Wood/coal Stove Users

Tinstaafl

Those of you who run a wood or coal stove in the house for heat: How many winters have you made it through with only one fire?

My record is only once, for twenty years of heating with both fuels (different fuels in different years). This year I'm really doing lousy.

Home Serve

Temps fluctuate way too much here in Central MO for that. What is your ash disposal routine? Is there a tray beneath to get them out or do you have to go fishing in the fire?

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Tinstaafl

No doubt about it; that'd be rough down there. Here in PA, once things turn cold, they tend to stay that way--and on the occasional warm day, you can just bank the fire down and crack a window or two.

As for ash removal, I've had both kinds. It's not usually that tough to push the fire to one side while you scoop ashes, though you have a better chance of getting some live embers in the mix.

The stove I've been using for about 15 years now has shaker grates and an ashpan underneath. Quite convenient, and the coal ashes (when I'm burning that) go straight outside into metal trashcans, to be used for anti-skid material when we get a good snow. Wood ashes get sprinkled over the garden.

joasis

We have a wood burning stove...more for a back-up in case of power failure, then primary heat, but when the arctic air spills down here (Oklahoma), then it is fired up, like right now....I burn maybe a rick or rick and a half a winter, and when it is burning, the furnace never kicks on...we could heat totally with it if we had to.

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Tinstaafl

When I heated this place totally with wood, I probably used half a rick or more each year just for kindling. It took 2 1/2-3 cords of actual heating wood per season. That's a tad labor-intensive, especially when Herself decides to start raising babies (you know we have no say in the matter).

These days we use LP gas for the mild times, supplement with wood as it gets colder, and then switch to coal for the deeper cold. Just had the gas tank refilled last week at $4.19/gal. I think I see my Stihl getting used for more than trim carpentry in the future...

cleveman

I think your question was how many winters have you gone only lighting the stove once for the season? I heated with wood for 5 years and I went through 4 winters only lighting the stove once. One winter I had to light the fire twice. I could go away for one night and return the next day and still have a fire. I mean I could leave it for maybe 24 hours.

I only have had one stove and it was a Jotul Fireside or Firelight. I could load it from the top with a foot pedal to lift the lid. This type with the top load have been discontinued. I was very satisfied with it, but like I said, I only had one stove, so I can't compare it very well with others.

I can say that I think you are better off with a nice cast stove versus the plate stuff out there.

Some people have talked about heating a season with 1 1/2 cords of wood? I think I would use 8 per season, although I could use much less in a smaller, tighter house. In fact, I didn't install one on my last house because I felt it (a woodburner) would drive me out of the house.

PA woodbutcher

Please excuse my ignorance....but what the he11 is a rick? Been heating with wood for better than 30 years total and never heard of it. People around here are getting $50 a face cord for wood you haul. I cut probably 4 cord for use in the shop, but I don't heat that full time. Generally keep a fire in there for a week or so at a time depending on projects that I'm working on.

edit to add an answer: I lived in a 6 bedroom farmhouse for probably 5 years that I could go the whole winter on 1 fire.....of course I had to add wood every 5 hours when it was cold. No insulation whatsoever.

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joasis

http://www.woodheat.org/firewood/cord.htm

I never heard anyone call it a "face" cord....however, down here, most people do not heat with wood....and the typical homeowner will buy a rick, or a half rick, just to burn in the fireplace on occasion.

Just as a little food for thought, my Grandfather, during the darkest years of the Depression, cut and sawed cords of wood (3 ricks) for a Dollar Bill....and he had an axe, and long saw....I still have both. I don't have the wedges.....but he had to split the wood too. Lots of work for a buck, but when your family is hungry....

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Tinstaafl

I won't have a house without one. Especially where I live now, on the side of a mountain in the woods, it's all too likely that once a year or three we'll find ourselves without electricity for 1-5 days. I keep a 5KW generator for those times, but you have to be able to get out for gas to run it.

With a stove, you can burn your furniture if you have to.

cleveman

Yeah, you're right. A guy needs a contingency plan. Especially when there are children involved. I have access to another home on a different grid as well as access to a generator.

On another subject, do you have any experience with the woodburner/fuel oil burners to heat water for radiators/floor tubing? I think the only one in the US is Tarm (DK). They can switch from wood to fuel oil and I can't think of a reason why they couldn't be made to switch to propane or natural gas. I have seen coal starting to be offered here lately. Of course you've got your wood pellets and corn as well, but these have become very expensive. These heaters have a pump on them or can be operated without the "turbo". This still leaves a need for ductwork for AC.

I think this would be an excellent time to have these systems widely introduced. Maybe they are common in Canada, don't know. I know the outside fired ones are widely available here, but I'm talking about the type found in basements.

Tinstaafl

None at all, but as it happens, just last week I was doing some research for a wood stove I'll be installing the (stovepipe) chimney for tomorrow--at 14 degrees and windy (they just HAVE to have it for Christmas!)--and I got sidetracked into looking at woodburning stoves/water heaters.

From what I saw, the combination is pretty universally condemned as promoting excess creosote because of cooling the flue gases too quickly, and being tricky to deal with in terms of overpressure and circulation concerns. And they say the average inside stove just doesn't produce enough heat to provide for a house's worth of radiators.

I do know that the outside woodburners can be quite effective; I know a few people who use them and stay quite toasty in pretty bad weather.

Dual fuel does sound neat, but there's always an efficiency compromise somewhere in the equation. Space and budget permitting, I'd always recommend separate devices.

RCPainting

Do you guys have many pellet stoves back east? I love mine, heats well, little clean up, no wood mess in house.

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Tinstaafl

Yes, pellet stoves have been steadily gaining in popularity for the last few years, for the reasons you mention. OTOH, I'm seeing a hint of a trend back toward regular woodburners. People are realizing that pellet shortages like this year's could really put a crimp in their comfort/economy plans.

TimNJ

cleveman, I own a Tarm wood only boiler. If you google "wood boilers" you will find more than Tarm out there now. I bought mine used about 7 years ago and I use it exclusively to heat my radiant (1st flr 1500 sq ft). Prior I was a Jotul wood stove user (previous house). And the Tarm is great. Don't confuse the Tarm or other turbo type wood burners with those outdoor boilers. I have heard and read a lot of complaining about smoking the neighborhood up with them. The Tarm I have smokes some when I first light it, after that you generally see nothing but heat "waves" coming out of the chimney pipe.

cleveman

Thanks TimNJ for the information. I'm familiar with these wood-fired boilers from Germany (not Tarm) and I know how well they work. I guess the NJ means you're in New Jersey. Glad to hear you're enjoying yours and also that you had a Jotul before, as I did. I hope to get into a wood boiler in the future.