Wood Burning Stove - is it worth having

[Creemore]

As the burning of wood only puts back into the atmosphere the same amount of carbon as it took out when it was growing, I cant see the problem.

True. Trees are carbon sinks while they're alive, and they emit the same amount of CO2 whether they're rotting or burning.

+1 for a wood stove here. Our previous country place had an airtight in the center of the house, which was an open plan post and beam sort of thing. It would keep the place warm down to about -20C, and the furnace would only have to take over at 5AM or so. I only spent a few hundred a year on heating oil, and laughed at power failures. Very efficient, too. I got maybe a grocery bag worth of ash out of it every four days.

 

[mattridessleds]

We pay $50 bucks extra a year for the wood stove through state farm on the home owners insurance.

 

[lockhaven]

"True. Trees are carbon sinks while they're alive, and they emit the same amount of CO2 whether they're rotting or burning. "
that is good to know I did not know that a rotting tree released CO2:thumbsup:

 

[MotorSeven]

For the guys who are commenting on the "wood burning police". I must not be grasping this, so your saying that they will actually hunt you guys down for heating with wood. Not gonna lie I haven't read through all the posts about it just glanced but this seems ridiculous to me. Who is the person that actually hunts you guys down. Do you guys live in a urban area or whats the deal?

It's true, there are "urban" areas in our country that have outlawed wood burning. I would not live in one of those areas for any amount of $.

 

[twinjayhawks]

Okay what am I missing here?? Where is it illegal to burn with a wood stove? Who and where are the "Wood Police"?

Why would it be illegal to operate a Cat stove on cold winter nights?

Please elaborate on this because I must live a sheltered life... I have never heard of any of this.

 

[ultrarunner]

Okay what am I missing here?? Where is it illegal to burn with a wood stove? Who and where are the "Wood Police"?

Why would it be illegal to operate a Cat stove on cold winter nights?

Please elaborate on this because I must live a sheltered life... I have never heard of any of this.

Yes... very true and a sad fact of life in many parts of California.

http://www.sparetheair.org/

I went to the public comment phase of the proposed regulation and one of the Air District employee's even said the latest wood stoves used with property seasoned hardwood are the least of the problem...

The issue is the District refused to give compliant stove owners an exemption.

So yes... the Bay Area Air Quality Management District has about a dozen roving inspectors looking for those burning wood when it is illegal to do so...

Much of the process is complaint driven... there are huge bill boards and infomercials encouraging folks to report anonymously any wood burners in their neighborhood.

Each night, the evening news will issue reminders that it is illegal to burn and all homeowners are encouraged to sign up for automatic alerts.

Note... this is seasonal... there has been no problem with burning in the summer when it is 100 outside... only on cold winter nights and EVERY Christmas going back for years.

Just want to give you all a heads-up because what starts in California does not stay in California.

 

[twinjayhawks]

Yes... very true and a sad fact of life in many parts of California.

Spare the Air

I went to the public comment phase of the proposed regulation and one of the Air District employee's even said the latest wood stoves used with property seasoned hardwood are the least of the problem...

The issue is the District refused to give compliant stove owners an exemption.

So yes... the Bay Area Air Quality Management District has about a dozen roving inspectors looking for those burning wood when it is illegal to do so...

Much of the process is complaint driven... there are huge bill boards and infomercials encouraging folks to report anonymously any wood burners in their neighborhood.

Each night, the evening news will issue reminders that it is illegal to burn and all homeowners are encouraged to sign up for automatic alerts.

Note... this is seasonal... there has been no problem with burning in the summer when it is 100 outside... only on cold winter nights and EVERY Christmas going back for years.

Just want to give you all a heads-up because what starts in California does not stay in California.

Only one word comes to mind... WOW!!!

 

[Dozernut]

the inspections must be a regional thing, when I applied for insurance I was asked about hearths which cover both stoves and fireplaces I just told them what I had and got the price for coverage. I have switched a few times and have never had to have an inspection. Perhaps I am just lucky.

You must be lucky! Mine has been inspected and photographed four separate times. It does get old real fast. I wish our insurance companies in this area were as lenient as yours are. It is not just one company, it is all of them.

 

[Chilly807]

We installed a Regency wood stove when we built the house we're in now, in 2008. Great little stove, we have the FJ1100 which is the smallest they make. It has no problem taking the chill off a 1500 sq foot house. We have a geo-thermal hydronic system for our main heat source, which keeps up with demand down to about -20 C. We leave the thermostats set at 66 degrees F 24/7 for the best economy and boost the heat to a comfortable level with the wood stove on weekends and evenings while we're at home. Considering the low cost of running the geo system, by the time I cut and haul and split firewood, it'd be cheaper just to use the geo-thermal. But that's not the point, I need the exercise and enjoy the work, and dearly love wood heat.

Normally within a couple hours, the whole house is between 72-75 degrees, and I'm wearing shorts and a T-shirt in February.

We burn at most a couple of cords of wood per year, the small stove won't take too much at a time. It's a good thing, if we'd bought the medium stove (FJ2400) we'd either have to run a low fire which I really don't like doing, or it would drive us right out of the house with heat.

Like D7E on the first page, we burn a lot of cut-off ends and scrap lumber in the early season to clean things up, and they give great quick heat. When the real winter cold sets in, we are into the actual purpose-cut firewood.

Sean

 

[oldboyscout]

TwinJayHAwks,
the stove you are looking at is a pellet stove. Not a stove to burn logs. I think pellet stoves are the only wood stoves that can vent without a chimney, They use a fan forced draft.
Everyone in this thread is talking about regular wood stoves.