# Can i ask what is "Your comfort" temperature with wood vs oil/electric.



## CHIMENEA (Nov 18, 2010)

Why is it that if energy is chopped and not drilled/dug that its ok to waste it however we feel like? We aren't paying for it maybe?  Many threads on how its an achievement to reach unreasonable temperatures during heating, yea 85 is normal. Do wood burners actually take any environmental responsibility?


----------



## Hogwildz (Nov 18, 2010)

As with any walk of life, some wood burners are environmentally friendly, other could give 2 craps.
Yes some get wood cheap or free and feel they can waste what they want, as it did not cost much for them to start with or they just don't care. Others pay for it either in labor, cash, etc, or maybe even also got a great price or free, but still do what they can to conserve. I like to save cash, but while not Mr. clean & green, still find myself becoming more environmentally conscious. Not so much for me, but my son and future generations.
BTW your nickname "CHIMENEA", could be considered an environmentally unfriendly outdoors wood burning apparatus. Don't bother me none, just saying.
Welcome to the Hearth


----------



## madrone (Nov 18, 2010)

85 °F  is not the norm for most wood heaters, although there are some. That's also a high temp on a curve. Wood stoves don't put out steady BTU's like other heat sources, they rise and fall in output, so it's not like the stove is being run on "high" for 16 hours a day. They're also somewhat unpredictable. It's not easy to predict exactly where the high temperature will plateau. 

I don't like anything over about 75 °F , and prefer something around 70 °F . When the stove is doing the heating, the room temperature will vary between mid 60's and mid 70's, but if the temperature outside goes up, the stove doesn't quit heating. Not to mention the fact that wood stoves are space heaters. The room the stove is in may be 85 °F , but the rest of the house will be cooler. If that's the room you're spending your time in, it's way more efficient than heating the whole house to that temperature with a furnace.


----------



## CHIMENEA (Nov 18, 2010)

I'm not sure the energy efficiency of a big green egg chimenea vs an electric stove, I have no access to gas.


----------



## CHIMENEA (Nov 18, 2010)

madrone said:
			
		

> 85 °F  is not the norm for most wood heaters, although there are some. That's also a high temp on a curve. Wood stoves don't put out steady BTU's like other heat sources, they rise and fall in output, so it's not like the stove is being run on "high" for 16 hours a day. They're also somewhat unpredictable. It's not easy to predict exactly where the high temperature will plateau.
> 
> I don't like anything over about 75 °F , and prefer something around 70 °F . When the stove is doing the heating, the room temperature will vary between mid 60's and mid 70's, but if the temperature outside goes up, the stove doesn't quit heating. Not to mention the fact that wood stoves are space heaters. The room the stove is in may be 85 °F , but the rest of the house will be cooler. If that's the room you're spending your time in, it's wnderstaay more efficient than heating the whole house to that temperature with a furnace.



I understand wood doesn't have a steady btu curve, but it seems from posts here wood burners have a peek
burn temperature that they run on cycles that they wouldn't otherwise if it was billable by btu.


----------



## dafattkidd (Nov 18, 2010)

Chiminea,

Welcome to the Hearth, I'm wondering what it is  that bothers you about wood burners heating their houses to the temperature of their liking?  Most forum users have EPA stoves which are very efficient as far as gas emission.  Wood is a renewable energy source.  Most people who are burning wood and are on this forum are generally pretty responsible as far as taking care of the forest, even after cutting trees.  Many of us scrounge wood, and have nothing to do with the cutting down of the trees.  

Is it just the principle of conservation and moderation that you feel is being disregarded?  I don't know how much of the forum posts you've read but most of us are very resourceful people.  We tend to reuse things that most people regard as trash.  Look around the forum a bit more, I think you'll find that most folks here practice an abnormal amount of green behavior even if they aren't intending to be green, just trying to be resourceful and make use of materials on hand.

Just FYI:  I never have my stove room above 73* It's usually between 69-71.  We don't like it too warm in our house, and it saves wood.


----------



## soupy1957 (Nov 18, 2010)

I gauge my comfort zone for temps, based upon the heat getting to the rest of the house.  Once a get a good base temperature (by feel) in all rooms, at THAT point I feel "comfortable" and don't like to let the house get away from that saturation point.  Otherwise, I have to start all over again (like in "shoulder season" when the wife doesn't want the stove running all the time), to get things back in balance.

It's not based on the temperature, as much as it is the successful warming of the whole house. The temps in the room where the wood stove is, are bound to be higher, but that's when opening a window, utilizing the blower in my forced hot air system, and turning on ceiling fans, comes into play.

I honestly don't check my thermostat for room temperature, unless I'm glancing at it to confirm that "yea, it's cold in here" is reality, and I'm not "sick."

That being said, ........the only thermostat I watch with relative interest, is my flue pipe thermometer.

-Soupy1957


----------



## ansehnlich1 (Nov 18, 2010)

I'll run my woodstove as hot as I please thank you. This thread smacks of algore ruling class left wing attempt to dictate my lifestyle and it has angered me a bit. 

I say throw it to the ash can.


----------



## Bobbin (Nov 18, 2010)

I, for one, wouldn't want a home in the 80s all winter long!  But I make no bones about preferring low 70s to mid-60s!  As pointed out above, I most certainly do pay for every split of the wood used in our stoves.  It's just that the "check" is written with blood, sweat, planning, and patience, and for that reason I am loath to "piss it away" to sustain interior temperatures that rate as "overkill" for my own comfort.  I regard the wood used in our home as every bit as precious as the heating oil in the tanks, but I am not by nature a cavalier and wasteful person (I turn out lights when I'm not in the room, turn off the water when I brush my teeth, run the washer in "off peak" hours, etc.).


----------



## tkasek (Nov 18, 2010)

Here in Connecticut it's not about being green it's about taxing something. I'm all electric, which by liberal standards is green. They tax the crap out of my electric bill, so now I'm looking to go pellet and maybe wood stove too. It's stupid they're going to give me a tax credit to pollute more and my electric bill will go down so I'll pay less state tax on that. If they can tax it they will!!


----------



## shawneyboy (Nov 18, 2010)

Do wood burners take any responsibility ???? WOW !! Considering wood burning is carbon neutral, renewable, and one of the few sustainable energy sources that has near zero effect long term on the environment, I would say Yes we do. Now mind you I am not a green-freak, but I do try and do what I can do. All things being equal if I want my house at 85 so be it, but I can say this, whatever temp I keep my home, if I achieve that temp using my wood-stove, it is far more environmentally responsible than keeping it at the same temp and using my fuel oil.


----------



## liv2hnt (Nov 18, 2010)

I am not real sure that this post is even worth a response since it seems to have been placed just to start a fight, but here goes.  This is my first year to burn wood and I have been a stalker on here a little longer than that.  Last year I paid out almost $3,000 for propane over a 3 1/2 month period in an attmpt to keep my family warm in a new house that we just moved into.  I didn't have a wood stove at the time and the cost was tremendous not to mention my thermostat never made it much above 68 degrees. 

I, like so many other people on this forum, have spent the last year preparing for this winter by scrounging wood that has been discarded by others or that was destined to be burned in a burn pile out in the back yard just to get it out of sight.  In the last 12 months, I have gathered close to 10 cords of this discarded wood with only 3 cords having a moisture content too high to burn this year.  If I am lucky that will get me through the next two winters here in OK and reduce my propane bill to less than 1,000 per year not month.  

Granted I am only an Environmental Consultant of 10 years and have only been working with Sustainability Practices with my clients for the last 5 years, but I think that makes me, like many others on this forum, pretty damn GREEN.  Not only will I be reusing a renewable resource that was disgarded by others as heat for my home for many years to come,  I am also reducing the amount of fossil fuels that I am consumng for many years as well. 

P.S. My thermostat is on 73 degrees right now and I am guessing that if you took an average thermostat reading from every wood burner on this forum it would be less than 73 degrees.  

On a last note, Chimenea's are not very environmentally friendly or efficient.


----------



## bimmerFAITH (Nov 18, 2010)

I keep my house warmer burning wood than if I were burning my natural gas furnace.  It is both a money thing and a comfort thing.  I, too, pay for my wood with long hard hours with the truck, trailer, chainsaw, splitter, tractor, woodpile, etc.  68F using my furnace would run me about $250 / month while burning wood uses only the opportunity cost of my hours vs. how much $$ I could earn during the same amount of time.  When I factor in the enjoyment I get, the comfort level my family enjoys and the money I save, I consider my wood burning decision to be very responsible.  Would I keep my house at 85 ? ? ? No.  But, burning wood to keep my living areas around 75F while the bedrooms are at about 69F bears no burden on my conscience.


----------



## Magus (Nov 18, 2010)

My comfort level is not freezing my hind parts off this winter. Last year when everyone would leave the house, the house would be 55-58 degrees. While we were in the house we did not put the heat up past 62 degrees. I used 20% less gas from my local Energy Company, yet I was paying 30% more. Is this fair?...HELL NO! No one should have to freeze in their own dang house. No one is stopping the Energy company form Jacking up their rates every year AND they have no competition. So any money I dont have to give thoes RAT BA$ta#@! the better. 

This holiday, instead of a Seasons Greetings sign. Mine is going to say Welcome to the Bahamas!


----------



## Backwoods Savage (Nov 18, 2010)

CHIMENEA said:
			
		

> Why is it that if energy is chopped and not drilled/dug that its ok to waste it however we feel like? We aren't paying for it maybe?  Many threads on how its an achievement to reach unreasonable temperatures during heating, yea 85 is normal. Do wood burners actually take any environmental responsibility?



Why is it you feel that people are wasting this energy? 

No, we are not paying for it. I pay for mine only. Leave the "we" out of it.

Yes, it is easy to reach 85 degrees. However, you will find that almost all of those threads talk about reaching those temperatures in the early fall or late spring; usually early fall. In addition to that, most are new wood burners who have not yet learned the correct way to run their stove. They will find the right way but it takes some experimenting. Is that wrong? I doubt it.

Methinks most wood burners do take environmental responsibility, so, yes.


As for what temperature I keep my home, that is for me to determine and not others. My comfort level seems to require higher temperatures than most folks, including my wife. So is it wrong for me to keep my home warm enough for my comfort? I think not. But I do not require 85 degrees for this comfort.


----------



## raiderfan (Nov 18, 2010)

I heat with NG and normally would keep my Thermostat at 65* when home (now with a 1 1/2 yr old I keep it a few degrees warmer).  But when I crank the stove in the basement, I'll get temps into the upper 70's (although, probably not with the really cold winter weather) and that doesn't really bother me.  Anything over 80 would be way too much, though.


----------



## fjord (Nov 18, 2010)

CHIMENEA said:
			
		

> Why is it that if energy is chopped and not drilled/dug that its ok to waste it however we feel like? We aren't paying for it maybe?  Many threads on how its an achievement to reach unreasonable temperatures during heating, yea 85 is normal. Do wood burners actually take any environmental responsibility?



Understand that this is from one who has a central furnace, similar to the majority of homes, where a whole house "needs" to be  heated and remain at a steady 72 F. Think of it as an accustomed mindset of reality.
Not really his fault since it is reality for him and most here also. Google "gestault".

Some posters here bragg about their 85 F temps running around bare a$$ed, some need a bedroom at 72 F at night, most North Americans have adjusted to whole house "comfort" levels,and  only a very few here wood heat much more than a single room with some variety of central furnace with zones set at ~ that comfort level. 

So why the annoyance with this comment ? Explain HOW you use wood for your energy needs...it's a better way.

Even on this site, I've gotten a silly flame from some gibone with experience (sic) posting here, denying the possibility of heating a home with wood stoves. Forrest Gump stuff. 

So just explain, illustrate the methods of your gasification wood boiler, furnace, stoves. The how. You've worked for it.


----------



## krex1010 (Nov 18, 2010)

I love how green is the term used for being enviro-friendly.  Ever notice how any "green" option for anything, generally costs more?   Must be a funny coincidence that the color of our money is green.  And is heating with oil or gas or electric really any "greener?". May e at the point of use I. E. My house but what about at the places where the extract oil and gas from the earth? Or where they use oil and gas to generate electricity or the environmental abominations that are hydro-electric dams, yes much "greener" than me heating with a renewable resource, which I either gather from dead or fallen tree or comes from trees that other people decide to cut.  I am not saying everyone should heat with wood, and I am not saying there is anything wrong with heating with gas or oil or electricity or coal or whatever.  I love my woodstoves but I also use a heat pump at times and an oil burner at times.

To answer the original question I set my heat pump at 68 in the spring and fall, I have my oil burner set at 65 in the winter and I run my woodstove generally between 70-75.  Hope that doesn't make me an environmental degenerate 

Welcome to the forum chimenea, kinda funny that name, and your questioning the enviro responsibility of wood burners.  Kinda like going into a forum for wine lovers and having a name like beerbonger69 and then calling the a bunch of alcoholics.
By the way this is a provocative thread you started, nice job! These are the best kind of threads, good discussion!


----------



## branchburner (Nov 18, 2010)

CHIMENEA said:
			
		

> Do wood burners actually take any environmental responsibility?



Yes. Many wood burners are scavengers, burning only what is already dead or dying or otherwise unwanted/unused. I'd say scavenging is about the most environmentally responsible existence any creature can pursue. So I'd respect wood heat at 80F over oil heat at 50F (my own comfort zone is 75F and 65F, respectively, and lower with oil only 'cause I'm cheap).

Of course "environmental responsibility" is a loaded phrase that has definition only in arbitrary, cultural terms. It is devoid of intrinsic meaning. It is a concept mainly used by members of societies that have standards of living so high that the only way to be truly environmentally responsible would be to cancel your membership in that society. Or turn that society over to environmental totalitarians (coming soon?).


----------



## WOODplay (Nov 18, 2010)

I would say the same, like others have said on here… the BTU’s are not steady.  So I find that at night when I get home from work, I like to have one hot fire somewhere around 650.  I’d say maybe use 3 or 4 logs.  That in turn, heats the house up to a nice 80 to 85.  I don’t keep feeding the fire and let it burn out.  By morning the house is around a nice 72 degrees to wake up to and go to work.  Then after work the cycle starts all over again.  It’s not like your keeping your house 85 degrees the whole time, well at least I’m not, and that would be crazy.


----------



## Danno77 (Nov 18, 2010)

Without my wood stove running in the coldest of winter I set my thermostat to 65 because the NG furnace can't do more than that without running until safeties kick in a and shut it off. With the woodstove running full blast on the coldest days I can set the thermostat on 70 and the furnace will cycle on and off.

Slowly tightening up the house where I can is helping a little bit more every year. Some day I'd like to get to a point where I can run the woodstove as primary heat, but the furnace will kick on and maintain at those times when the fire is just starting or dying down. With this big house I don't think I can manage to burn with wood 100%, although I know that some others could.

Sometimes I fantasize about having a newer and smaller house that is much more energy efficient (without the work to get there). In that house I have a centrally located wood stove and an open floorplan that minimizes the use of fans. Then I'd burn 4 cords of wood and that's all it will take. no NG, no electric heaters. ahhhh, what a fun dream.

But, alas, I'd go crazy in a house like that. I prefer the romanticism of this 150 year old beast of a place that I live in. i don't know if I'll ever live in a house that isn't "really old" again. maybe that will change when I'm old.


----------



## CHIMENEA (Nov 18, 2010)

DaFattKidd said:
			
		

> Chiminea,
> 
> Welcome to the Hearth, I'm wondering what it is  that bothers you about wood burners heating their houses to the temperature of their liking?  Most forum users have EPA stoves which are very efficient as far as gas emission.  Wood is a renewable energy source.  Most people who are burning wood and are on this forum are generally pretty responsible as far as taking care of the forest, even after cutting trees.  Many of us scrounge wood, and have nothing to do with the cutting down of the trees.
> 
> ...



It doesn't bother me in itself except when I start to see huge cord numbers for one winter but, I understand people can do whatever they want. It was just starting to seem like a lot of the posts I was reading were people heating in a totally different manner than they would if they were using oil, propane, electric etc. because wood is so readily available for most. 

I'm in the process of installing an insert so I'm not anti wood, but I also dont plan on heating any different than I do with the heat pump, like your above temps.


----------



## Later (Nov 18, 2010)

70 on a bright sunny below zero day seems fine to me. Otherwise upper 60s daytime, upper 50s night.


----------



## shawneyboy (Nov 18, 2010)

As far as heating differently in my home with the stove....  HELL YEAH !!  My house is now much warmer.... I do heat differently, to my comfort level, not below it, the way I used to when my primary heat was fuel oil.


----------



## BrowningBAR (Nov 18, 2010)

CHIMENEA said:
			
		

> It doesn't bother me in itself *except when I start to see huge cord numbers for one winter* but, I understand people can do whatever they want. It was just starting to seem like a lot of the posts I was reading were people heating in a totally different manner than they would if they were using oil, propane, electric etc. because wood is so readily available for most.
> 
> I'm in the process of installing an insert so I'm not anti wood, but I also dont plan on heating any different than I do with the heat pump, like your above temps.



Define "huge cord numbers". What this statement says to me is that you think that anyone using more wood than *you* think they should use is "wasting" energy. It is a rude and narrow minded statement.

And, yes, I burn differently then when I was using oil. I got tired of having the house at 50-55 degrees when I work from home and 60-65 degrees at night and still have an outrageous oil bill.

The stove rooms will be kept at 75-80 degrees all winter with 70-75 in the rest of the house.


----------



## krex1010 (Nov 18, 2010)

Just keep in mind it is pretty much impossible to heat your house with a woodstove in the same manner as a heat pump or central furnace or radiators or whatever.  A woodstove heats your home from one place, it has no vents or any way to evenly distribute heat throughout your house. So when you are saying these 75 or 80'degree temps are wasteful, those temps do not accurately represent what is going on in the whole house.  My guess is that for many people, when they say they keep their home at 80 that means in the area withthe stove, the outlying areas of that home are likely much cooler.  So the average temp for all the rooms in that 80'degree home is liken not much different from what people with a central heating system set their thermostats at.  In my house I like to burn so that for the majority of my burn cycle my stove room is around 75 degrees maybe a bit more, that will give me about 70 degrees in the rest of my main floor and around 68 degrees in my second floor bedrooms.  When heating with wood you have to account for swings in temperature and uneven temps throughout your house.  Yes some home layouts allow for better heat distribution, but I believe this is accurate for the majority of homes.


----------



## Danno77 (Nov 18, 2010)

yeah, several more posts just said what I've been thinking and that's the concept that the WHOLE house isn't that hot, but that there certainly may be rooms that hot, particularly the stove room. Besides, this forum is MOSTLY (not completely) men, who tend to be boastful and aren't about to report wussy temps that may be in the closet in the furthest corner from the stove. "My stove room is 102 and it's -40 out, grunt grunt" sounds better to some than "when it gets below freezing out, my half bath on the second floor is 50 degrees even with the stove running full force"


----------



## tickbitty (Nov 18, 2010)

Yes, that is the luxury of wood.  The house is actually warm and we know exactly how much we are using.  This morning when I woke the house was a warm 70, whereas with the heat pump last year it would have been a cold 67.  Sounds like just a couple degrees, but even with the heatpump pushed to 70, it felt cold and drafty all the time. AND COST like $500 a month!!  Now we have the house comfortable albeit unevenly heated, so parts of it are toasty and parts just OK, but it is under our control.  We pay for some of our wood and we're likely to have to buy some pretty soon to keep going through the colder part of the winter.  We run the stove as efficiently as we can and keep the thermostat low when we are not there and there's no fire.  We couldn't really do that with the former oil furnace or last year's heat pump, because the amount it would take to get the house back to being warm again after letting it go down to 60 was astronomical.  Now we can let it go down to 60 and we know we can have the house toasty again shortly after we arrive home.  The space heater affect is nice too.  If the rest of the house is still cool, gather around the stove!


----------



## bimmerFAITH (Nov 18, 2010)

> I'm in the process of installing an insert so I'm not anti wood, but I also dont plan on heating any different than I do with the heat pump, like your above temps.



If you have no personal experience burning wood you should not be complaining.  Wait until your personal experience and see how easy it is to accidentally get your home too warm.  It happens . . . you'll probably comment about it on this forum . . . people will think you are bragging when all  you are doing is running a new post about your experience . . . then some other non(or future) wood burner will see your post and start ranting about irresponsible wood burning practices.  

Also, don't be surprised if you want your home a few degrees warmer when you finally get the insert installed.  You will, by the way, be heating MUCH differently than with the heat pump since heat pumps are only effective if you pick a temperature to maintain all day.


----------



## Jags (Nov 18, 2010)

CHIMENEA said:
			
		

> I'm in the process of installing an insert so I'm not anti wood, but I also dont plan on heating any different than I do with the heat pump, like your above temps.



This says quite a bit right here.  While I am perfectly comfortable at 68F using propane, I am at the same comfort level at 72F with wood heat.  There is a difference.  You will get to experience this, first hand, shortly. 

You may choose to have a target temp identical to where you set the thermo now...but I am willing to bet that your comfort temps may creep up a bit when using wood as your fuel.  Just say'in - consider it a friendly wager.

I personally want to maintain a temp somewhere south of 74F in my home.  I think you would find that if fuel oil, or propane or electric cost was comparable in btu costs to wood heat, most people would keep there houses warmer than we typically see.  The costs are not even comparable, so in turn, the thermo gets turned down to a minimum comfort level.  Using that as a base level for comfort may be the misleading factor in your question.

Bimmer - ya beat me by a minute. :lol:


----------



## firefighterjake (Nov 18, 2010)

Well I'm not an environmentalist . . . heck I own a SUV (which I mostly use for work purposes), an ATV (which I use for work and play) and even a two-stroke snowmobile (which I must admit is just for play -- I will confess though that I would like to get a four stroker some day, but right now the price tag is too high).

That said . . . I used to burn oil and had the thermostats set at 72 degrees F or so . . . now I burn wood . . . and my ideal temp is still 72 degrees F . . . however it doesn't always work out that way since sometimes make a mistake and don't pay attention to the weather forecast . . . and end up overheating the place . . . which quite honestly is not enjoyable.

I hate wasting wood . . . which is why I burn in cycles . . . heck, I even hate burning wood in the fire ring or on campfires . . . but this is also why this wood is my crappy wood -- the punks, junks and uglies.

As I said I'm not an eco-nut . . . but when I cut on the family land I practice the same cutting practices that I learned from my father, uncle and grandfather -- I cut selectively allowing younger trees to thrive and culling out the dead and twisted trees. This practice has allowed our family to use the land for several generations.

Occasionally when I cut wood I plant trees. This past weekend I planted a bunch of acorns as I cut the wood. I know I will never cut this wood in my life time . . . but it is a good feeling knowing that I am improving the land through my actions.

I burn wood because it saves money . . . and I burn wood with an EPA stove since it saves cutting excessive amounts of wood. Again, this is not me being "green" -- this is me being lazy. The fact that the stove burns cleaner with less pollutants and uses less wood is a bonus, but for me one of the original reasons I wanted an EPA stove was it would mean less work for me if I was burning less wood.

Finally, I am not out to save the world . . . but I do know this . . . my neighbor never has to worry about my stack of wood springing a leak and contaminating his water supply . . . I never worry about the wood on the family land having a blow out and ruining the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of people . . . and I never worry about coming home one day to find that my woodstove has blown up and left a large crater where my house used to be due to a corroded "wood line."


----------



## begreen (Nov 18, 2010)

Asked and answered twice already this month. No need for another thread in the Hearth forum. Moving to the green room for the environmental question.

I can't add anything that Hogwildz and Madrone haven't already addressed quite well.


----------



## Got Wood (Nov 18, 2010)

Some random thoughts....

I hate seeing my wood stacks being reduced! I take alot of pride in them! LOL Actually, I work to backfill ASAP. 

In year #3 burning I am still improving the efficiency of my wood burning and use. I find the shoulder seasons the trickiest time to heat with wood.... too hot, too cold... hard to get it just right. So, yea, there are times I get it too hot and feel like I wasted wood - not because I want to though.

Before wood heat I set the therm to 65. Now I have grown to like the warmer wood heat temps on a cold day. Still prefer it cold when sleeping. 

85 is too hot any time ... if I hit 85 windows open

As a prior post mentioned - this post provoked good discussion... the best kind of posts.


----------



## CHIMENEA (Nov 18, 2010)

BrowningBAR said:
			
		

> CHIMENEA said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



People are going to use more wood than me based on there house size. I forget what post i was reading  as I was searching topics but I remember someone mentioning their neighbor/friend had already burned 7 cords or so halfway through the season and yes I think thats excessive, not narrow minded. Are people going over the same issues( upgrading windows, insulation, heat loss sources, the burning source itself ) they would using a furnace? Or not bothering because wood heat keeps on giving even if the hot air is running right out the roof. And who cares right? Wood is renewable.


----------



## Badfish740 (Nov 18, 2010)

I came to burning wood for a variety of reasons-I heat my house with wood just as much for the economic benefit of my own wallet as I do the environmental benefit of us all.  That being said, I worry about doing my own part and I'm not so much worried about my neighbor's burning habits so long as he's not smoking me out with green wood, etc...  I've seen the posts about getting the house up to 85 degrees, but I take them mostly as just guys bragging.  I'm one of those people that's always hot, so once the house gets above 70 I start to get uncomfortable.  When it comes to sleeping if the bedroom is anywhere above 68 I can't sleep-we solve this by keeping the bedroom door shut with at least one window cracked and the register to the room shut off.  As for wasting wood, I agree-using enough wood to get a house to 85 degrees consistently is wasteful-but more importantly (for a scrounger like me especially) it's a hell of a lot of work!  I enjoy cutting, bucking, and splitting, but part of the reason I enjoy it is because it hasn't become a part time job-if I needed 6 or 7 cords per year to burn it would be.  I hope to one day own a superinsulated home with a gasifier.  If I could heat the house with say 2 cords a year I could easily have a sustainable supply of fuel on a relatively small piece of land.


----------



## BrowningBAR (Nov 18, 2010)

CHIMENEA said:
			
		

> BrowningBAR said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I am unsure as to why you are posting with a sarcastic tone. No one is saying "who cares" other than you. If you would read more and make less assumptions you would see that nearly everyone on this forum preaches about getting the most out of your heating. This includes; insulation, new windows, fixing leaks, and tightening up your home.

Additionally, where was this home located that already used 7 cords? How big is the home? There are places far colder than Jersey. So, the narrow mindedness comes in when you are making huge assumptions over others when you do not know their set up and you haven't even gone through one winter yet of burning wood.


----------



## Danno77 (Nov 18, 2010)

BrowningBAR said:
			
		

> Additionally, where was this home located that already used 7 cords? How big is the home? There are places far colder than Jersey. So, the narrow mindedness comes in when you are making huge assumptions over others when you do not know their set up and you haven't even gone through one winter yet of burning wood.


BRB after a search. I swear it was in Alaska and the dude was heating multiple buildings...


----------



## WOODplay (Nov 18, 2010)

bimmerFAITH said:
			
		

> > I'm in the process of installing an insert so I'm not anti wood, but I also dont plan on heating any different than I do with the heat pump, like your above temps.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




You said that right...Nice job!


----------



## krex1010 (Nov 18, 2010)

Burning 7 cords of wood already would be extremely excessive for me, that would be enough for me for almost two years. However I live in a fairly moderate climate and my home is only about 1500 sq ft.  But there are people with much larger homes than mine who also live in much colder climates.  So according to you, that guy must be some sort of pyromaniac? If he had burned  500 gallons of oil would that be more palatable to you? You can't judge someone when you don't know their situation.


----------



## BrowningBAR (Nov 18, 2010)

krex1010 said:
			
		

> Burning 7 cords of wood already would be extremely excessive for me, that would be enough for me for almost two years. However I live in a fairly moderate climate and my home is only about 1500 sq ft.  But there are people with much larger homes than mine who also live in much colder climates.  So according to you, that guy must be some sort of pyromaniac? If he had burned  500 gallons of oil would that be more palatable to you? You can't judge someone when you don't know their situation.



And to compare, I will go through 7-8 cords this year and you and I are in the same climate. My home is 2150 sq ft. Am I being wasteful? No. Just a different house and set up.


----------



## CTYank (Nov 18, 2010)

CHIMENEA said:
			
		

> Why is it that if energy is chopped and not drilled/dug that its ok to waste it however we feel like? We aren't paying for it maybe?  Many threads on how its an achievement to reach unreasonable temperatures during heating, yea 85 is normal. Do wood burners actually take any environmental responsibility?



Where did you hear anyone say "it's ok to waste"? Let's see your hands for calluses- my, how soft and tender! 
(Fair is fair, and you should expect such when you come in firing from the lip.)
Taking "environmental responsibility" here is a matter of enlightened self-interest- using a resource with liberal doses of intelligence so it's sustainable.
My guess is that you burn those little supermarket wood bundles in your fancy firepot, which is a vain attempt to heat your town. You won't get it to 85.

I'm not covering for the OWB "smoke dragons" that are fired like a Mississippi steamboat.


----------



## krex1010 (Nov 18, 2010)

BrowningBAR said:
			
		

> krex1010 said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Right on


----------



## krex1010 (Nov 18, 2010)

Chimenea,
I don't know what you situation is married or not.  But in my experience females are more receptive to certain uh... Activities when they are not shivering.  My wife shivers when it's below 72 inside.  So you might want to take note of that
Just trying to helP a brother out!


----------



## bimmerFAITH (Nov 18, 2010)

krex1010 said:
			
		

> Chimenea,
> I don't know what you situation is married or not.  But in my experience females are more receptive to certain uh... Activities when they are not shivering.  My wife shivers when it's below 72 inside.  So you might want to take note of that
> Just trying to helP a brother out!



Good to know I'm not the only one whose dear wife requires a little extra heat to create a little "extra heat" . . . 70-72 even sounds about right.  Sometimes a few extra splits for the fire ends up being well planned means to a desirable end.


----------



## midwestcoast (Nov 18, 2010)

Not much to add except to the line many posts back by Chimenea that wood is free & abundant or easy to come-by or something, so people waste it. Couple responses: 1. 100% of the wood I (and many others here) burn is scrounged from an urban/suburban setting. That means tha all of it was headed for the landfill if I or someone else didn't take it to heat with. In the landfill it would sit & very slowly decay in the absence of oxygen, creating methane which would either be flared of, or just vented (no landfill gas collection around here).  So whatever use I pput it to is better than that no?
2. Whether you buy your wood, scrounge, or have your own woodlot I think you may soon change your mind about wood being easy to come-by. The real story is you either have to pay good money for cut, split & delivered, or go cut, haul, split, stack, move & re-stack each & every piece yourself. Then put your boots on & go out in the winter weather several times each day (morning, night, snow, rain, whatever) to get a stove-load, carry it in & load-up the stove. It doesn't seem so expendible after that.

There are much more outrageous things to gripe about IMO.


----------



## PapaDave (Nov 18, 2010)

The very fact that I/we use wood instead of/in addition to oil, gas, or propane makes me/us environmentally responsible. There have been a few comments (very few) on here about how the poster has plenty of wood, so it doesn't matter how much gets used. I think that is probably the exception, rather than rule.
Shouldn't be assumed that everyone has the same attitude just because we also use wood. That's a pretty short sighted and narrow minded way of thinking.
Kind of interesting how you ask a somewhat innocuous question, then follow with a slap in the face.
My comfort level differs depending on the season, when 70 degrees feels different in the dead of winter than it does in the fall or spring.
To further respond, I need to, and will CONTINUE to seal up the house and insulate to keep from using too much energy, no matter the source. All that said, I turned off the non renewable using nat. gas furnace (as have others) about 3.5 years ago. 
Just call me thrifty, yet green. Do I think that Al's house in Tennessee and the energy needed to run it is excessive, yes. People have differing needs, and there is an AWFUL lot of waste in the world. Just look at government. :cheese: Woodburners aren't the devil.


----------



## yanksforever (Nov 18, 2010)

ansehnlich1 said:
			
		

> I'll run my woodstove as hot as I please thank you. This thread smacks of algore ruling class left wing attempt to dictate my lifestyle and it has angered me a bit.
> 
> I say throw it to the ash can.



And I take offense to you blaming it on left wing views. I am left wing and have a woodstove. So either answer the question or ignore it. But stop blaming
all the things you don't like on politics. Nobody dictated anything to you!


----------



## BrowningBAR (Nov 18, 2010)

yanksforever said:
			
		

> ansehnlich1 said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I blame all of my problems on the Yankees payroll.


----------



## yanksforever (Nov 18, 2010)

BrowningBAR said:
			
		

> yanksforever said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Good one Browning...I like that! ))


----------



## krex1010 (Nov 18, 2010)

yanksforever said:
			
		

> BrowningBAR said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Dang Yankees, actually as a phils fan I am just jealous because they are going to sign cliff lee


----------



## Adios Pantalones (Nov 18, 2010)

CHIMENEA said:
			
		

> Why is it that if energy is chopped and not drilled/dug that its ok to waste it however we feel like? We aren't paying for it maybe?  Many threads on how its an achievement to reach unreasonable temperatures during heating, yea 85 is normal. Do wood burners actually take any environmental responsibility?



Keeping your house 85 with wood is probably more responsible than 68 with oil.

Mine stays 64-70 ish- with wood, a bit lower with oil


----------



## Hurricane (Nov 18, 2010)

CHIMENEA said:
			
		

> BrowningBAR said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Bobbin (Nov 18, 2010)

One of the great dangers of the internet is "reading to much" into something.  Presuming too much without the benefit of seeing someone as they post the question or while they're making an effort to reply is fraught with danger... you take it too seriously, you read too much into a phrase that was perhaps not carefully crafted enough to avoid controversy, you take a particular aspect of a post too personally... we've all done it (at least once).  

I looked askance at the post initially, too.  But I answered the question.  Not what I presumed was the "deep hidden meaning"/implied, "sarcastic" dig.  Oftentimes, if you answer the question straightly you diffuse the potentially volatile "hidden/implied" intent.  If there even was one!  It's usually best to presume no intentional insult.  It's the diplomatic way to promote intelligent discussion.  An excellent and timely reminder for me and probably several others, too.  

We don't shoot for a desert climate within the walls of our home.  We know very well how much time, expense, effort, planning goes into making sure there is adequate, cured firewood "at the ready" for the coming season (and the next one!), just as we know very well how expensive the soundtrack of the boiler/furnace can be (in all aspects of the "price" of a gallon of fuel).  We have only to look to the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, the countless "spills" off the coast of Africa, and the greatly under reported consequences of "fracturing" for a quick reminder!

I think it was a reasonable question.  Perhaps clumsily phrased, but not mean-spirited or intended to be inciteful, as subsequent replies from the OP indicated.


----------



## ansehnlich1 (Nov 18, 2010)

.


----------



## Badfish740 (Nov 18, 2010)

ansehnlich1 said:
			
		

> Thank you for proving my point regarding the left's intention to dictate to others how to live their lives....... and what one's proper response to this thread should be.



I think Yank's point was that no one is forcing anything on you-so quit playing the martyr.  I happen come at things from a left of center perspective (except when it comes to the 2nd Amendment-then I jump to the right) but I don't giving a flying crap how much wood you burn.  My point was that as someone who is interested in building a self sufficient homestead it's in my best interest to burn wood as efficiently as possible.  I don't want to be processing firewood when I need to be feeding livestock, tending crops, etc...


----------



## ansehnlich1 (Nov 18, 2010)

Badfish740 said:
			
		

> ansehnlich1 said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Yeah, I realized you guys are right, I jumped the gun on this thread and apologize. Bad day I guess. 

That's why I went in and deleted my last post, it was wrong. Seems you snatched it up though. 

Oh well, I'm moving on. Sorry guys.


----------



## kenny chaos (Nov 18, 2010)

Hey Chimney Head-
Ya gotta understand that when the post is about how much wood you have, everyone has more than everyone else.
When the post is about how hot you keep your house, everybody keeps their's warmer than everyone else's.
If someone asks what little amount of wood someone uses, everyone claims to use the least.
When someone asks how much wood do you have to cut every year, everyone claims to have to do the most.
Acuna matata-

You ever been on a PETA forum?


----------



## CHIMENEA (Nov 18, 2010)

No I'm not trying to be mean or offend the wood burning community since I want to be a part of it also, just trying to spark some discussion.  Anyone has the right to burn 7, 8 , 9 etc cords at any rate they want but from my view and what looks like many others I'd rather try and get the temp I want with as little as possible starting with a clean stove and working on a tight house to retain the warmth. Its good to read everyones opinion and see how people chose to heat their homes. Thanks for the replies.


----------



## Badfish740 (Nov 18, 2010)

CHIMENEA said:
			
		

> No I'm not trying to be mean or offend the wood burning community since I want to be a part of it also, just trying to spark some discussion.  Anyone has the right to burn 7, 8 , 9 etc cords at any rate they want but from my view and what looks like many others I'd rather try and get the temp I want with as little as possible starting with a clean stove and working on a tight house to retain the warmth. Its good to read everyones opinion and see how people chose to heat their homes. Thanks for the replies.



I get what you're saying but everyone's situation is different.  Right now I'm working with a late '60s era ranch and a non-EPA add-on furnace, so I'm definitely using more wood than I'd like, but the trade off is that I'm not burning or paying for oil.  I got the furnace for $300 used so it's not like I was going to turn my nose up at it.  Once we build new it will be a different story.


----------



## yanksforever (Nov 18, 2010)

ansehnlich1 said:
			
		

> Badfish740 said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



It's not a big deal...we all have those kind of days. We are all like family here. We don't always agree with each other, sometimes we get
abrasive, but everything gets talked out in an adult manner. In the end...we still are getting along in this wonderful forum. We don't always agree on each others
political stance....but isn't that what makes this great country so great...we may not agree with what someone says...BUT...we will fight to the death for
his right to say it!


----------



## CTYank (Nov 18, 2010)

CHIMENEA said:
			
		

> No I'm not trying to be mean or offend the wood burning community since I want to be a part of it also, just trying to spark some discussion.  Anyone has the right to burn 7, 8 , 9 etc cords at any rate they want but from my view and what looks like many others I'd rather try and get the temp I want with as little as possible starting with a clean stove and working on a tight house to retain the warmth. Its good to read everyones opinion and see how people chose to heat their homes. Thanks for the replies.



You should understand that what you can see here of any other poster's situation or response to it, is extremely sketchy. And ... since you're still officially a wannabe (no offense intended) and looking in from the outside, your information base on these subjects is extremely sketchy.

A potential learning experience. You might get up to speed much faster in some regards if you do some q&a with some local oil&gas; boycotters. Pick their brains.

Nobody's yet mentioned that those who've reduced their oil&gas; consumption have done their bit to reduce price pressure on oil&gas; for those still using oil, gas, and electricity.

This is the 4th winter that my gas furnace is "cold iron"- probably a spider colony by now.

Somewhere about 1.5 cord/winter keeps things sufficiently comfortable, without running around nekkid.


----------



## kenny chaos (Nov 18, 2010)

CTYank said:
			
		

> [Nobody's yet mentioned that those who've reduced their oil&gas; consumption have done their bit to reduce price pressure on oil&gas; for those still using oil, gas, and electricity.
> 
> .






That's all well and fine but most wood burners are not worried about "reducing their oil & gas consumption," they're worried about saving money.

Let's not all be so self-righteous, even if it is the americon way.  Can you say d e n i a l ?


----------



## EatenByLimestone (Nov 19, 2010)

I have a little one this year and had to buy my wood for the first time.  All other years I found my wood either by the side of the road or at the local brush dump where it was sent to rot.  What is the difference in CO2 (I'm guessing that is what you are thinking of.) released if it's in my home keeping my wife and newborn warm or rotting in the dump?  None.  But this way I get the benefit of the warmth and the fertilizer from the ashes.  What could be more green?

My house stays 65 with oil and usually below 70 with the stove running.  In my old house I've seen the wife crank it to 90 in the stove room.  And it was just as green as if the wood was rotting away in the dump.  The ash fertilized my lawn and garden.  

Matt


----------



## daveswoodhauler (Nov 19, 2010)

Burn with oil, can keep the Tstat at 64 downstairs if we are home and 62 upstairs.
Running the stove right now, and downstairs is about 68-69...anything over 72 degress I think is too warm.


----------



## Seasoned Oak (Nov 19, 2010)

I keep my house at 75 all winter. I really dont care who likes it and who dont, Its an old house and needs more insulation and it feels cold at anything less. On sunny days my passive solar sun porch will drive my 1st floor into the 80s even in the dead of winter so i guess i plead guilty of massive waste of resources.
I also burn waste wood in a EPA certified stove ,wood that would normally and up in a landfill somewhere,if that aint green i dont know what is.


----------



## wally (Dec 18, 2010)

all with wood.

keep the upstairs at 62 day/56 night, and the downstairs at 64 day/60 night.


----------



## Jeff S (Dec 19, 2010)

I try to be energy efficient in all of my practices.With my wood boiler and radiator system I'm able to thermostatically control my house at 72* during the day and 66* while we are sleeping under the covers.I have also installed a boiler controller on my water storage tanks so that the water temp running through my radiators is no more than necessary which is determined by the outside temp.Not only are we at are comfort level but saving energy(wood) as well.


----------



## ironpony (Dec 23, 2010)

I keep the house between 65 and 68
no matter what is heating it
if it gets any warmer the 
wife and I are ready to open windows
gas fireplace, pellet stove, or heat pump


----------



## woodsmaster (Dec 23, 2010)

With elecric I cant make the house comfortable if I try. With wood I don't look at the temp. If It starts to get chilly I throw a few splits in the stove.


----------



## woodchip (Dec 23, 2010)

Wood burner heat is different to electric fire heat or radiator heat. For me, there are two main differences.......

Like so many have said here, woodburner heat is unpredictable. Today we had a 24f forecast maximum, and 18f minimum, so I loaded it for a cold (for here) day. As it happened, we had a maximum of 36f, and when I got in lunchtime to check on things, it was rather cosy (well, 88f, more hot than cosy), but it didn't matter, because my wood has two choices, sit out and rot, or burn. Both seem to have equal effect on the environment according to the bits I pick out and believe from what I read. And there is more to the heat than just getting to unbelievably high temperatures. At the most basic level, the guy who chops the fastest is warmest, and there is bound to be a little kudos attached being warmer (waits to be shot down by someone who is an environmental activist)..........

And the second main difference is quite simple........
It is great to sit round a fire and chat or drink or whatever people do when they sit round their fire. 
Sitting round a radiator just doesn't hack it on the same level............


----------

