Anyone else burning more wood than they expected too?
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This is my first season with the insert so I can't answer the question other than saying it's brutal in CT temp wise so I am burning a lot. I do have a related question....I do know that I will have to burn hotter to account for the cold temps. Burning hotter means more wood. I get that. I come home after work to a pretty cold stove and a cold house. Down stairs about 60 - upstairs about 58. I burn hot until bed (which is only a few hours) ....and get up and down stairs is in the low 60's (happy with that) I turned on the thermostat upstairs (uuugggghhhh) to keep it between 58-62 and take the chill off while getting ready for work.
I have a medium insert, 1800sq ft house...sided, insulated, good windows etc.....
Are my cooler temps in the house normal - and if i was able to be home and burn hotter - i'd have no issues getting into the mid-upper 60s? I dont need to be in the 70's or anything crazy like that. I'm just wondering if i got too small a stove?
I have noticed with the cold temps - the stove is burning much better..easy start ups...glass is staying cleaner. I'm mostly happy with the wood i'm burning - and the stove thermometer is running higher than ever.
Is this all normal? Not the rambling - i know that's not...
I have a medium insert, 1800sq ft house...sided, insulated, good windows etc.....
Are my cooler temps in the house normal - and if i was able to be home and burn hotter - i'd have no issues getting into the mid-upper 60s? I dont need to be in the 70's or anything crazy like that. I'm just wondering if i got too small a stove?
I have noticed with the cold temps - the stove is burning much better..easy start ups...glass is staying cleaner. I'm mostly happy with the wood i'm burning - and the stove thermometer is running higher than ever.
Is this all normal? Not the rambling - i know that's not...
Yes, we're burning more than we expected here on the coast of Maine. I'm wondering if I feel like that every year... This year I think I have some good excuses for feeling that way - I'd attribute it to a different mix of hardwood that has a healthy dose of cherry which is both heavy and burns great but doesn't seem to have the same burn time as the sugar maple that I usually burn. Probably the bigger reason for burning more is that we re-installed the Firelight and are taking advantage of its heating capacity and firebox size to keep the house in the mid-70s temperature-wise (for the dogs, of course!)
I'm in Michigan. Don't know if its any colder than normal - seems like Holloween was quite warm and we had a pretty good October in general. It got cold about two weeks ago where I had to pay attention to the stove. It seems that the wood pile is shrinking but, as someone pointed out, that is probably psychological. The wood pile looked sooooo good at the start of the season that seeing a dent in it is a let down.
On the plus side, the hot hardwood fires are keeping my glass door very clean.
Yesterday, I found a major air leak in the basement that I did not know about (unused 5"dryer vent to the North wall! Man, did that thing bring in the cold air.). With that fixed, the house already seems warmer and less drafty. We'll see how it goes.
On the plus side, the hot hardwood fires are keeping my glass door very clean.
Yesterday, I found a major air leak in the basement that I did not know about (unused 5"dryer vent to the North wall! Man, did that thing bring in the cold air.). With that fixed, the house already seems warmer and less drafty. We'll see how it goes.
InTheRockies said:
Mid June! Yes, I remember driving through Colorado in early June and driving through snow, sleet and thunder storms. Then in Utah the next day we drove threw several inches of fresh snow! Of course, that was followed by turning south and getting into some extremely warm air...
We've definitely burned more than last fall, but last year was extremely warm too. I'd say this year has been over all a little below normal temperature but very little. Naturally we are getting hit now with the arctic air so it makes people think.
As for the woodpile, I guess the 21 cords will last us okay. lol
JAmuso said:
I have the same insert... 1400SF ranch... Its' been work keeping the house at 71,72 degrees. Seems likes my place likes to run at around 68. Too cold for me, when I thought I would be able to heat my place to the point of opening windows, etc. like "everyone else" claims.
According to these forums I have to install a block off plate to get more heat. My professional installation/installer didn't know what a block off plate was and said that the chimney cap sealed the chimney. So that's the only thing I can think of as a reason why I can't get the heat to the upper 70's. (Not that I want it to be 79, but supposedly a wood stove should be able to cook you out of the house. 68 is not cooking you out... neither is 72 or 73).
I've been wondering if I bought too small as well. It would really piss me off as money was not the issue. Buying the right size was the issue and I was advised to get the I2400 (1000-2000sf), the I3100 was supposed to be "too big" (1800-3000sf).
Like most Americans, "bigger is better", I should have stuck with the gameplan!
I attribute the low temps. to Global Cooling - now the Polar Bears are happy, but the Crocs are all pissed!
On topic:
I always THINK I have enough wood, and then 3 - 4 weeks into the season I see that big hole in my pile and worry weather I'll make it.
I think it's a little psychological - You look at that nice big stack all summer, it's level across the top with sharp corners - and then that hole develops
and it just doesn't look as stout anymore.
On topic:
I always THINK I have enough wood, and then 3 - 4 weeks into the season I see that big hole in my pile and worry weather I'll make it.
I think it's a little psychological - You look at that nice big stack all summer, it's level across the top with sharp corners - and then that hole develops
and it just doesn't look as stout anymore.
Being the wood stove geek I am, I keep a log on the last three years firewood usage which is broken down monthly. I'm right on pace with the last 2 years. No chance running out since I have 3 years worth of wood to dip into.
I am on about par with last year, heating just nights and weekends. 70-75 in my living room.
Keep the oil thermostat at 50 to keep everything from freezing (the dog has fur) when at work.
set the thermostat at 58 for bed time.
put an electric/oilfilled space heater in the babies room to keep him toasty.
cuddle up with the wifey for a long winters nap.
Keep the oil thermostat at 50 to keep everything from freezing (the dog has fur) when at work.
set the thermostat at 58 for bed time.
put an electric/oilfilled space heater in the babies room to keep him toasty.
cuddle up with the wifey for a long winters nap.
Smokeless said:
yeah...i'm not sure - i can deal with 68...i'm not sure i could've gotton a bigger stove even if i wanted one. I too went by the manufacturers specifications for sizing. I dont have a block off plate either...they insulated around where the damper of the fire place was - and around the liner....I do feel - that on a weekend if i'm at home - running it at a higher settting - and feeding this stove as necessary - we'd get to the temps we want. Issues arised due to work - away from home for 10+ hours - and on cold days...big cool down in the house. Where i was hoping to not have the theromstats on - i'm going to have to use them to keep the temp from getting too low...i wont be setting anything above 62. If the temp at home is 60-62 - i should be able to get into mid 60's which on work nights is fine - vs. going from upper 50's to low 60's.....I will have to deal with that reality and just know i'm still saving compared to oil.....
Yes, I am burning more than expected, as the weather in many areas of North America has been colder than normal this month. However, just a few weeks earlier and back into October there were many new highs recorded in the continental USA. Actually, more new highs than lows were recorded.
More about this subject on the Weather Channel!
I'll suggest that my increased wood burning is caused by my own irrational exuberance. ;>)
More about this subject on the Weather Channel!
I'll suggest that my increased wood burning is caused by my own irrational exuberance. ;>)
offroadaudio said:
Right!!
I didn't think I had enough wood for this year, but given that my install isn't until 12/6 I guess I'll have enough since I'm missing all this cold weather (22 degrees this morning).
Backwoods Savage said:
I'm a bit farther north, in a wilderness area in the nw corner of Montana, west of Glacier National Park. (I'm a bit paranoid about bears because there are multiple grizzly and black bear habitats here and they relocate problem bears who are attracted to easier food near human habitation to these bear habitats. That's one of the reasons I've gotten wood from a nearby saw mill rather than heading into the forest to collect wood--once the bears are hibernating we tend to have a lot of snow on the ground. This year, with the new chain saw in hand, I'm planning on heading into the forest and collecting some of next year's wood.) I'm hoping for a normal spring next year--it was so cold this year that my apple trees didn't bloom and I didn't have any apples. (The deer were disappointed too since they get the windfalls.)
JAmuso said:
stove could be to small
i have a summit and need everybit of it... sometimes i think i shoulda got a blaze king
last year i got the room up to 80 easily but the other rooms struggled in 50-60s added insulation and now can't get room over 75 but the others (that are a long way aways) all stay in the 60s(mid to upper) with the hallway in the 70s
I can see SW Ohio from my living room window, so you're probably not too far from me. It's supposed to get down to 22F tonight and colder tomorrow night. This weather reminds me of how it was way back when I was a teen, when it would get cold in the beginning of November and stay that way until April. We are way overdue for a bad winter. Hopefully it won't be like the '77/'78 winters. Does anyone remember those two winters?
Yeppers... 2 + feet of snow here 2 x's in April. Plus all of the other snow storms prior that year.
Made alot of $$$$'s plowing.
Yes! but this is my first year and although I theoretically have 5 cords I have a feeling its more like 4- chords.
Still learning, but having fun along the way!
One of my co-workers says he only burns about a packed "milk crate's" worth of wood during a 12 hr period, I wonder about that, stove size and living space, I suppose its possible 8-/
I'm going through one of my kid's "radio flyer" (the preferred transport method) full of wood during the overnight period and maybe about the same during the day (I usually only get a chance to burn during the overnight during the work week).
Still learning, but having fun along the way!
One of my co-workers says he only burns about a packed "milk crate's" worth of wood during a 12 hr period, I wonder about that, stove size and living space, I suppose its possible 8-/
I'm going through one of my kid's "radio flyer" (the preferred transport method) full of wood during the overnight period and maybe about the same during the day (I usually only get a chance to burn during the overnight during the work week).
i've burned through a cord already... and i started out with 4 soooo....
i think i need about 6 cords to make it a season...
i think i need about 6 cords to make it a season...
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