The reason i have decided to start burning wood to heat my home

[Badfish740]

There's about a million different reasons I can think of. Part of it is the firebug thing-when I was a kid we always found excuses to build a campfire when we were running around in the woods. Thinking back there probably is no stranger sight than a bunch of 13-14 year olds fishing in the middle of June with a roaring fire going by the side of the creek. I think part of it back then was just as much about "toys" as it is now though. I bought a hatchet for $1 at a yard sale which became my prized possession for hacking up deadfall for use in our campfires. Initially we would cut up and drag whatever we could find to our "spot," but eventually I acquired a derelict Craftsman lawn tractor from a neighbor along with a trailer. With some snow chains on the rear tires, the mowing deck removed, and a few other modifications we had one heck of a wood hauler I got my first wood stove experience with the old coal furnace that heated my grandparents' garage and at that point I was pretty much hooked.

Once I bought a house of my own (nearly a year ago) I decided that I would immediately begin working toward heating with wood. The house has a 3 year old forced air oil furnace with electronic thermostat and the ability to run the furnace fan independent of the oil burner so I had an excellent system to piggy-back onto with an add-on furnace. Before I had even figured out which stove (or saw for that matter) to buy I started hoarding wood and pallets via powerline ROW cuts, Craigslist ads, and soliciting warehouses. Now not much has changed only the old Craftsman tractor is a Ford 1 ton pickup and the $1 hatchet is an Echo CS-400 and a McCulloch 610.

 

[lorskimac]

Sorry, you're right. Not strictly a fossil fuel but very, very, very old and hard to replace.

Yes, peat is fabulous for the garden, but this depletes supplies and I always buy peat-free compost. There are huge wildlife and diversity issues surrounding peat removal and areas where it has been taken are decimated and take decades to return to life again. This really is a tiny island and it needs to be looked after.

 

[Hiram Maxim]

This makes me proud of my party

Will you stop making so much sense? :cheese:

 

[ROYJ24]

So I can join this website. :lol:

 

[Rich L]

I burn wood for just about all of the above reasons and even more so since I had the oil man come by to fill my tank.My last fill up was the beginning of August 2008.After he filled my tank last week he charged me for 89.9 gallons of oil after burning wood for several months.I upgraded my stoves and am now in the process of insulating the house.Good bye mister oilman.

 

[mikepinto65]

Grew up with my father and grandfather burning wood. I've been lucky enough to spend a lot of time with them both every year for as long as I can remember cutting, splitting, and staking wood.....not that it was my favorite thing to do when I was younger, but i definitely wouldn't trade if now for anything!

Now im 25, married with my first home, and carrying on the tradition (and still driving back home on weekends to help my dad and grandfather with there piles).
Plus my wife loves the way the heat feels compared to radiant heat and the house smells nice when the stoves going!