# How much wood do you burn?



## EJL923 (Nov 19, 2009)

I am not new to wood burning, but this is my first year with my own house and new stove.  I tended the stove when I was younger for my parents, but never paid attention to how much would they used.  I am trying to get a handle on how much wood people usually burn per day.  This way, I have a ball park estimate if i am burning through wood like crazy or being to timid and not burning enough.  I know, it depends on wood, split size, stove size, damper setting, etc...Again, a rough estimate here...

Thanks


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## thewoodlands (Nov 19, 2009)

EJL923 said:
			
		

> I am not new to wood burning, but this is my first year with my own house and new stove.  I tended the stove when I was younger for my parents, but never paid attention to how much would they used.  I am trying to get a handle on how much wood people usually burn per day.  This way, I have a ball park estimate if i am burning through wood like crazy or being to timid and not burning enough.  I know, it depends on wood, split size, stove size, damper setting, etc...Again, a rough estimate here...
> 
> Thanks



We are heating about 3400 square feet that includes the basement ( the liberty is installed in the basement) we have 21 face cord stacked and plan on burning 15 face cord. I have only been burning from 5:30 pm on. Have been burning mostly cherry at this point with some hard maple for overnight burns.

Zap


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## ikessky (Nov 19, 2009)

Last year was my first year with my wood furnace.  I burned just over 4 full cords.  I don't even know the square footage of my house, but it's not huge.  That is without an EPA certified stove also.


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## Digital Wilderness (Nov 19, 2009)

We have an oil furnace to heat the basement and heat the upstairs with wood. We'll probably use about 4 cords this year.


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## MofoG23 (Nov 19, 2009)

I currently have 3 full cords for this year and I think I will be close to having enough (EPA stove) - I've already burnt around 1 face cord.  I guess I'll find out as the winter progresses.  I'm in the same boat with you, first year with my own stove but have tended the woodstove back home when I was younger - never paid much attention to how much wood we set back - I remember it was quite a bit though...

Over the last 2 months I have processed about 4 cords of wood for next year - all standing dead oak.  I have another 4-5 cord that still needs processed (2nd year supply).  I do not want to have another season wondering if I will have enough wood....


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## Wood Duck (Nov 19, 2009)

There have been a few threads here about how much wood people burn, and it seems like about 4 cords is a reasonable average for wood stove users. This means about a cord a month in cold weather, or a face cord in about 10 days. This means a stack about 4 ft high by almost a foot wide per day. Does that sound reasonable to anyone? I think it is in the right ballpark.


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## Gator eye (Nov 19, 2009)

My wood furnace keeps 3200 square right around 76 degrees (or higher) all winter with 8 cords.

First year I burnt almost 12 cords but I had a lot of punky wood I picked up off the ground.


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## MofoG23 (Nov 19, 2009)

Wood Duck said:
			
		

> There have been a few threads here about how much wood people burn, and it seems like about 4 cords is a reasonable average for wood stove users. This means about a cord a month in cold weather, or a face cord in about 10 days. This means a stack about 4 ft high by almost a foot wide per day. Does that sound reasonable to anyone? I think it is in the right ballpark.



From what I have noticed when burning 24/7 that is fairly accurate.


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## Patapsco Mike (Nov 19, 2009)

Last year I burned one wheelbarrow full each day.


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## Danno77 (Nov 19, 2009)

i'd say that sounds ok for an average as well. I have around 3 cords and I'm afraid it won't be enough to heat like I want with wood. (wood for me is supplemental to NG because of stove placement and size). I can make 3 cords work just fine and i won't ever be cold, but i'd rather turn down the furnace and run the stove a little harder. Just can't do that with 3 cords. I figure if i had it my way i'd run probably 5 cords through this little stove. Now, if I was heating the whole house with a couple of stoves or a wood furnace I bet I'd need something like 8-10 cords (no NG usage)


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## SolarAndWood (Nov 19, 2009)

It really depends.  I burn 8 cord on average and have 12 ready to go just in case it is a bad year.


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## madrone (Nov 19, 2009)

tell us your stove, what kind of wood, house size, layout, insulation level, and % of home heating you expect to do, and you'll get some pretty good guesstimates from folks here.


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## Slow1 (Nov 19, 2009)

So many variables come into play here - size of space being heated, how well insulated, how cold the climate is, how warm you like to keep it, type of wood you burn, stove type...

However, the cord/mo during peak 24/7 oddly enough seems to be a decent average estimate based on my reading of these threads too (I would hazard to say "per stove" but can't be sure on that one).  If you have an above average sized home expect to burn more, adjust accordingly for all other variables.

My own experience to throw into the soup:

Last year I burned from the end of November on and was trying to burn 24/7 but stove didn't cooperate (and I didn't want to wake up at 2a to feed it) so it was more like 18/7 or a bit less.  I went through about 3 cords of wood and almost one ton of sawdust bricks making it about 4 cords equivalent by my estimation.  Not the best wood, burning style, or stove install.  Also heating over 2,000 sqft.

So far this year I've only gone 24hrs a couple times so had a lot of starts since it hasn't really gotten into cold season.  Burned more than necessary in the beginning since I of course had to play with the new stove... I've burned a total of 305 splits as of this morning which I estimate to be roughly 4/10th of a cord.  So if I burn the same amount from this point on as I did last year then I would total about 4 1/2 cords.  I actually am rather expecting to burn less than that due to having a better stove - easier to control and losing less heat up the stack - but will only know for sure once we get to the end of the season.


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## CrappieKeith (Nov 19, 2009)

I burn oak and heat 1400 s/f here in northern Mn. I'll keep my home about 75 degrees 24/7. No gas required even when it's 30 below zero.
I go through about 6 cords from Nov-June.

A cord of hardwood makes close to what 250 propane or 200 of oil will make.
A 3000 s/f home would take a cord per month to heat displacing that oil or gas I just mentioned.
Of coarse like mentioned before there's a ton of variables.


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## latitude45 (Nov 19, 2009)

I have been burning 24/7 since Nov 1st, 8-14 maple/ash/oak/beech splits, 14in x 6in rough dimensions, non EPA stove. House is 2400sf upstairs @ 72 degrees, Basement 2400sf is heated by hot water baseboard @ 65 degrees.


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## EJL923 (Nov 19, 2009)

Wow thanks for all of your quick replies.  Exactly the information I was looking for.

I havent burned it for a long time yet, basically start it when I get home and load her up before bed.  Ive had a hard time keeping a coal bed for the morning, which would be about 6 hours from load to when I wake up.
My stove is a Jotul Rockland insert, house 2500sf, wood is mixed ash, oak, maple.

I havenet had to crank up the stove for very cold weather yet, but when I do, what is a safe operating stove top temp.  (Insert, cant measure flue temp).  When i have a good fire going, my stove likes to hover around 600-650, with the air control basically closed.  I think i would need to bump that up when the weather gets cold, but I do not know what temp is too hot for todays stoves.


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## CTburning (Nov 19, 2009)

With the old smoke dragon I burned 2 cords of soft maple from nov 15 to jan 15 last year.  It was a very cold late fall and winter and I tried to burn 24/7 but there were a couple of days the fire went out.  One of the reasons I purchased the stove that I did was because people living in colder climates than I live in were using a Fireview and burning around 3 cords a winter.  That is the most I want to process/use every year.


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## jadm (Nov 19, 2009)

I have the same insert.  Expect to burn more wood your first winter - learning curve thing.

I now keep 4 cords on hand and would guess I use about 3.  

A lot depends on our temps. and on type of wood.  I order mixed hard woods so I am never sure what all I am burning.  We do not have oak here which burns hot and long.

I also let wood sit for 9 months at least before using and I order it dry too so it has had a few months to dry before we get it.

Right now our temps. are in the 40's and 50's and one fire in the morning keeps our house warm all day.  Sometimes I will build one in the evening depending on how cold it is.  Like to keep the temp. around 75*.

When it drops below 40* I keep it going all day.

Enjoy your insert and check out the Rockland 550 tips thread.  Lots of good stuff there all related to the 550.


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## golfandwoodnut (Nov 19, 2009)

EJL923 I have the Jotul 550 as well.  I love the stove, it is a little difficult to get an all night burn.  If you do some research on the site you will find some good info on how to get longer burns.  What I did find is the best way is to get it down to all coals, let it die down a little, then push all the coals to the front and the sides.  Almost leaving no coals in the back (that is the key).  Then put a big split in the back and fill it with as much wood as possible (cut your splits to 20 inches as in the manual to fill it up).  Get the fire going with a little air, then close it down all the way.  I guess the idea is to take some time to get the big split going then it will keep the coals going longer.  I only tried it a few times so far but it worked alot better.  Just make sure you have the wood arranged so that none will fall on the glass (otherwise you will get a big dark spot and it is not recommended).


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## Lanningjw (Nov 19, 2009)

CrappieKeith said:
			
		

> I burn oak and heat 1400 s/f here in northern Mn. I'll keep my home about 75 degrees 24/7. No gas required even when it's 30 below zero.
> I go through about 6 cords from Nov-June.
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> A cord of hardwood makes close to what 250 propane or 200 of oil will make.
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How long to season that Oak?


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## CrappieKeith (Nov 19, 2009)

Lanning said:
			
		

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2 years.....


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## Lanningjw (Nov 19, 2009)

Crappie Kieth, That the part I dont like about Oak. I get it sometimes but I think its over rated because of the dry time. I am limited with storage space in the City. 
Are you way up north, dont remember?


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## Backwoods Savage (Nov 20, 2009)

We burn white ash, cherry, elm, soft maple and a few odds and ends. We used to burn 6-7 cords per winter but now with the new stove burn only 3. We keep our home 75-80 degrees and wood is our only source of heat.


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## bbeals (Nov 20, 2009)

Burn  5 cord in our insert to avoid burning oil.  Neighbors think were crazy cause we have another 7 cord split and stacked for next year


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## laynes69 (Nov 20, 2009)

Burned probably 6.5+ cords last year with the old furnace. This year hoping for around 4 with the new furnace. Heating a 2400 SF victorian plus basement, well insulated. Heating 100% with wood, average temps inside 77 to 78 right now. Been burning over a month, used around a 1/2 cord or so.


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## Rich L (Nov 20, 2009)

SolarAndWood said:
			
		

> It really depends.  I burn 8 cord on average and have 12 ready to go just in case it is a bad year.


 Solar is your Cat. working?That sounds like a lot of wood for a BlazeKing.What kind of burn times are you getting from one load ?


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## lazeedan (Nov 20, 2009)

We burn between 3 and 4 cords.


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## 53flyer (Nov 20, 2009)

Backwoods Savage said:
			
		

> We burn white ash, cherry, elm, soft maple and a few odds and ends. We used to burn 6-7 cords per winter but now with the new stove burn only 3. We keep our home 75-80 degrees and wood is our only source of heat.



3 cords?  How many months are you burning 24/7 and how big a firebox does that Fireview have?


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## heatwise (Nov 20, 2009)

between 2or 3 cords, if this mild weather hangs around we may use less. have some decent all night ash pieces set aside for the colder nights. also have some realy dry oak in a seperate pile, i think that 1/2 cord of oak is 3 years old. getting better at organizing wood every year. pete


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## greythorn3 (Nov 20, 2009)

heatwise said:
			
		

> between 2or 3 cords, if this mild weather hangs around we may use less. have some decent all night ash pieces set aside for the colder nights. also have some realy dry oak in a seperate pile, i think that 1/2 cord of oak is 3 years old. getting better at organizing wood every year. pete



you burning full rounds to go all nite?


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## North of 60 (Nov 20, 2009)

Rich L said:
			
		

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I think it is Solars 1st winter with his BK.


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## Summertime (Nov 20, 2009)

I burn 24/7 with the same insert and usually burn roughly a wheelbarrow a day or 5+ cords a season 1400 ft house. I have seasoned maple this year vs bought wood last year and the insert burns much better.


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## Hanko (Nov 20, 2009)

Backwoods Savage said:
			
		

> We burn white ash, cherry, elm, soft maple and a few odds and ends. We used to burn 6-7 cords per winter but now with the new stove burn only 3. We keep our home 75-80 degrees and wood is our only source of heat.



 Your from fenton right? crazy weather here in Michigan this year. I going to run out of kindling soon, got any? Ive been building a fire in both stoves everyday now sense Oct. ILL need 7 cords for both stoves


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## SolarAndWood (Nov 20, 2009)

Rich L said:
			
		

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I get 24 hr+ burns with the cut offs/misc junk I'm burning now.  The # of btus I can get in the firebox depends on how oddball the pieces are.  I did a test with 2 yr seasoned straight-grained optimal length locust; the cat was still active and had wood in the firebox after 40 hours.  The stove is our only source of heat for a 3000 sq ft house with a lot of glass on a windy ridge.   For reference, the previous owners burned 4-5000 gallons of propane a year and couldn't keep the house warm.


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## Rich L (Nov 20, 2009)

SolarAndWood said:
			
		

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So Solar,are you saying you burned  8 cords before the Blaze King ? That would make sense since now your burn times at 24hrs would say your wood use should be much lower.What say you ?


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## Backwoods Savage (Nov 20, 2009)

53flyer said:
			
		

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That Fireview is the only thing we have for heat so we burn from September through April and sometimes part of May, June, etc.

It has about 2 cu.ft. in the firebox. This stove is much smaller than our old stove but really does so much better and we are staying a lot warmer.


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## SolarAndWood (Nov 20, 2009)

Rich L said:
			
		

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The 8 cord was with the old stoves.  However, I doubt the BK is any more efficient than my old cat stoves so the only difference I think will be the # of times I have to load it.  I don't expect the total amount of wood to be much different.  If anything, it will be more as we will have longer burn times at a higher rate when we are away from the house or sleeping.

As for the burn times, they are low burn shoulder season burn rates.  Lows have been in the 20s and highs near 50 with hit and miss solar gain.  Even with the better quality wood, I expect somewhere around 12 hour burns when it is cold.  The old stove wouldn't make it through the night and its effective firebox was half the size of the King's and there certainly wasn't the same combustion control.


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## 53flyer (Nov 20, 2009)

There are always variables but here's my "basic" formula for everyone who asks how much wood they'll burn.  Assume you'll get around 4-8hrs per cuft burned.  That means 3-5cuft/day which works out to roughly 3/4 to 1 1/2 cord per month depending on the quality/hardness of the wood and how fast your trying to pull the BTU's out of the wood.  Therefore, to burn 24/7 for the given time period, it should take the following amount of wood:

*2* months- 1.5   to 3
*3* months- 2.25 to 4.5
*4* months- 3      to 6
*5* months- 3.75 to 7.5

It's a wide margin but the two factors above have a large impact.  You can also use 1 cord/month as an estimate.

*** Partial burning in the shoulder months can be estimated at half the 24/7burn rate or simply use .5 cord/month. The amount of time devoted to reloading will be proportional to the firebox size and, on average, you'll probably load about 1/3 to 1/2 your firebox capacity ea refill.


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## Roxburyeric (Nov 20, 2009)

EJL923 - I have a similar sized house (in CT) with an open floor plan and open to the 2nd floor. Last year was my first yr. and burning 24/7 I went through 5.5 cords. Half of my wood wasn't as seasoned as it should have been so I expect to use less this year. Golf and Wood Nut hit it right for getting longer burns. Temp wise I see 500-700 all the time when secondaries are going good and 350-500 with out secondaries. I really like the heat when it cruses in the 600's. That's with the IR gun shooting the top of the firebox through the air slot (where the fan blows the air out). I would plan on a cord per month and 1/2 cord each month for the shoulder season. I learned my lesson last year and now have 8 to 10 cords c/s/s since last winter/early spring - so even this year some wood is not 100% ready. I hope to hunt and gather another 5 to 10 cords this winter so it will all have over 1 year+ of seasoning before use. Good luck and enjoy!


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## 53flyer (Nov 20, 2009)

Rich L said:
			
		

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*Rich L-* Given 8 cords of wood: 
1) If Solar avg'd 30hr burns (which is hard to even type) he'd only be using 3/4 cord per month because he'd be using 4cuft loads.  That equates to 10 months 24/7 and a few shoulder months.  Wowsa... 
2) If Solar "only" avg'd 20hr burns (half the optimal burn he recorded-and still hard to type btw-) he'd be using 1 1/4 cords per month which equates to burning 5 months 24/7 and a 2-3 shoulder months OR 4 months 24/7 and 4'ish months shoulder .  

*Solar-* I'm guessing #2 is pretty close to the actual situation.  Does that sound about right?


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## allhandsworking (Nov 20, 2009)

Once you get over being a pyro you can let the fire burn down to hot coals. Coals continue to give of good heat for an hour of hours! I have reduced my wood use by not giving in to the temptation to see flame. Also you disrupt burn cycle when you open doors to throw on splits on top of coals. Resist feeding fire and you will be surprised how much fuel you can save and how much heat stove continues to though out good heat


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## SolarAndWood (Nov 20, 2009)

53flyer said:
			
		

> *Rich L-* Given 8 cords of wood:
> 1) If Solar avg'd 30hr burns (which is hard to even type) he'd only be using 3/4 cord per month because he'd be using 4cuft loads.  That equates to 10 months 24/7 and a few shoulder months.  Wowsa...
> 2) If Solar "only" avg'd 20hr burns (half the optimal burn he recorded-and still hard to type btw-) he'd be using 1 1/4 cords per month which equates to burning 5 months 24/7 and a 2-3 shoulder months OR 4 months 24/7 and 4'ish months shoulder .
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Because the BK burns so low and is easily adjusted with the tstat, I have been burning 24/7 since October 2nd with only two relatively brief exceptions.  The reality is that the effective load is only 3 cu ft as opposed to the 4.3 advertised in the brochure.  Meaning, that I can recreate 3 cu ft of my stack in my stove without getting out the band saw and dremel.  The effective load of the old stove was about half that, so I expect to get about twice the burn time which should be about 12 hours when it gets cold.  We heat exclusively with wood, so the variance is much greater than your #2 suggests.  Burning 1/2 a cord per week is easy if it is blowing 30 miles an hour and below 20 highs.  That would be 3 loads per day with the new stove and 6 with the old.

I understand your uneasiness in typing those burn times, I didn't believe it either after my previous 2 stoves.  It is a pleasure to operate this stove which is a good thing because it makes up for having a monstrosity in the middle of our living space.  It is easily twice the size and has none of the visual appeal of the old stove.


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## Rich L (Nov 21, 2009)

SolarAndWood said:
			
		

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 Solar are you hooked up according to spec.,8 " pipe etc.?Last February I was getting 15-17 hrs of good heat and I'm not even hooked up to specs.,no double walled pipe and 8" going into 6".I should do even better since I added more insulation to my drafty house.Probably next year I'll do it right or swap the Mansfield from the basement which is on an 8" pipe to the first floor and put the Blaze in the basement.That way the Mansfield will be on the 6" pipe and the King will be on the 8" pipe. After splitting by hand several cords of wood I'm too tired to consider moving those heavy men around anytime soon.


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## Wet1 (Nov 21, 2009)

53flyer said:
			
		

> 1) If Solar avg'd 30hr burns (which is hard to even type)...
> 2) If Solar "only" avg'd 20hr burns (half the optimal burn he recorded-and still hard to type btw-)...


I thought the BK ads were complete BS or creative marketing too, but after playing with this stove for a while, I wouldn't doubt 40+ hour burns for a minute.  I know I've routinely done well over 24 hour burns without stuffing the firebox.  This is w/o a doubt the most impressive stove I've ever used.  Even with a few splits this thing will burn all day.  It's amazingly efficient...


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## SolarAndWood (Nov 21, 2009)

Rich L said:
			
		

> Solar are you hooked up according to spec.,8 " pipe etc.?



8" double wall straight up 40" to back to back 45s then straight up another 20' of triple wall.


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## stihltheone (Nov 21, 2009)

I burn 12+ cords in my Blaze Kings, I run 2- 24/7. Mind you that all we have for wood is pine and cottonwood. Every once in awhile I stumble onto a town tree elm or ash. We do have an abundant supply of Russian Olive, I call it blood wood.


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## Rich L (Nov 21, 2009)

SolarAndWood said:
			
		

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 Man with your hookup you should be burning less wood.When I first started burning this thing I was trying to burn up my junk wood quickly.I just couldn't do it.This stove took so long to burn up a load I had to wait longer than I  wanted to refill with the junk wood so it took me much longer to burn up my junk.This season I've been burning junk wood since the beginning of October and I won't get it all burned until the end of the month.Then I can start burning the premo wood.I can't see how you can't save on wood with this stove.


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## heatwise (Nov 21, 2009)

greythorn 3, the answer to your question of burning rounds for all night burn. i have mostly split chunks, very few rounds.this is a  new stove  and i am uncertain if i can get this one to burn overnite. still not cold here so i will have to wait. keep warm in alaska,i could not imagine being without a stove up theyre. pete


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## BrowningBAR (Nov 22, 2009)

I went through 4.5 cords last year with the Vigilant and 510 gallons of heating oil (that was with the furnace dieing on us for 33 days during the coldest part of the winter). This year I added a second stove (that is finally running properly). My estimate for this year is hard to say for a few reasons.

1. last year was my first year burning.

2. Last year I was burning wood that wasn't as seasoned as it should be.

3. Last year I was burning 24/7 before we even hit November. That hasn't been the case this year (not even close).

4. I was still learning the ins-and-outs of wood stove heating and I wasn't as efficient as I could have been.

5. The second wood stove that was installed is a completely unknown factor in terms of how much it will be used and how much wood it will consume.

I am guessing we will use 5-6 cords of wood this year with the hopes that it will be less and about 400 gallons of heating oil (without the stoves we would be using 1500-1800 gallons to keep the house at 70*).


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## Henz (Nov 23, 2009)

I am in the 4 cord range


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## Dexter (Nov 23, 2009)

I heat about 2250 sq ft.  I am near Denver/Boulder.  45 degrees in day,  & 20 at night is typical.  3.3 cords.  

However, we just got new windows, stucco, and insulation in attice (house was falling apart).  Less burning this year.  Unless it gets REALLY cold, we expect 2.5 to 2.75 cords.

Jotul F-600 dog.

Dexter


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## Danno77 (Nov 23, 2009)

For giggles I looked up my therm usage on the gas companies website. From 9/28-4/30 for the past three years I averaged about 136,375,700BTUs for the winter. this is the amount of BTUs that I actually used for heat given an 85% efficient furnace. Even with those numbers in the past I've been chilly in the house, especially on a drafty day. (Still working on those window restorations!)

if I estimate that my cordwood has about 19Mbtus (mix of many things) and I assume that i'm getting 75% efficiency from my theoretical new stove (let's also assume I have enough stoves to actually heat this place) then I would need 9.57 cords of wood to heat my 3200sq ft house. (and even then I'd still be using a little supplemental electric heat.

If I had an 85% woodstove then that would reduce fuel usage by over two cords, BTW......

So, I can easily see how someone would be burning more than 10 cords in a year with a really big old house.


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## Danno77 (Nov 23, 2009)

oh and if you burn pine you'd be burning 12.7 cords or 7 cords if it was white oak


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## PapaDave (Nov 23, 2009)

First year here we burned 4 cords with a little nat. gas thrown in. Less than stellar wood. Mostly oak.
Second year, I shut the gas off, and we used just under 5 cords (14 face). Still less than stellar wood. My delivery guy got a call from me in March, but didn't start delivering until Aug., and yes, I made subsequent contact with him. Folks around here seem to start putting up there wood in Aug-Oct to burn that winter.
Last year, about the same as year # 2, but I also had a 10 cord log load delivered. My normal guy showed up on one of his deliveries, and said "I see you're gonna' start processing your own", to which I replied, YEP. I want DRY wood, not "seasoned" wood.

All the while, the wood has been SLOWLY getting dryer, and my technique in this 1985 Ashley is getting somewhat better? 
THIS year, I hope to burn a little less due to the knowledge I've gained, and the drier wood. I discovered that the blower keeps the temps moderated better and seems to help the fire last a little longer. Not sure why. Maybe I'm hallucinating.
I guesstimate 2/3rd's cord/month on average, and usually start the end of Sept., and go as long as the first week of June. I like to be warm.
I've gone through almost a full cord since starting on Sept. 28th. Someone do the math. Thanks.
Hope I answered the question. I hate these dang tests.
Edit: Oh yeah, 1240 sq. ft. ranch, with the stove in an ell at one end of the house. I have a not to scale layout I did somewhere.


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## BrowningBAR (Nov 23, 2009)

Dexter said:
			
		

> I heat about 2250 sq ft.  I am near Denver/Boulder.  45 degrees in day,  & 20 at night is typical.  3.3 cords.
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> However, we just got new windows, stucco, and insulation in attice (house was falling apart).  Less burning this year.  Unless it gets REALLY cold, we expect 2.5 to 2.75 cords.
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I'm envious.  I wish I could get new windows.


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## SolarAndWood (Nov 24, 2009)

Danno77 said:
			
		

> then I would need 9.57 cords of wood to heat my 3200sq ft house.
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> So, I can easily see how someone would be burning more than 10 cords in a year with a really big old house.



Your math jives with my experience.  It takes a while to get ahead when you need that much wood to keep the house warm.


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## brokeburner (Nov 24, 2009)

I burn 5-6 cords a year but i keep it 80 degrees in the house.  Drives my wife crazy being that warm but i hate the cold.


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## Adios Pantalones (Nov 24, 2009)

I burn about 4 in the house and 12 in the kiln every year.  Probably burn an extra 2 in the kiln now that I do "bisque" fires as well.

So that's 4 plus twelve carry the naught, plus 2... and double naught with a remainder.

37 cord.


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## d.n.f. (Nov 24, 2009)

Out west nobody has even heard of a face cord.  When I moved out west I asked about it and people looked at me like I was drunk.

3 to 4 cords here.


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## Adam_MA (Nov 24, 2009)

I installed my stove at the end of December last winter. I burned just shy of a cord from then until I stopped burning in the middle of March. I have 5 cords all set and ready to go for this year. It will be interesting to see how much I go through by the end of burning season. I have been burning for a few weeks now when it's cold, and have barely put a dent in my first 1/2 cord stack.


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## Hurricane (Nov 24, 2009)

I was a weekend burner for many years, burned most weekends 24 hrs and when very cold out 24 hrs and burned a little over a cord a year.
I went to 24/7 last winter and did not burn my open fireplace because of lack of wood. I went through about 3 - 3 1/2 cords of less than optimal wood last winter. I expect to be in that range even using the open fireplace for ambiance every now and then. I also use about 400 gallons of oil a year in the shoulder seasons.


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## breamer999 (Nov 24, 2009)

I started this year to keep records so here are my vital stats:

1) I live in Prince Edward Island, Canada, average daytime January temp is -7c, overnight -15c
2) I live in a 1100 sq. foot log home, no basement, on sona tubes
3) I started burning softwood Oct 2nd.  I have two large metal wood holders on either side of my stove, each 13cu feet of wood
4) I have a Regency Midsize stove, the 'Medium Model'
5) I have burned 91 cu feet of only softwood as of this morning

I typically burn softwood (Black spruce), which is free since it grows like mad on my 3.5 acres.  Some trees are 45 feet tall and two feet in circumference.  I am still clearing deadfall from hurrican Juan in 2003.

Oct-Nov-1/2 of Dec -> Black spruce
Last 1/2 of Dec, Jan, Feb -> Some hardwood and Birch (poor mans hardwood)
March-Apr-May -> Softwood

I am thinking 1 cord of hardwood and 3 softwood for the year


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## breamer999 (Nov 24, 2009)

Stove pic with empty wood holders (pic is a collectors item, since these guys are rarely empty)


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## WoodMann (Nov 24, 2009)

I burn Pinon here, but the climate is mild enough that I don't have to burn 24x7 but there is the occasional arctic snap that necessitates a 24x7, that's when I really start eating up wood. I'd say on average so far is about 1 1/2 cords a season as I'm not a veteran burner but I've got a good 2 1/2 yars under my belt.........


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## potter (Nov 24, 2009)

4 cords of mix of maple/ ash last year, which was my first 24/7.
About a triaxle load of "edgings" in my kiln, which also uses fuel oil.
More wood in the house and less firing (pots) since the baby arrived.


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## Dexter (Nov 24, 2009)

Hey...Do our Canadian friends burn Imperial Cords?  Heh, heh heh...

Dexter


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## breamer999 (Nov 24, 2009)

The universal cord....just a standard 4x4x8

No city 'face cords' here :O)


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## joefrompa (Oct 11, 2010)

Thought I'd ressurect this thread since it was helpful to me, and made me up my expected consumption (goal is to provide 24/7 heat all winter unless needing to pop on the furnace to heat the basement or because of cold snap).

I'm getting a 2.2 cubic foot Lopi Republic Insert put into a 2300 square foot home (will close off ~200 square feet of the house completely). Attic is r-38 insulated, house is well-sealed, casement windows, 2 story mid-70s colonial.

My expectation now is that I'm goingt  to need 2.5 cords to burn non-stop December 1st-March 1st, and then another .5-1 cord to heat November and March, depending on the weather.

My hope here is to burn 100 gallons of heating oil or less (about half my tank) for the entire winter


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## burleymike (Oct 11, 2010)

Last year I burned 4 cords and that is after the cat failed in my old insert.  However I had sinus surgery in February so no wood burning for the whole month and we took a month long trip in December.  The electric bill for those two months was scary.  That was heating 1600 sq ft with uninsulated basement, a well insulated attic and walls.  I expect to use 4 cord this winter since the new stove should be at least 30% more efficient than the old one and I plan to burn it for the whole winter.

My wood cutting buddy called and wants to go get another cord for himself and that means 1 for me as well.  I already have 3 but need at least one more.  I would not mind 5 though just to be sure.  I really hate to have to buy half seasoned wood.


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## BrotherBart (Oct 11, 2010)

Getting used to heating with a new stove is gonna cook off a cord more than you are planning on burning. But after that three cords should get it done.


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## joefrompa (Oct 11, 2010)

Totally agree. I was just told a neighbor will give me 6 huge rounds from a just removed tree too... they are about 36" round by 20" deep each....mentally cutting them and stacking them, that should make for a cord of relatively fresh wood to play with


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## Got Wood (Oct 11, 2010)

joefrompa said:
			
		

> Totally agree. I was just told a neighbor will give me 6 huge rounds from a just removed tree too... they are about 36" round by 20" deep each....mentally cutting them and stacking them, that should make for a cord of relatively fresh wood to play with



Just yesterday I split 3 huge maple rounds that had to be 36"+ I got 8 wheel barrow loads out of them. Didnt stack yet though. Good work out too using all my weapons (saw to noodle, wedges/maul.Fiskars to break down into manageable sizes to put the Huskee to work)


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## Backwoods Savage (Oct 11, 2010)

joefrompa said:
			
		

> Totally agree. I was just told a neighbor will give me 6 huge rounds from a just removed tree too... they are about 36" round by 20" deep each....mentally cutting them and stacking them, *that should make for a cord of relatively fresh wood to play with*




Are you saying you will burn that wood this winter? Not good for sure. Wood needs *time* and wind to dry and just getting the wood now will not make for good burning this winter.


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## joefrompa (Oct 11, 2010)

All kidding aside, I thought I'd evaluate the wood as to whether or not to burn a little. I've seen freshly felled trees that burned great.

Well, i think I just found my first truly unseasoned wood. I'm rolling about 1500-2000 pounds of this wood onto my property, and I decided to take my new-ish fiskars super splitting axe to it.

BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM BAM

10 strikes, and not a single one sunk in. Every chop bounced off the wood. Barely left a mark. Not even a sign of cracks.

This tree was, tops 35 years old (age of development). I've struck this axe into oak, ironwood, and lots of other stuff...and it always sunk in, even if it didn't crack it. 

This stuff it just bounced right off of. What causes that? Will it go away once the wood dries out a bit?


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## SufficientSelf.com (Nov 6, 2010)

Great thread!

I'm in a really moderate climate, in a pretty small house which is insulated pretty well.  We have a huge 30 year old completely inefficient wood stove, and even with that I doubt we go through more than 1-2 cords a season.  (does that disqualify me from participating in this forum?    )

I know wood needs to season for a long time to adequately dry out.   We had some oak trees taken down back in May to prep for our solar panel install.   Based on everything I've read here, that's not enough time for wood to dry out.   Well, I went outside and see the ends of the logs all split / cracked, and when I bang them together they sound kinda hollow to me.   Is it possible that during a super hot summer with enough retaliation they could be dry in such a short amount of time?  Without a fancy meter, how do I check moisture content... or at least gauge if they are okay to burn?


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## SolarAndWood (Nov 7, 2010)

SufficientSelf.com said:
			
		

> Is it possible that during a super hot summer with enough retaliation they could be dry in such a short amount of time?



Highly doubt it.


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## ecocavalier02 (Nov 7, 2010)

joefrompa said:
			
		

> All kidding aside, I thought I'd evaluate the wood as to whether or not to burn a little. I've seen freshly felled trees that burned great.
> 
> Well, i think I just found my first truly unseasoned wood. I'm rolling about 1500-2000 pounds of this wood onto my property, and I decided to take my new-ish fiskars super splitting axe to it.
> 
> ...


 just cause its unseasoned doesn't mean thats why its not splitting. i have split pieces of wood i resplit to make smaller and they do that sometimes. all deponds on the wood. ive been splitting some sugar maple rounds that are bout 40 inch ill take a wack at it to take the end off and bam like ya said comes right up at ya. try using a wedge and a sledge hammer. and i dont think burning freshly felled trees is a good idea. if you have to cuz thats all ya got then ok but not good specially if you have a epa stove your going to get in trouble.


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