Wood burning savings

[Mackay]

One thing that really helps with wood burning economy is to insulate real well. Even when it is 20 below here we have the stove off for at least 6 hours a day. at 35 degress its off 12 hours, plus we are angled for a good solar factor so it gets really cookin in here between 11am and 5pm, I let the stove go out

 

[Bettacreek]

To be honest, we could save a lot more if we get off of our butts. We cut our own wood from the forest, which is $15 for the permit (to cut a cord), then chainsaw maintenance, oil and gas, and gas money for the truck to go back and forth. We have a large furnace downstairs, but we're thinking about replacing it. It takes a lot of energy to run the blower and all of that hoop-lah. We're talking about taking it out, removing the hosing and just putting another regular wood stove down there. That would eliminate any need for electricity to run it. I don't know what they said they paid for the furnace (might have been free), the old wood "stove" (was more like a fireplace!) came with the house, and the new woodstove (for upstairs) was free from my mother. We're also cursed with an uninsulated house. We have a lot of work to do here, lol.

 

[Organics North]

Speaking of insulation...
My new chicken coop is tighter than our house... No way can I let the fire go out for 6 hours in winter.......

I started insulating the basement, but need to finish...

ON

Oh on burning hot but short lived wood, consider adding lots of thermal mass to soak up that spike of heat, and then release it slow. (It is what they do in Finland as the have no hardwood, but have a plenty cold climate..

 

[gettinaclue]

Oh on burning hot but short lived wood, consider adding lots of thermal mass to soak up that spike of heat, and then release it slow. (It is what they do in Finland as the have no hardwood, but have a plenty cold climate..

ON, how would you do that? Please explain. I can't do it myself, but think it's smart.

Edited because I am a computer idiot.

 

[FarmerDenise]

Since we got our chimney cleaned and have only been using the wood insert for heat, our electric bill went down $100 the first month and another $20 last month. At first we used heating pads a lot. But by now we are more used to the cold and don't even use the heating pads anymore. And it hasn't been quite as cold either.

Right now our electric bill is lower than in the summer. In the summer we use more water to water the garden and run the pump.

 

[dacjohns]

Oh on burning hot but short lived wood, consider adding lots of thermal mass to soak up that spike of heat, and then release it slow. (It is what they do in Finland as the have no hardwood, but have a plenty cold climate..

ON, how would you do that? Please explain. I can't do it myself, but think it's smart.

Edited because I am a computer idiot.

Massive soap stone stoves.

 

[savingdogs]

We have combination wood stove and wall heaters and we try to not turn on the wall heaters. We have to place fans around to direct the warm air, but we can get most of our rooms warm with the wood stove.

We cut wood from our property (mostly red alder) so other than being a lot of work to cut, haul, chop, stack, bring in and light the fires, it is "cheap." However it is a lot of time. Lucky for me my husband enjoys these particular chores.

We have spent more on chainsaws and their maintenance than we ever thought we would need to, but that is nothing compared to our energy bill savings.

Finally, in the case of power outage which would generally happen in winter when we utilize the stove, we can cook on it.

 

[THEFAN]

We average 1800.00 a yr in oil. This yr we might do 1500.00 due to a really warm FEB, and now above average MArch so far. We are adding a woodstove as a write. I just got the hearth tile done . Now to grout. I figure since I am home in the winter months full time I will try and use nothing but wood next winter. I have 4 cords of wood already seasoned for next yr and cutting up 2 acres right now too. Not that I can burn up 2 acres of woods in a yrs time I figure we have enough wood on our prop for 3-4 yrs and sell some too. We have 70.00 a month electric in a 1900 square ft house. If I can get the wife to do drying cloths outside I drp that a lot more. Next is to start solar projects

 

[savingdogs]

My husband encouraged me to try drying our clothes outside in summer (we live in WA where drying outside in winter would never happen).

Our clothes felt stiff and awful and the towels and blankets were especially bad. And it aggravated all of our allergies. We think it was the pollen getting on everything. But we had to actually re-wash the towels. No savings there!

So drying outside may not be the great idea it sounds like or how they make it look in commercials.

 

[elijahboy]

My husband encouraged me to try drying our clothes outside in summer (we live in WA where drying outside in winter would never happen).

Our clothes felt stiff and awful and the towels and blankets were especially bad. And it aggravated all of our allergies. We think it was the pollen getting on everything. But we had to actually re-wash the towels. No savings there!

So drying outside may not be the great idea it sounds like or how they make it look in commercials.

i put some hair conditioner in a seperate bottle with 1 parts water and 1 part conditioner any cheap hair conditioner

usually about 1/3 a cup and that took care of my stiff clothes