Daily commitment to heating with wood

[Henz]

thats about what I am with burnings a mixture of oak, hard/soft maple and beech.

 

[High_Iron]

I'll just wing it and say that with hardwood and a 6-8 hour or so burn- you'll load 3-4 times in a day.

Cleaning ash etc is onle every 4-5 days.

When I'm home I tend to throw in a couple pieces at a time more often because I enjoy it.

What he said...

 

[KateC]

Chances are your first year you'll be hovering over the stove a lot more than you need to---anxiety and infatuation both---and you'll be wanting to toss another split in the minute you see flames die down. This will lead to faster ash build-up and more unburnt cinders, so you'll probably be shovelling out more often. Once you ''get over it'' so to speak, you'll be more apt to let each load cycle down properly to lower ash levels and minumum babysitting time.
In a way I envy the first-year love affair, but then I really appreciate having the confidence to walk away knowing it's all good. You'll be fine.

 

[chutes]

Chances are your first year you'll be hovering over the stove a lot more than you need to---anxiety and infatuation both---and you'll be wanting to toss another split in the minute you see flames die down. This will lead to faster ash build-up and more unburnt cinders, so you'll probably be shovelling out more often. Once you ''get over it'' so to speak, you'll be more apt to let each load cycle down properly to lower ash levels and minumum babysitting time.
In a way I envy the first-year love affair, but then I really appreciate having the confidence to walk away knowing it's all good. You'll be fine.

That is a wonderfully insightful response (sincerely).

It might backfire though, so that instead of the first-year love affair I sit and stare at the flames dying down and say "remember what Kate said" and I don't add another split.

Or, alternatively, I might end up saying "forget what Kate said" and fearing the death of my fire I'll add another split when it is completely unnecessary, thus having more ash to clean.

Funny to think about all this while, here in Connecticut, it is about 80 and humid and I have the AC running right now....

And to think, I still have to do break-in fires.

Thanks!
Dave

 

[Tfin]

Not throwing another split in when the flames die down was the hardest one for me to get over. The learning curve was shortend by any time I did such a thing I'd end up getting the house up to 90F and having to open the windows.

Lesson learned.

 

[Jags]

Chances are your first year you'll be hovering over the stove a lot more than you need to---anxiety and infatuation both---and you'll be wanting to toss another split in the minute you see flames die down. This will lead to faster ash build-up and more unburnt cinders, so you'll probably be shovelling out more often. Once you ''get over it'' so to speak, you'll be more apt to let each load cycle down properly to lower ash levels and minumum babysitting time.
In a way I envy the first-year love affair, but then I really appreciate having the confidence to walk away knowing it's all good. You'll be fine.

This holds alot of truth, but after many years of burning, I am still waiting for it to happen. :lol:

 

[Henz]

there was one thread that really explained the cycle of a fire and just admitting that there is an actual cycle to a fire is the most important. Jsut because you do not see intense flame doesnt mean that your not putting out heat still. actually, that bed of coals/half burnt splits put out more heat that the flame in my opinion.

 

[chevydmax2002]

I work third shift, so I to am home during the day. In our house it is a two man commitment. (or One man and One Great Woman). My husband operates the chain saw, I operate the log splitter and stack into cords to allow wood to dry. We currently are moving the wood down towards the house and all wood racks in the house are full and ready to go. We start each week full both in the house and One 1/4 cord rack on front porch full, and 1/4 cord rack on back patio full. That can last us greater than one week in case we were too busy to restock mid week. However if no snow on ground I usually daily walk up back and refill house racks for hubby when he gets home. We also brush off wood prior to bringing in house to help with clean up. We burn our stoves continously all winter it is our only heat source. I usually throw wood in the stove during the day every 4-5 hours to maintain a temp of >70 degrees in the house. It is work which keeps the arms looking fit and also the joy of knowing it's saving us money is all the energy we need to keep going. Also my husband has already enough 2x4 cut into small pieces for quick temp increses in stove to last us this season. Last year we bought our stove without being prepared which was more work. Right now we are all prepared for the next two years and fine tuning things. Note we have not spent any money on wood yet. All our wood comes from people getting rid of it .AMEN