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24/7 here.
Have not used the furnace since 2009.
I do have 1 electric portable oil filled radiator heater, but I don't even know
where that is at the moment. It was packed up during remodel. I'll find it .
I leave it in the bedroom for when it's really cold.
Have not used the furnace since 2009.
I do have 1 electric portable oil filled radiator heater, but I don't even know
where that is at the moment. It was packed up during remodel. I'll find it .
I leave it in the bedroom for when it's really cold.
I consider myself a 24/7 burner . . . although like CaptainJaq I have the oil boiler's thermostats set at 60 degrees F . . . but the only time I hear the boiler is either a) if it's wicked cold and they kick on in the morning (and the sound of the oil boiler and ticking of the metal contracting in the radiators works better than an alarm clock to get me out of bed), b) if I've fired it up to check on it, c) when we've had several days of sub-zero weather I may fire it up a couple times each day to move some heated water through the pipes in the crawl space and d) when we're either too sick, too lazy or in the sunny Carribean.
That said . . . I would guess the boiler gets used maybe 5% of the time, maybe as much as 10% . . . but I can live with that . . . I don't want to be a slave to my woodstove . . . and since I haven't filled my oil tank in two or three years and I still have half a tank of oil . . . I can live with this.
I should also add that it helps quite a bit to have a routine . . . and a wife who works per diem three nights per week so oftentimes she is either loading the stove when she's home for the day or loading the stove when she comes home before heading to bed or when she wakes up if I'm not home.
That said . . . I would guess the boiler gets used maybe 5% of the time, maybe as much as 10% . . . but I can live with that . . . I don't want to be a slave to my woodstove . . . and since I haven't filled my oil tank in two or three years and I still have half a tank of oil . . . I can live with this.
I should also add that it helps quite a bit to have a routine . . . and a wife who works per diem three nights per week so oftentimes she is either loading the stove when she's home for the day or loading the stove when she comes home before heading to bed or when she wakes up if I'm not home.
Yep, 24/7 here.
Turned off the power and gas to the wall furnace about 4 years ago (I think), but we do have a direct vent heater in the laundry room. That's at the back of the house and rarely gets used.
Until 2010, I was getting up at least once in the night to reload the stove. That's the year I got it repaired the right way, and now I can sleep at least 7 hours and wake to enough coals to get the fire going easily. The house might get down to about 63-64 or so, but I can deal with that.......for now.
Looking forward to a new stove.
Turned off the power and gas to the wall furnace about 4 years ago (I think), but we do have a direct vent heater in the laundry room. That's at the back of the house and rarely gets used.
Until 2010, I was getting up at least once in the night to reload the stove. That's the year I got it repaired the right way, and now I can sleep at least 7 hours and wake to enough coals to get the fire going easily. The house might get down to about 63-64 or so, but I can deal with that.......for now.
Looking forward to a new stove.
We Burn 24/3 here starting when the temps get into the 40s with lows in the 30s. I generally telecommute on Fridays so the stove gets lit at dinnertime Thursday and burns until Monday morning. The rest of the week the gas boiler does duty as my wife wont touch the stove.
Note that we get our gas at around 80 cents a therm and do pay for some of our wood making this economical. If I was on oil I would find a way to do 24/7.
Note that we get our gas at around 80 cents a therm and do pay for some of our wood making this economical. If I was on oil I would find a way to do 24/7.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
I don't think I'll ever heat this big old joint entirely with wood. I'm happy to take a big chunk off the oil bill with wood, though.
We will burn more than 230 million BTU's of oil in a typical year (200 million generated at 85% boiler efficiency), with six zones of heating, judiciously turning down the T-stats in the evenings and when the house is empty during the week. That equates to 8 to 13 cords of wood, depending on species, assuming 83% overall stove efficiency. Then there's the whole problem of distributing it to a less than contiguous floor plan, as BAR can attest.
My goal is 4 cords of wood per year in two stoves, as long as I'm splitting by hand, which keeps it enjoyable for me. If I want to go beyond that, I think I'm going need to buy a hydraulic splitter, which I just know I'll hate.
<-- Just bought 1000 gallons of oil at $3.24/gal.
We will burn more than 230 million BTU's of oil in a typical year (200 million generated at 85% boiler efficiency), with six zones of heating, judiciously turning down the T-stats in the evenings and when the house is empty during the week. That equates to 8 to 13 cords of wood, depending on species, assuming 83% overall stove efficiency. Then there's the whole problem of distributing it to a less than contiguous floor plan, as BAR can attest.
My goal is 4 cords of wood per year in two stoves, as long as I'm splitting by hand, which keeps it enjoyable for me. If I want to go beyond that, I think I'm going need to buy a hydraulic splitter, which I just know I'll hate.
<-- Just bought 1000 gallons of oil at $3.24/gal.
WOW that a lot of heat! I did about 65 million BTU last winter and 100 million the winter before with less insulation and the big blizzards.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
I have to commend someone that would not have a back up for a heat source. I live in NY about an hour north of NYC. Right now I burn on and off but the weather is in that in between stage. Set the thermostat to 62 and will leave it there for the winter but sometimes will turn it up if we are going to be gone for a long duration. Can't really get more than an 8 hour burn out of my stove and once it dies off the temps drop. I use the stove to curb the cost of oil and due to the schedules in the house can't do more than that. Have been living in the house for about a year now and comparing my oil usage to my sisters with the same size house I am WAY ahead of the game.
24/7 here as well.
I have LP for back up. It only runs if it gets really cold, or if no one can tend the fire due to work schedules. I'd say at least 90% of my heat comes from wood.
I have LP for back up. It only runs if it gets really cold, or if no one can tend the fire due to work schedules. I'd say at least 90% of my heat comes from wood.
24/7 here. I set the upstairs thermostats at 62 or so, but those zones just about never turn on. Downstairs is another story. The stove is at one end of the house and the far end is kinda drafty. The propane furnace runs a few hours on the colder days to assist the stove. Upgrading from an older smoke dragon, and improving my wood supply has cut propane use in half.
24/6 here. Telecommute 4 out of 5 days, don't burn, yet, on the day I go into work. Aim is to change that this winter. Went from getting a 500 gallon oil delivery every 6 weeks, to a 250 gallon oil delivery every 6 months (oil heated hot water). Hope to repeat that this winter.
24/7. We have natural gas forced air for backup. The thermostat is set for 55 degrees, and it only kicks on if we're out of town overnight.
Sounds like the PH paid for itself last year. That's a great return, and a bonus, since the stove is so entrancing...
eclecticcottage
Minister of Fire
< has no furnace. We do have a small blue flame heater in our "utility room" where most pipes are and a vent free in case we can't get home to tend the fire. Basically, the Lopi heats this place.
ohlongarm
Minister of Fire
Been burning 24/7 since 2004,when gas hit a high,new gas furnace only gets used once a month about 10 minutes to keep the moisture out.I hate utility companies,rather be self sufficient as possible,nothing beats wood heat.Fortunate enough to never have to worry about running out of quality wood.
Well over 30 years ago I tore out the furnace and sold it. Never used the thing so figured someone else might need it more than we.
I'll add obviously I will turn the oil on if we go away for a period of time. Well everybody, we are in a club of our own, and we should all be proud. Be well
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