# RE: Has anyone else noticed . . .



## firefighterjake (Dec 12, 2015)

. . . hearth.com seems to be much quieter than normal for this time of year. 

Yesterday I was busy so I didn't really get a chance to log on. Typically this means the next day I have pages and pages to go through (since I am a hearth.com addict.) These days . . . there most definitely doesn't seem to be as many new threads.

Guessing it may be due to both the warmer weather this Fall and perhaps the low oil prices?


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## edyit (Dec 12, 2015)

yes, i noticed that myself as well, gonna have to go with the warmer weather theory as well, almost 60F here and its not even noon yet, windows and doors open in the middle of december, gotta love it


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## Highbeam (Dec 12, 2015)

There are a couple other sites that have grown if you need more for your fix.


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## Woody Stover (Dec 12, 2015)

Highbeam said:


> There are a couple other sites that have grown if you need more for your fix.


Yeah, that stinks. Who's got time to mess with all these different forums?


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## Dix (Dec 12, 2015)

I contribute a lot of it to lower oil prices. Could be the new format is hard to adapt too, as well.

last year at this time ( and in November ) I was burning 24 / 7. Stacks took an unplanned hit. Where I was a year ahead (all I have room for, or can manage by myself ), I had a 2 cords left, after tapping into the "almost seasoned" stash 

I'm also planning on resurrecting the oil burner after the holidays, and get the 550 gallon tank as full as I can. Set the T stats at 62 F, and let the oil burner handle the HW, as well ( has coil). At this point, turning off the electric HWH is a win / win for me. 

Sitting here at 5:30 PM EST, and windows are open. I'll take it


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## jb6l6gc (Dec 12, 2015)

Probably because everyone's outside adding to their stacks rather than inside bored and feeding stoves. I know myself I've rebuilt my chainsaw and c/s/s 2 cords and cleaned furnace and stove pipe this weekend, amongst other things. Now I can relax on hearth an watch football Tommorow, no more chores to do.


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## DougA (Dec 12, 2015)

Yup, we need someone to post some really juicy creosote pix so we can all join in.


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## saskwoodburner (Dec 12, 2015)

DougA said:


> Yup, we need someone to post some really juicy creosote pix so we can all join in.



 I'm not due for a self imposed stove cleaning until the 15th....maybe I'll start a dirty window thread. And yes, the forum is pretty quiet.


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## kversch (Dec 12, 2015)

Agreed it stinks.   I've hardly gotten to use the stove.   It's been out for atleast a week now.    May see lower temps by mid week.


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## DougA (Dec 12, 2015)

kversch said:


> Agreed it stinks.


You are not allowed to complain about good weather, only Canadians can do that.


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## RFarm (Dec 12, 2015)

Bumming big time!  I finally got a seasons worth of dry wood and I cannot even think about lighting the stove .  I dream about winter like some folks dream about summer and to not have one is such a let down.  It was 74 today - i had shorts/t-short/sandals on all day as I farted around in the garden wondering if i should try to get in another tomato crop!  I still have peppers growing.  I picked all of the fruits about a month ago when we we had a light frost, but low and behold the plants put out more flowers and new little peppers are starting to grow.  I also saw a butterfly this morning and a garter snake later in the day!  Feels more like April than December.  I am praying for an arctic clipper!


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## Corey (Dec 12, 2015)

I find the "new" look hard and 'unpleasing' to read...so I think I've cut back visiting / posting.   Instead of 'curling up with a good book', it's more like trying to read the insignia and info on the top of a 100 watt light bulb... I'll do it, but not 'fun'.  Not that I'm a 'major' player by any means but get a few hundred people cutting back by a few posts a day and it may add up.

A couple of forums I used to frequent had such bad 'new' versions, I pretty much gave up on them.  I sort of like hearth...guess that is why I still hang around after 10 years.


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## KpR (Dec 12, 2015)

Highbeam said:


> There are a couple other sites that have grown if you need more for your fix.


Such as? (not that I won't be scrolling Hearth multiple times a day or anything)


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## jb6l6gc (Dec 12, 2015)

Y


Corey said:


> I find the "new" look hard and 'unpleasing' to read...so I think I've cut back visiting / posting.   Instead of 'curling up with a good book', it's more like trying to read the insignia and info on the top of a 100 watt light bulb... I'll do it, but not 'fun'.  Not that I'm a 'major' player by any means but get a few hundred people cutting back by a few posts a day and it may add up.
> 
> A couple of forums I used to frequent had such bad 'new' versions, I pretty much gave up on them.  I sort of like hearth...guess that is why I still hang around after 10 years.


 You can change back to the old style it's at the bottom


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## gyrfalcon (Dec 12, 2015)

jb6l6gc said:


> Y
> You can change back to the old style it's at the bottom


Where? I'm not finding it.


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## gyrfalcon (Dec 12, 2015)

firefighterjake said:


> . . . hearth.com seems to be much quieter than normal for this time of year.
> 
> Yesterday I was busy so I didn't really get a chance to log on. Typically this means the next day I have pages and pages to go through (since I am a hearth.com addict.) These days . . . there most definitely doesn't seem to be as many new threads.
> 
> Guessing it may be due to both the warmer weather this Fall and perhaps the low oil prices?


For myself, it's partly the ridiculously warm fall, especially after last winter's horrible marathon, plus the low oil prices.  I decided actually to take advantage of the low price to give my aging bones a break from wrangling wood this year.   I have a small supply still for weekend evenings by the stove-- but it's been too warm to justify it or get a good fire going!

I also think the new format for those of us who've been around a while, it's the new format.  There's nothing wrong with it, per se, but it just doesn't look like "home."  It's as if your spouse got a face transplant.


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## dh1989 (Dec 12, 2015)

It was 60 today and I'm still burning one small load a day. 40s overnight and the house will cool down if I don't. I'm taking advantage of the weather to beef up my insulation, build a storage box for scrap wood, as well as some other projects.

Beauty of the BK is that I run a half load damped all the way down and it lasts overnight, then I will have the windows open tomorrow for fresh air.


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## xman23 (Dec 12, 2015)

We've had the electric baseboard heat on all weekend. Not even cool enough to do one burn to take the chill off. I admit I'm getting a little lazy.


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## jb6l6gc (Dec 12, 2015)

gyrfalcon said:


> Where? I'm not finding it.


At the bottom it says hearth.com if u click it, it gives your the option of old hearth. Which is the old style


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## Dix (Dec 12, 2015)

jb6l6gc said:


> At the bottom it says hearth.com if u click it, it gives your the option of old hearth. Which is the old style



Thank you


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## jb6l6gc (Dec 12, 2015)

Ya I had to go back
To just what I'm used to I guess lol


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## osagebow (Dec 12, 2015)

Thanks jb6!
Now I'm off to create a fake profile and warn everyone about burning pine. THAT will liven things up


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## brenndatomu (Dec 12, 2015)

firefighterjake said:


> Guessing it may be due to both the warmer weather this Fall and perhaps the low oil prices?





Highbeam said:


> There are a couple other sites that have grown if you need more for your fix.


Yup. This ^^^


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## Smoked (Dec 12, 2015)

No excuse not to get the stove glass nice and sparkling


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## begreen (Dec 12, 2015)

Started up the stove yesterday and it has been going since. It's not cold, but nighttime temps will soon be in the 30s again. Looks like some cooler weather will be traveling east soon.


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## Squisher (Dec 12, 2015)

Yah we're hovering around freezing and I'm burning steady.  At these warmer temps I enjoy it, makes it easy to keep the house warm with smaller fires.


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## Stella (Dec 13, 2015)

Okay since someone asked,  here is a picture of my creosote  after an enforced clean out.  Just don't ask what happened, it was entirely my own fault!


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## brad wilton (Dec 13, 2015)

Still lighting in evening,but lost that burn or die mentality this year


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## jb6l6gc (Dec 13, 2015)

Stella said:


> Okay since someone asked,  here is a picture of my creosote  after an enforced clean out.  Just don't ask what happened, it was entirely my own fault!


Have to ask , what happened


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## Stella (Dec 13, 2015)

Since you insist - had not cleaned out the stove after three years' burning, admittedly not all the winter as I live in a warm climate.  Late afternoon, felt chilly, laid and lit stove.  Thick black smoke immediately in the room, choking stuff.  Telephoned my Albanian builder friend.  Our common language is Greek - mine very poor.  No words were needed as he sprang into action with a spade and a terracotta urn.  Soon the contents of the stove were outside.  When it had cooled and it took a while he disconnected the pipe thingy and found it totally blocked with creosote.  He rodded through and the result is what you see in the picture.  Stove has been cleaned up and house aired, now in wonderful warm weather during the day and re-lit with dry olive wood.  I learnt a valuable lesson and my friend will be cleaning again in the spring.


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## clincoln007 (Dec 13, 2015)

Its definately slower, I almost never post but read all the time, the few times I have posted this year because I had stove issues the responses were real slow.coming in compaeed to the last couple years, still a great site just not nearly as busy


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## drewmo (Dec 13, 2015)

Perhaps we've reached critical mass in that every possible question has been asked and answered. That's what the search bar is for. Personally, I find it easier posting a technical question than using the search bar, although I'm pretty certain whatever question I ask has already been addressed at some point in time on this site. I'm just lazy in that way (and like the attention). And if I'm having a catastrophic emergency, I know who to PM (I'm looking at you, hogwildz.) The beauty of the site is that we all share something in common, and that's making heat cheaply, primarily with fire. Regardless if it's busy or slow here, I enjoy the thoughtful conversation.


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## BrotherBart (Dec 13, 2015)

Traffic usually starts ramping up around late July when people thinking about getting their first stove start dropping in with questions. Then in late September "Are you burning yet?" takes off. This year with no hurricanes in the Gulf and the Middle East not making a dent in costs of heating oil in the NE not many new stove buyers out there. Then drop on top of it most of the country on the golf course in December and oil continuing to slide, not surprising that traffic has slowed way down this year.

Everybody is over on Facebook arguing politics.


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## BrotherBart (Dec 13, 2015)

For the first time in 40 years I haven't put one split in the stove yet. For the first time I was able to hold off till Thanksgiving. Now I am shooting for Christmas. Burned pellets in the pellet basket a few nights.


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## begreen (Dec 13, 2015)

Wow. Getting a little chillier here this week. We'll see if the jet stream makes an eastern delivery.


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## BrotherBart (Dec 13, 2015)

Delivery refused. Return to sender!


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## Smoked (Dec 13, 2015)

BrotherBart said:


> For the first time in 40 years I haven't put one split in the stove yet. For the first time I was able to hold off till Thanksgiving. Now I am shooting for Christmas. Burned pellets in the pellet basket a few nights.


How hard is it to get the pellets lit in an EPA stove?  Do you get secondary burning?  

BTW, was on the roof yesterday cleaning leaves and the top of the pipe was a little nasty.  All these cold starts and one-off fires not as clean as 24x7.


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## BrotherBart (Dec 13, 2015)

I use the Pelletier pellet basket and half of a Super Cedar. No problem at all. Only three hours of heat on a 14 pound basket full but good for low and slow for this time of year. And I have had the pellets in the basement for at least three years. I use a pellet stove down there when I need to work down there. Which seldom happens. Leaving the rest to the oil filled radiators on thermostats after it burns down. Most nights the Eco Fans are still turning a little in the morning from the 11-12 pm basket full because the stove mass and the brick mass of the fireplace holds heat.

And part of the beauty is that I checked and it isn't crapping up the liner or cap.


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## clincoln007 (Dec 13, 2015)

I love the fact that I can post a question and have a bunch of knowledgeable people give me the answers to issues, its great!  I also read everything so I can ask as few questions as possible


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## BrotherBart (Dec 13, 2015)

Just heard on the news that one of the species of Cherry Blossoms in D.C. are blooming already.


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## begreen (Dec 13, 2015)

I expect to see very early blooming here too with this el Nino. Unfortunately this also means a lot more bug problems in spring and summer.


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## BrotherBart (Dec 13, 2015)

This happened back in the seventies in Texas. Nats and bugs hatching out everywhere. Then the ice storms hit in January and we had a bug free summer. But it also stayed under 32 degrees for a month for the first time I had ever seen and killed everybody's shrubbery.

The last two days we have broken records from the 1870's. And will again tomorrow before it starts sliding down.

My globe is warming.


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## begreen (Dec 13, 2015)

Here too. 2015 has been breaking record temp, record drought, and now both temp and rainfall records one after the other. We've already broken the rainiest Dec and the month isn't half over.


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## jharkin (Dec 14, 2015)

Not to beat a dead horse, but its just hard to get excited talking about fires when Ive still got the windows open.


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## Stella (Dec 14, 2015)

jharkin said:


> Not to beat a dead horse, but its just hard to get excited talking about fires when Ive still got the windows open.


Ok agree, just been sitting outside at a bar with this view but temp dropped like a stone and will be lighting stove when I get home.


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## BrotherBart (Dec 15, 2015)

It was 70 degrees at 11:00pm last night. But the party will be over by the weekend.


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## Jags (Dec 15, 2015)

Last weekend on the mighty Mississippi.  I ain't ready to give up fall.


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## semipro (Dec 15, 2015)

I have to admit that the my interest waned when the Ash Can was closed.  
I found the wide diversity of views there both entertaining and educational. 
Because I frequent only the DIY and Green forums I got to know many others at Hearth there.


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## Stella (Dec 15, 2015)

Why was it closed, had we been naughty?


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## Jags (Dec 15, 2015)

Stella said:


> Why was it closed, had we been naughty?


The ash can was a maintenance nightmare.  It caused friction among members that spilled over into other forums and was quite simply a distraction from what this place was built for.


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## Jeff2009 (Dec 15, 2015)

Jags said:


> The ash can was a maintenance nightmare.  It caused friction among members that spilled over into other forums and was quite simply a distraction from what this place was built for.


So are we trying to create dollars for the owner of the site or are we trying to create an online community?


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## Jags (Dec 15, 2015)

Jeff2009 said:


> So are we trying to create dollars for the owner of the site or are we trying to create an online community?


First and foremost this is a privately owned site.  Without dollars to support it, it does not exist.

*Taken directly from the FAQ section on Forum Purpose:*

"Our main goal is consumer education.

The moderators, administration and fine long term members attempt to do their best to help the most number of people.
The most important person on the Forum is the person who is there to get information (the customer).

Customers who come for information may not enjoy reading through dozens of pages of "social" comments and short posts ("I agree, etc."), so we ask forum users to try and provide the most information and least "noise" possible in the main forum rooms."

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact any of the mods or directly to @webfish .


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## jharkin (Dec 16, 2015)

We are much better off without the 'can.  All the political arguments it generated only cause a bunch of great people united by a common love for wood heat to go at each others throats over political opinions.  Directly or indirectly it was part of the great schism that lead to a few hundred long standing members leaving to start their own forum in protest.  

Lets let the can RIP.


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## jharkin (Dec 16, 2015)

Now back to the weather.  Forecast here is* 65F *on Christmas Eve.  I think my grass is starting to grow again.


Unless something changes early in January this season is a write off.


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## Jags (Dec 16, 2015)

jharkin said:


> Unless something changes early in January this season is a write off.


In order to write it off, it had to be an asset, first.


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## Rossco (Dec 16, 2015)

Speak for yourself. It's 11C below here right now and I've been burning steady for ages. Over a cord up the pipe so far.


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## sportbikerider78 (Dec 16, 2015)

jharkin said:


> We are much better off without the 'can.  All the political arguments it generated only cause a bunch of great people united by a common love for wood heat to go at each others throats over political opinions.  Directly or indirectly it was part of the great schism that lead to a few hundred long standing members leaving to start their own forum in protest.
> 
> Lets let the can RIP.


I think that all ended before I got here.  I kinda like that this place doesn't have an 'off-topic' section.  

There are many other places I can tell everyone else how wrong they are about everything in complete anonymity.


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## jharkin (Dec 16, 2015)

The west coast got winter, East has not.  Our Christmas eve forecast is for 65F.

That's +18C


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## kennyp2339 (Dec 16, 2015)

jharkin said:


> The west coast got winter, East has not.  Our Christmas eve forecast is for 65F.
> 
> That's +18C


Last year the west was very warm, its nice to share


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## Warm_in_NH (Dec 17, 2015)

36 here right now, but it should be 16 so I'm loving it!
As a contractor and business owner this season has been kind to me, last year kicked our asses, ebb and flow, thank you El Nino.
I'm loving the mild temps, but my friends in food and beverage sales are hating it. Not a good year if your in the winter tourism business.


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## BrotherBart (Dec 17, 2015)

sportbikerider78 said:


> I think that all ended before I got here.  I kinda like that this place doesn't have an 'off-topic' section.
> 
> There are many other places I can tell everyone else how wrong they are about everything in complete anonymity.



Yes!!


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