Preparing For Battle ...

[heavy hammer]

After tonight it looks like it will let up for a few days. Next week though there calling for more cold. Probably just keep the stove rolling using some beech and maple until the cold comes back.

 

[Squisher]

My battle is over for now. We just had 7-10 days of -15 to -20c for lows and about -10 for daytime highs. Now we're up to -1 and it seems downright balmy.

I too was fighting frozen barn water which always makes things interesting.

I am glad for the somewhat warmer temps. Nothing seems to work right in the frozen temps, including myself.

 

[SpAmSoNiTe]

After tonight it looks like it will let up for a few days. Next week though there calling for more cold. Probably just keep the stove rolling using some beech and maple until the cold comes back.

Same here in northeast ohio. A little snap to the 40's by the weekend and then 20's or lower next week.

 

[heavy hammer]

I'm Northeast Ohio to little east of mentor north of Chardon. We're almost neighbors.

 

[Dix]

I almost lost the battle this morning. 4 degrees F. This morning and I forgot to plug in the heat tape for the waterlines! I too have a lean-to close to the house. Roughly three milk crates a day get brought in to feed the Nc-30..

Ouch !!

Hope they didn't break !!

 

[Warm_in_NH]

High of 13 yesterday. Woken up to 1 this AM (10 degrees above for casted temp) 3 loads a day in the stove and it's been a comfortable 60-75 in the house!
Gonna warm up in the next coupes days, If this was a real winter, it gets harder to keep up the longer the cold snap goes and the harder the wind blows. I'm thrilled at how well this cold snap went. The dog and cat are snoozing comfortably, life is good.
Currently 76 in stove room and 8 outside. Loaded at 6 am, again at 6 pm, and soon before bed.

 

[edyit]

-5 yesterday morning going to be a balmy 27 here today looks as though winter has decided to show up

 

[MaintenanceMan]

I'm in a much better position this year with a larger stove. I go for a run early most mornings and while walking home afterward I love to see that I'm the only house on the block without exhaust rising from the furnace vent. Everyone else has their lights on and furnaces pumping. Looks kind of sleepy at my place kind of dark and no steam or exhaust coming from the roof. The truth of the matter is it's toasty warm inside and my gas bill stays nice and low.

I had the 27 loaded 3/4 full with red oak last night and a nice hot bed of coals at 5:30 this morning. 23 degrees outside this morning and 74 in the house. I just love waking up to a fresh pot of coffee and a warm stove.

 

[SpAmSoNiTe]

Ouch !!

Hope they didn't break !!

Nope.. mostly all cpvc now and haven't had the issues I had with th old copper ones

 

[edge-of-the-woods]

I used to bring up loads of wood close to the house. I finally just built a shed across the driveway. I just drag in an armload a day now!
Here's my view.

That is beautiful.

 

[peakbagger]

I got lazy and ran the oil for the first sustained time in two years as I was headed out of town. Took a bit of getting used to, I have high temp baseboards and its takes forever to heat with the water off my storage tank when running wood while the oil boiler keeps the water temps high so its a faster response. When from -7 F yesterday to +24 F today so I turned off the oil an turned my mini split on.

 

[georgepds]

I've got 2 firewood bins under the front hall stairs. Most of the time I use less than one bin per week, so I always get a week to dry out the snow wet logs that I bring in. I cover the logs ( all staked neatly in racks) , but still the snow and ice sneaks in

 

[Dix]

House is at 74 F right now, first time in 3 days. My best was 70 F last night

Time to put up the insulated curtains !!

 

[Squisher]

We are hovering around freezing now. A real easy temp for my setup. I let the stove go out today for the first time in weeks? Cleaned out my ashes, metal can and out doors onto a cement walkway well away from the house.

The fire is cruising away again now and I'll burn through the night still.

 

[begreen]

Temps have moderated here, 41F outside. Fixing the gasket was good. We're working on 9+ hr burn now. Will probably reload around hour 10, but there are plenty of coals left and the stove is still at 300F. Living room at 73F.

Edit: reloaded after 11hrs. Stovetop at 275º. There was a little madrona in the mix which really helped extend the burn.

 

[SpAmSoNiTe]

I'm Northeast Ohio to little east of mentor north of Chardon. We're almost neighbors.

Lol no kidding. I live out by Jefferson.. drive by painesville every day on the way to downtown cle for work.

 

[Smoked]

I burned through much of last Saturday's labor this week. Really it was the first time I had both stoves going 24x7 and still have some thing to figure out timing wise. The boiler came on for about 5 min one morning just after i got both stoves going. Think it was the rush of outside air with both stoves wide open getting started But at least I know it's there and working if I need it 2 stoves on different floors is just a little bit of work, but ill enjoy it as long as I can!