a lot of wood until wife got bitten by brown recluse spider and that was that. Still enjoy cutting wood and the smell of it burning in the fireplace. No better heat anywhere. Have enjoyed reading this thread. Thanks for sharing

 

[BukitCase]

Copper melting point is only about 200 deg. lower than cast iron, but the bigger problem might be that generally, most non-ferrous metals SOFTEN when quenched, and HARDEN when you let them cool slowly.

I had an argument with a neighbor lady back in the 70's when I was just learning to weld - I'd only dealt with steel at the time, she was a very talented silver smith. She said something about quenching her pieces after working them for a while so they wouldn't work harden - I "corrected" her, and the argument began.

I lost.

But I learned something, so I won. :laughing:

My point is, if you were to use copper coils in a stove, I would think that the slow cooling would harden the copper and it would be more likely to break if you hit it with a chunk of firewood before the stove got hot (not that THAT could ever happen )

BTW, I've heated with wood for the last 35 years, and would probably build a ramp for the tractor to drive into the house before I'd willingly give it up :thumbsup:

Michelle, you probably shouldn't take any apparent criticisms at face value - more like the online equivalent of the old general store/potbelly stove BS session ... Steve

 

[Midniteoyl]

Yes.. copper would work hardened in a water boiler system fairly rapidly and crack.. Same with stainless.. Steam vessels, though do use copper and stainless.

 

[MotorSeven]

This has been interesting thread. I started on Christmas day 2010. It has amazed me that someone would think I would
buy a tractor, ATV, chainsaws, to burn wood. Being out in the country I can not imagine living here without them. Last week we just picked
rocks from digging out the ponds to fix muskrat damage, and using the forks to pick up rocks almost 4 foot wide is a must.
Before I ever owned a wood stove I owned three chain saws, the tractor, an ATV which was 17 years before I replaced, a 4010
mule and a gator, snowmobile,, ETC. But I know my stove has paid for itself in two years no fuel oil. And living in rural area
we do not have city amenities, I live on 106 acres.
I was brush hoggin the fields to get them ready for hunting and the preserve and having to go slow you can not believe how
many dead tress there are in the hedgerows. We took some time the other day and brought up a tractor fork full of dead wood
in log lengths, it was all well seasoned and some was a little punkie, but most of it was good. The punkie stuff we will use for a camp
fire and the other stuff which was small (no splitting) just to take the chill out of the house. I know alot of people will only use the big
stuff I burn it all. Last night it got so hot I let fire go almost out stired the coals this morning and thru wood back on to take chill out. The wonderfull part about that is I never heard my furnace run. Silence is golden. I also like different lengths and shapes of wood, so I can pack the stove. I also look for round peices and keep them seperate for longer burn times. Round wood burns longer than split wood.
another thing I really enjoy yesterday when we had kind of raw day, compared to what we have had, was I pot of water on the stove
with scents in it and yesterday I had an apple scent in there and just made the house seem so much more cozy.

Looking back at your first post...you've come a long way:thumbsup:

At times in my life I had a house w/no fireplace or stove I felt like something was missing. Yep, lotta work, but oh so worth it! This baby heats my whole house....love it:

 

[Deere Toyz]

Hi all-Old thread; good topic. As it chills mote and more, my stove is making the evening toasry warm. No mess, no bugs, nice clean wood 2 years aged, cherry and oak gifts from past storms. It is fun to collect wood and enjoy the lack of oil bills. Its nice
to at least for a moment to feel self-sufficient. Burn baby burn, you won't regret it!

 

[Scott85]

To many pages to read on a iPhone but the best stove for you money is a Hartman. They load from the front and top and they even make a grill for the to. I worked 12 hour shifts and I would still have burning logs when I got home not hot coals but logs. One time went away for 3 days and still had logs they had turned to charcoal but when I opened the damper it took right off. The stove seemed to get better and better each year. 2500 is a lot for a stove but I would gladly pay that again tomorrow if I had to.

 

[Deere Toyz]

Actually, there are no "Hartman" stoves. Mine is a used Jotul F400 Castine and it is a fine stove. Many around the world would agree it is a pretty good stove from one of the historically premiere stive makers. Harmans are also good stoves and many equally love them. I think we all tend to love the one we have. The point is to embrace the fact that wood burning is fun and it will save you money assuming you have reasonable wood supplies.

They're only "messy" if you do not manage your wood. I'm lovin' me some stove heat tonight!!!

 

[Scott85]

I'm sorry it's a Harman wood stove.

 

[Deere Toyz]

I'm sorry it's a Harman wood stove.

I know, I was just pulling your leg. I have not burned a drop of oil yet, and my house(about 3000 sq ft) is hovering between 68 and 70 degrees. I burn at night. Get a small burn going in the am, and put a HomePrest Fire Log and a chunk of oak when I leave. The stove is warm on return with enough of a little glow to get the evening fire going. I really think I can save 3K in oil bills this year and have fun at the same time.

 

[Scott85]

Sorry double post

 

[s219]

I remember seeing a photocopy of this in my dad's workshop when I was a kid about 35 years ago:

--

Save $$$?
Heat with Wood

First year costs:

2 stoves and installation $1385.
Removal of hot water baseboard and boiler $238.
Search for reputable wood dealer N/A $76.
Chain saw $210.
Ax, wedges, maul, cant hook, etc. $119.
Old truck (junk after 1st load) $595.
Newer truck $8645.
Tire chains $88.
Replace truck's rear windoiw (twice) $310.
Fine for cutting wrong trees $500.
5-acre woodlot $4995.
Splitting machine $950.
14 cases of beer $126.
6 fifths ginger brandy $38.
Fine for littering $250.
Towing charge (brook to road) $50.
Gas, oil, files, Band-aids $97.
Doctor's fee (sawdust in eye) $45.
Medical cost for broken toe (dropped log) $128.
Safety shoes $35.
Attempt to fix burned hole in carpet $76.
New living room carpet $699.
Paint living room $110.
Taxes on woodlot $44.
Woodlot boundary dispute settlement $465.
Roof repair after chimney fire $840.
Fine for assaulting fireman $50.
Extension ladder $55.
Chimney brush $22.
Medical fee for broken leg (fell off roof) $478.
Chimney cleaning service $90.
Replace coffee table (chopped up and burned while too drunk to bring firewood up from cellar) $79.
Divorce settlement $14,500.
EXPENSES $36,388

Sale of hot water boiler system $125.
Fuel oil savings $376.
CREDITS $501.

NET COST OF FIRST YEAR WOOD BURNING OPERATION; $35,887.

--

From: humor1-01.htm

 

[dave1949]

s219, That old wood burning joke is still funny.

Some current data on fuel cost comparisons in New Hampshire:
N.H. turns to its trees for heat | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram

"As of earlier this week, pellets – when delivered in bulk – cost more than only natural gas: $14.98 to produce 1 million BTUs compared to $11.46 for the cheapest natural gas, according to the Office of Energy and Planning. Cord wood was at $15.15, fuel oil at $26.07 while electric was the highest at $43.27 per million BTUs."

The cord wood cost assumes it is being purchased retail ready to burn of course.

 

[dave1949]

Some related wood burning news; your wood stove fuel competitors (maybe):
New wood-to-power plant expected to fire up soon in N.H. | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram

"The plant will produce 75 megawatts of electricity, enough to power about 75,000 homes. It will use about 750,000 tons of “biomass” a year, burning just about every part of a tree that can’t be turned into a board."

At ~50 tons (of chips) per load, 750,000 tons per year is 15,000 tractor trailer loads per year. Assuming a six day per week delivery plan, that's 48 truck loads per day.

For context, it took the loggers about two weeks to produce 28 truck loads from my chip harvest this past July. I think they could have worked faster/longer hours if they had to, and the weather was not cooperating some of that time.

 

[Midniteoyl]

s219, That old wood burning joke is still funny.

Some current data on fuel cost comparisons in New Hampshire:
N.H. turns to its trees for heat | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram

"As of earlier this week, pellets – when delivered in bulk – cost more than only natural gas: $14.98 to produce 1 million BTUs compared to $11.46 for the cheapest natural gas, according to the Office of Energy and Planning. Cord wood was at $15.15, fuel oil at $26.07 while electric was the highest at $43.27 per million BTUs."

The cord wood cost assumes it is being purchased retail ready to burn of course.

What was the cost per cord? What wood? Oak avg's around 22 million BTU's per cord (or more). At the $90 a cord, split, I paid, thats a whole lotta BTU's for the dollar.. About $4 a million At even double that (the norm here), its still cheaper..

Sweep's Library - Firewood BTU Comparison Charts

Which Firewood Give the Most Heat Firewood Guide BTU Rating Chart

Also, what electric price was being use? Around here, we start at 7 cents per KWhr and go down with use..

 

[dave1949]

What was the cost per cord? What wood? Oak avg's around 22 million BTU's per cord (or more). At the $90 a cord, split, I paid, thats a whole lotta BTU's for the dollar.. About $4 a million At even double that (the norm here), its still cheaper..

Sweep's Library - Firewood BTU Comparison Charts

Which Firewood Give the Most Heat Firewood Guide BTU Rating Chart

Also, what electric price was being use? Around here, we start at 7 cents per KWhr and go down with use..

The numbers in the article come from this chart: Fuel Prices | Energy Division | NH Office of Energy and Planning

They are current, and only applicable to NH, and surely represent a state-wide average there.

As to wood species, firewood dealers around this area sell mixed hardwoods (maple, ash, oak and beech primarily). I suppose you could order a load of 100% oak, but that would cost more I think.

 

[RoyJackson]

I'm sorry it's a Harman wood stove.

Harman does make a fine quality stove!