How low is outside temp before you start burning?

[begreen]

We usually don't start burning until it's in the 40's. The heat pump does a great job of keeping the place warm and costs less than wood. But sometimes on a damp day in the low 50's we just feel like a fire and light up a small one just for the extra warmth. The cat loves those days.

 

[OhioBurner©]

If my house ever got down to anywhere near 60f it'd magically transform into a bachelor pad.

Transforming my house into a bachelor pad certainly did allow me to be much more reasonable, frugal, and 'green' lol

 

[venator260]

I usually keep a fire going when daytime highs stay lower than the 50's. Yesterday, the daytime temps were in the 40's, and I did let the fire go out through the day.

Generally, as others have said, if I get cold, I light a fire. If I get hot, I let the fire go out until I'm not hot anymore. My wife likes it a bit cooler than I do, actually, so I'm the one lighting the fires, and she's the one telling me when they should go out. Unlike others, I try not to heat the house to such a degree that I'm opening windows.

 

[jscs.moore]

We usually don't start burning until it's in the 40's. The heat pump does a great job of keeping the place warm and costs less than wood. But sometimes on a damp day in the low 50's we just feel like a fire and light up a small one just for the extra warmth. The cat loves those days.

Thanks begreen. Yeah, we have a new heat pump (about 3 years old) and I've been told the newer generation of heat pumps are pretty efficient to operate in mild temps (mid to low 40's). So I guess my reluctance to burn when it's fairly mild outside is related to the idea of wasting good seasoned wood when it doesn't cost that much to run the heat pump? I sort get into this mind set, right or wrong, that I shouldn't be wasting good wood unless it's at least in the mid thirties or below outside.

 

[begreen]

Our heat pump will work until 25º, then switches to resistance coils. It works well down to about freezing. This is a high-efficiency 2006 model. Since then there have been some nice improvements in both central and mini-split systems. Some modern mini-splits are still chugging out heat at 0º! I'm pushing 70 and getting to the point where splitting wood is not so much fun. I only did about 1/2 cord this year and bought 2 cords. We'll be buying more wood in the future I think and it runs about $280-300 a cord. That makes a strong case for the heat pump in our long shoulder seasons.

 

[Squisher]

At 43 now if I'm lucky enough to make 70 I'm sure I'll look back and wish I had all the wood I frivolously wasted in my youth. Nahhh. No regrets!

 

[OhioBurner©]

We'll be buying more wood in the future I think and it runs about $280-300 a cord. That makes a strong case for the heat pump in our long shoulder seasons.

Wow that's quite pricey. For me that would be a strong case to just buy compressed sawdust bricks. You're pretty far so I'm guessing you don't have the same one I do here, but the last time I bought a ton of Ecobricks was $220 I think. And pellets are down about $50 this year so maybe also the bricks, but havent checked. No seasoning needed, no bugs, bark, or much mess at all. Stacks perfect blocks. No sense at all to spend more on firewood at least here! Heck it's worth the less hassle even at about $150/cord.

 

[begreen]

Yes, cord wood is silly expensive here. They're asking $400 a cord for seasoned madrona. I'm retesting locally sold compressed wood products with this in mind. There is a delivery fee unless I pick up and our sales tax is high so I have to add about $50 to whatever I buy. Will be trying out Tractor Supply bricks. A 6 pack is about $4.50. Not sure if Eco or BioBricks are sold locally. Tacoma bricks are sold by Manke, but they are only so so. I suspect NIELs will be the way to go, but they aren't cheap either.

 

[Doc C]

If my house ever got down to anywhere near 60f it'd magically transform into a bachelor pad.

My house dropped from 80 to 70 on the thermostat on the wall near the bedrooms. And the moaning and groaning is very real this morning. Up and at em and both fires stoked up toot de suite!

We hit the -5 overnight. It's crisp this morning!

Crisp is putting it mildly. My right nipple about fell off when I went outside this morning!

 

[redktmrider]

Some modern mini-splits are still chugging out heat at 0º!

The Mitsubishi Hyper Heat mini split we had installed in our addition this year is claimed to be able to heat down to -17F. It has no secondary heating system.
I hope I never have to test that claim!

 

[heavy hammer]

It's more on when the house gets chilly. We have oil heat but eventually when that just doesn't cut it the stoves get lit. Plus I have plenty of wood so starting a fire to just get the chill out is no big deal to me. Plus the heat is better as we all know.

 

[Jason721]

40's I will start the stove sometimes if its in the 50's for a short burn to knock the chill off.

 

[410MAN]

As some yall said , I have a wife no need for thermostat, I in North East Texas, when temps get 45 I burn, my rule I made long time ago, however she can overide it when necessary . She like to add logs to fire So i had her assist me in splitting and bring some up to house. This made her slow down on adding to fire. We have the old time (metal box type) fire place that just sucks up heat from house. Hop e yall have a safe and happy new year,

 

[RFarm]

The ladies of this house are part polar bear and part penguin! I will have long johns, sweaters and a hat on and if I still am cold the stove goes on. Man, I catch all kinds of grief from them when I light it off. Sometimes they go away on trips during the winter - then that baby burns 24/7 until they return, which is usually too soon!

 

[NHcpa]

When I can’t feel a cold beer in my hand, it’s time for fire! Seriously, in NH, I burn beginning Oct/Nov (40-50’s) and burn through June until my bones adjust to the change in temp.

 

[WayneN]

Marylander here. Fires going when outside temp drops below 65-70. If it gets too warm, I open a window. That said, it's never too warm lol


I enjoy sitting in shorts and a T with my cold beer.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

[georgepds]

Massachusetts here... 10F outside ,70F inside, 16% RH

Haven't used a fire starter in a while, just about to strip to shorts