End of Year Survey Results with a Map

[Mid Michigan]

A couple of weeks ago I posted a End of The Year Survey. I was looking for this information: Wood usage, location, square feet heated, DHW (yes or no). I had asked for you to figure your wood usage for one 6 month heating season. If you do not heat for six months than take an monthly average and add it to your total or vise versa if you heat longer.

In the process I created a new measurement. It is a square foot per chord. This is how many square feet of space you could heat with a chord of wood using your set up, location, wood, insulation, etc....in one heating season. Very simple, take your square feet and devide by your cords of wood used. Again the variables are so many that I had to come up with some way to compare. So it is the ft./cord measurement. The higher it is the better. Of all the posts the worst was 136'/cord and the best was 914 '/cord. Now these measurements are only as accurate as the info supplied to me. Some members did not get the 6 month part down. Mine is 225'/cord and thus you can see why I am upgrading next year.

Fun Facts to Share With Your Friends:
Average size heated area.....................2769²ft.
Average wood consumption...................5.95 cords
Average square feet per chord...............465


This information was than put on a google map so you can compare to those in your area. Now for some there are none in the surrounding are. Other have a few neighbors near by. I DID NOT mark the map to an address, just to the area you gave in your profile. If you want to change anything ON YOUR OWN information or update it feel free too. If you want to delete your map post feel free too. I believe this map will give insight to wood consumption to anyone who is interested. I think we can at least take that if you are above average good for you. If you are below average than you have room to improve (anyone of so many variables). It would be even more efficient if more members added their info to the map.

Here is the link to see the map. http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=e...046217,-84.111328&spn=23.620371,57.084961&z=5

 

[Birdman]

My comments may go in a different direction than this post was headed... but. I like this map for a different reason. I like the visual of seeing HOW MANY people have gasifiers. When I first began my journey of getting a wood burning model to heat my whole house... I first began researching OWB. I mean... there were lots of them around.... lots of dealers in my area... and people who had them set up and working. I was lucky to find this site and trust teh people on it. I decided to go instead with a Tarm... which there is a dealer about 2 hours away. Of course.. I never new this dealer was there until I stumbled upon this website. It was the best decision I have ever made. My point about the map is this. When I was thinking of getting a gasifier... I was concerned that I had never seen one... and that it was a " kind of on the fringe " type product. It sounded odd and new to me. Of course.. as I read on this site... it is an old and tried and true type of technology that has been used in Europe for decades. When I was making the decesion... it would have been even more helpful to me... to see this map and realize there are alot of people around who were using this technology near me ( or at least in the northeast).

It might be a great selling point for some of these gasifier dealers to provide a map?.. maybe showing how many units they have sold and the aprox location of where they are ? Maybe by state? or county in each state?

I remember thinking to myself before i took the plunge.... hhhmmmm why does it feel like I am the only one who has one of these? When in fact.... there were some people in my state that were not too far away who already had one.

Now... it does make me think?... what state has the most gasifiers?

 

[muncybob]

Birdman, mine journey to a gasser was very similar to yours. Makes me wonder why the manufactureres don't have a more agressive advertising approach unless they don't feel they could keep up with the demand?

 

[Chris Hoskin]

I love this idea! Thanks for putting this together Mid Mich. Gooserider, do you think it would be possible to make this thread a sticky at the head of the front page? It would be great if people could add themselves to the map over time. This map can address some of the 'first on the dancefloor' issues that Birdman referred to, and I think it really adds to the sense of community that already exists on this forum. Great stuff, thanks again.

Chris

 

[easternbob]

Mid Mich,
First off great job summarizing all the responses.
How do you make changes/additions to the map. Can each person make changes or since you made the map are you the only one?

 

[rwh442]

Birdman,

Not all boilers in the survey are gassifiers! I would like it to be but it is what it is.

 

[easternbob]

maybe there could be different color pins for each brand?

 

[Mid Michigan]

Yes, it is very interesting to see who is out there and what they have. I believe that anyone who goes to the map through the link I supplied should be able to relocate, update, change, delete there pin on the map. Actually you can change anybodies I believe, so this would have to be a honor system. If not let me know. I think when I log onto it from this computer it might automatically recognize me and let me make changes????

On the original post about the survey someone else brought up a web site that does a nice maps with more options. Sorry do not remember site but you can search and find it. They wanted a yearly fee. I wasn't sure I wanted to do that. I think it is a great idea and would be a nice way to keep people in the forum interested. This can go many ways. I think it would be great to designate pin colors and boiler brand names, storage (yes or no) and so on.

Some of us need to see we have our work cut out in order to raise that "square foot per cord number". I want to be in the 600 range next year...we shall see.

 

[Mid Michigan]

Rob H
I think we need to let anyone who heats there house 100% with wood to be on the map. I have to agree whole heartily with Birdman and muncybob, If it wasn't for stumbling onto this site through a google search I would not be going to a gassification boiler next year. I think the wood consumption will speak volumes in the proof of what is efficient. I think if I get all set up next year and the following year I post I am used 6 cord off wood down from 12 that only encourages more people to look into gassifiers.

 

[Mushroom Man]

Out of curiousity (and a bit of self-interest), I'd be interested to know whether storage users had higher efficiency. Seems to me that could be determined from the data collected. Anyone else curious about that?

It is my first season and the storage is not completed yet. I'm blowing through wood like a drunken sailor. Five cords so far, so at least ten by season-end. The house is 2700 above ground and additionally has a high (half above grade 11' high basement) and there is 1500 square feet of barn space drawing heat. That is a lot to heat. I've made some plumbing errors that I'll fix in the spring.
All in all, I'm only a bit disappointed with the volume of wood I'm burning.

Oh, the wood is only lightly seasoned, so that is contributing to the fuel consumption. Next year will be better.

 

[pybyr]

Oh, the wood is only lightly seasoned, so that is contributing to the fuel consumption. Next year will be better.

I'm in my second season, and last year I was short on well-seasoned wood; my good wood ran out by mid-Feb, and from then on, I really noticed the difference.

This year, I have more operating experience, and a good supply of better wood, and wow, it just keeps getting better.

 

[Jim Post]

Our house and basement is actually 3300 SF not the 2500 I was guesstimating...still using 6 cords which leads me to a '/cord number of 555. I tried updating it on the map but had no success. Let me know if there is a way.

thanks, and excellent use of the google map.

 

[sgschwend]

That was Frapper, their is new "Frapper" that is free now, called: Platial.com/frappr.

How about using square foot per cord month. That way you account for the number of burning months is one shot.

For example: 6 cords in six months is would become one cord a month, divided into the load size. That would be a closer match to the power company usage estimates and/or savings. Which is a published quantity.

I wouldn't change it now, but if a new solution is implemented then it could be used then.

 

[Gooserider]

I love this idea! Thanks for putting this together Mid Mich. Gooserider, do you think it would be possible to make this thread a sticky at the head of the front page? It would be great if people could add themselves to the map over time. This map can address some of the 'first on the dancefloor' issues that Birdman referred to, and I think it really adds to the sense of community that already exists on this forum. Great stuff, thanks again.

Chris

You and Birdman make a good point Chris, but at the same time I'm reluctant to add more stickies to the front page - it is a case that the more stickies there are, the more space it takes up that one has to scroll past to get at the "new stuff". I remember there was a map of members at one point that got a lot of interest for a while, but then kind of faded away - I'd be afraid that this would do the same...

Gooserider

 

[Hunderliggur]

I did not participate in the survey since my first fire was 12/22. I do not have usag data yet. I would like to be added to the map though.

 

[WoodNotOil]

I would be happy to post a link to this map at WoodNotOil.com if that is alright with the original author, I believe that it is Mid Michigan. This type of resource is in line with the kind of infromation I am attempting to organize and make more accessible. Let me know...

 

[heaterman]

Out of curiousity (and a bit of self-interest), I'd be interested to know whether storage users had higher efficiency. Seems to me that could be determined from the data collected. Anyone else curious about that?

It is my first season and the storage is not completed yet. I'm blowing through wood like a drunken sailor. Five cords so far, so at least ten by season-end. The house is 2700 above ground and additionally has a high (half above grade 11' high basement) and there is 1500 square feet of barn space drawing heat. That is a lot to heat. I've made some plumbing errors that I'll fix in the spring.
All in all, I'm only a bit disappointed with the volume of wood I'm burning.

Oh, the wood is only lightly seasoned, so that is contributing to the fuel consumption. Next year will be better.

Storage helps efficiency only to the point that it enables longer burns without idling. There is some overall efficiency gained but the bigger benefit is less frequent loading and tending.

 

[Mushroom Man]

Storage helps efficiency only to the point that it enables longer burns without idling. There is some overall efficiency gained but the bigger benefit is less frequent loading and tending. <<

If a person was idling 50% of the time, would you guess that, with efficient storage and minimal standby losses, a significant saving in wood usage would be possible; say in the order of 30 to 40%. I am trying to have realistic expectations.

 

[Gooserider]

Storage helps efficiency only to the point that it enables longer burns without idling. There is some overall efficiency gained but the bigger benefit is less frequent loading and tending. <<

If a person was idling 50% of the time, would you guess that, with efficient storage and minimal standby losses, a significant saving in wood usage would be possible; say in the order of 30 to 40%. I am trying to have realistic expectations.

I think you would save some, but not that much - at least the folks that have added storage seem to be saying that their wood consumption has dropped, but not so much that it is their big reason for being glad to have done it... I would guess more on the order of a 10-20% savings, but that is just a guess - to many variables to know for sure... As I've said, along with many others, the big advantage comes in being able to "time shift" when you need to burn, and reducing the number / frequency of burns needed in the shoulder season...

IMHO wood savings should be considered a "bonus" not a primary motivation for doing storage...

Gooserider

 

[Mid Michigan]

I don't think this is currently open-editable. Mid Mich, I think you need to go to the "collaborate" feature and mark "anyone can edit this" or whatever. I'll be adding myself as soon as I can! Thanks!

I have changed it to collaborate. Let me know if it is open - editable.
Thanks

 

[Rory]

Now that I think about it, I should probably reduce my consumption figure if we're only talking 6 months - we heat for at least 9 around here!

 

[twitch]

I don't think this is currently open-editable. Mid Mich, I think you need to go to the "collaborate" feature and mark "anyone can edit this" or whatever. I'll be adding myself as soon as I can! Thanks!

I have changed it to collaborate. Let me know if it is open - editable.
Thanks

I just added my info to the map, so it's working, thanks.

 

[Tennman]

Ok.... I tried, but was spending too much time trying to figure out how to edit my profile on this map. Could someone tell me what button to push to edit my profile on the Google map. Very cool idea by the way. I really look like the odd guy out way down here in Dixie!! We're back to 50-60F days which is more normal for us and NOW I get my boiler really cooking!! That's for another post.

 

[Mid Michigan]

Ok.... I tried, but was spending too much time trying to figure out how to edit my profile on this map. Could someone tell me what button to push to edit my profile on the Google map. Very cool idea by the way. I really look like the odd guy out way down here in Dixie!! We're back to 50-60F days which is more normal for us and NOW I get my boiler really cooking!! That's for another post.

Being I created map I am not sure how everyone else is seeing it as compared to what I see on my screen when I log in. That being said, scroll down the left column until you get to your name, click on name, go back up to top of column and hit edit. A window should pop open in the center of map with your info, make corrections. Sounds easy buy with computers who knows.
You do seem to be the odd man out way down there in Tenn. I think that's great. Maybe I can tap in for some hot water you don't need. Or better yet, you need to figure out how to use the hot water to make cooling in the summer. Kind of like those refrigerators in campers. They use either electricity or propane to cool. Built a large ammonia heat exchanger and you can burn year round. One of those to do dream jobs on the back burner for me.
Good Luck

 

[easternbob]

Mid Mich,
Thanks for the help in editing our info. on the google map. Your instructions were perfect. I actually corrected my sqft (gave you the wrong info. originally, not sure where I came up with those numbers?) and corrected my location by deleting the pin you placed (best guess location) and placing a new one. Thanks again for doing this.
Bob