# It's been a tough winter all across the country...



## FairfieldCT (Nov 8, 2013)

Extended frigid cold, record snowfall totals....

So how many cords of firewood have you all burned?

I'm about halfway through my fourth cord and I will probably be dipping into what was set aside to dry for next winter before we are halfway through march.


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## Mal (Oct 8, 2013)

I'm into my fourth cord. 

Considering next week the polar air is back, I think I'm going to have to buy some. I have about 5 split and stacked, and another 2 in rounds, but my splitter is currently entombed in 5 feet of snow.

I can just rely on the boiler but propane is insane this year and the wood burner cuts down on the boiler use significantly.


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## Saewoody (Nov 7, 2013)

I'm into my fourth cord as well. I'm hoping I've got at least 3-4 more weeks worth of wood left. I have no back up wood at this point, but I think I still have a guy I can buy from if needed. 

It's my first year with the wood stove. It has been great. The wife is happy because the house is warmer than it ever has been before and it has been so much cheaper than burning oil, even though we have had to buy three of the cords. Next winter I will have plenty of wood on hand.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

I don't know. Maybe being retired has something to do with it but I'ts not been a bad winter in my opinion. We used to heat almost exclusively w/wood but I don't want the work nor mess any more. Converted from an almost new oil fired boiler to a Natural Gas boiler in Oct. Temps have not really gotten above freezing for a couple months now. Night temps go to single digits. Got our gas bill yesterday, for the month and it is $226.00. House is very comfortable and that includes running a gas clothes dryer and gas range. I use the oven quite a bit since I bake our bread instead of buying it. Neighbor told me he filled his oil tank last week and paid $3.99/gallon!! Sure happy we switched! By the way, our gas company reads monthly. No estimates. We also installed gas logs but they are the vented type and mainly for looks. 
I *do* feel for people that still work because of having to dig their cars out and then drive in the narrow streets etc. Snow has not melted a'tall and they still gotta work.
When I was in Alaska for a couple weeks 2 years ago, I helped my friend and his wife cut, split, and stack *20 cords * of wood and they use it *all!* They live in the village of Tok.


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## SlowRider22 (Oct 17, 2013)

I don't burn wood, but I work part time for a heating company delivering heating oil and wood pellets. Sales for oil is higher than average, but the wood pellets...they're going nonstop. Manufacturers can't produce pellets fast enough.
It's about time we actually got a good winter


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

yeah sure you betcha it has been up here in minnesnota we might get a foot or more in the twin cities proper by Friday along with another artic blast. no problem der just another day in PARADISE!!!!


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## MnJim (Jan 26, 2014)

Havnt burned wood since moving from Northern Mi about 15yrs ago and don't miss the wood at all as we burned about 10 full cords a year.

A foot or more? Last I heard was 3-7"
Might finally get a chance to see what the new 28 Deluxe can do.


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## burock (Jan 23, 2014)

Averaging 2 events per week to snowblow since Christmas. These old engines like a good workout and like to be run hard and often. Feels like a pretty routine winter up here in New England, maybe fewer thaws than normal.


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## Brucebotti (Feb 10, 2013)

We used to burn wood, but now we only burn natural gas. We have gas heat, hot water, and clothes dryer. We are on a budget plan where we pay $94 per month year round. We couldn't possibly heat any cheaper with any other heat source.
Bruce


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

I stand corrected. Wife tells me the gas bill was $226.00. NOT 256.00 I originally posted. That's for drying clothes, heating, and cooking. I agree with you Bruce. It doesn't get much better.


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## dbert (Aug 25, 2013)

It's been incredibly mild out here in my part of the Rockies.
Our licence plates say "greatest snow on earth", but it must all be at the ski resorts because there is none in the valley. We were in the 60's last week. Very unusual. I don't remember when I had the blower out last. Had to be before Christmas.


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## Spectrum (Jan 6, 2013)

Temperatures are still generally running blow normal here in Maine. We heat with fuel oil. Fortunately last fall I rented and AticCat insulation blower and took the house attic up to R50+. Comfort is better than ever and despite the harsh winter fuel consumption is on par, maybe even a little favorable.

While I was on a roll the workshop out in the garage got a boost in insulation and is more comfortable than ever . A new better positioned HotDawg furnace gets the shop warm in 15 minutes and keeps me comfortable with low run time.

Snowfall has been above average with a lot of 6-8 inch storms. No monster storms and no slush monsters soaked with a rainy finish. We had a limited January thaw but it hardly touched the snowpack and piles. We're in the midst of another few mild days then it's back to the big chill.


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## FairfieldCT (Nov 8, 2013)

Spectrum said:


> Temperatures are still generally running blow normal here in Maine. We heat with fuel oil. Fortunately last fall I rented and AticCat insulation blower and took the house attic up to R50+. Comfort is better than ever and despite the harsh winter fuel consumption is on par, maybe even a little favorable.
> 
> While I was on a roll the workshop out in the garage got a boost in insulation and is more comfortable than ever . A new better positioned HotDawg furnace gets the shop warm in 15 minutes and keeps me comfortable with low run time.
> 
> Snowfall has been above average with a lot of 6-8 inch storms. No monster storms and no slush monsters soaked with a rainy finish. We had a limited January thaw but it hardly touched the snowpack and piles. We're in the midst of another few mild days then it's back to the big chill.


Where in Maine are you? We love Maine and the many different places it can be. Love Kittery and Bob's Clam Shack, Freeport and LLBean, Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor for all of it's natural beauty and of course Jordan Pond for the popovers and strawberries. All of that being said, Maine to me is bear and white tail deer hunting deep in the North Maine Woods up in Oxbow, or "The Oxbow" as our old guide Rudy used to call it. The North Maine Woods are one of the worlds most awesome places. Incredible isolation, pristine beauty, remarkable wildlife. Never have I found myself so in touch with untouched nature than when hunting, alone, on foot, deep into the North Maine Woods.... a place SO remote that you need to take not one but TWO compasses into the woods with you. Rudy would suggest a hunter take three, so if the first two disagreed, you had one a third to break the tie. lol


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## Spectrum (Jan 6, 2013)

FairfieldCT said:


> Where in Maine are you?


I'm in southern Maine, just west of Kennebunkport, :30 south of Portland.

Winters are real and summers are short but there's a reason our registration plates carry the moniker VACATIONLAND.

Been to Bob"s, The LL Bean flagship store in Freeport is one we frequent. multiple vacations in and around Acadia, Biking, scuba diving etc, a few camping trips up around "The County" and we need to get back up there sometime. it's an amazing state from south to north.

As I tell my kids (and others), "It's so cool to live someplace that others dedicate their discretionary time and cash to visit!"

Pete


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## uberT (Dec 29, 2013)

The weatherman was showing a *huge* storm forming over the Pacific this morning. We should know how it will impact us East coasters in a few more days. Norcal is expected to receive heavy rains.


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## Snowman14 (Jan 13, 2014)

It's been around -35 Celsius in the mornings here. It's actually too cold for snow; I haven't used my blower since December. It's easier to shovel the 1 inch snows with a shovel. It's been a weird winter-it was cold and snowy before New Years, then we had 3 weeks of above freezing weather in January. Now it's really cold again.


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## docfletcher (Nov 28, 2013)

I can't imagine weather so cold. My heating system would never handle that.


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## brickcity (Jan 23, 2014)

i know i'm getting old but this is the coldest winter here in jersey i can remember. have spent around $4,000 on oil since my last delivery two weeks ago. old house, old vinyle windows and i have to keep it at 70 all day.


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

Very cold here too and rather snowy. We have had the coldest winter here in Minnesota since 1977-78 and with the next threating cold system we could beat the winter too. Last winter was down right balmy compared to this winter and I like to snowmobile but it actually hurts to snowmobile for any amount of time when temperatures are below Zero. One year I put on 725 miles and never felt cold. This year I have about 500 miles in and I have regretted going out on a few days since we would drive from one drinking establishment to another just to defrost ourselves before putting the sleds away for another day.

I prefer to spend more time behind the handle bars then in the Bars warming up. Although both can be fun too.


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## Joespickles (Feb 25, 2014)

Ugh I would take any option other than what we have, last oil fill $4.70 a gallon our city taxes the oil, we go through 160 gallons a month, my father used to heat the house with wood, no longer an option. I miss the wood stove. Does not include two electric heaters going to maintain 67 degrees in the house


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## JRHAWK9 (Jan 6, 2013)

Speaking of wood. The cold weather and the spike in LP gas leaving me a little uneasy about the future of LP gas, I'm looking into getting one of -THESE- installed this summer. We have a typical log cabin with 35' ceilings and loft, so it's NOT the most efficient home to heat/cool. Currently we heat the house just with a wood fireplace when we are home and keep the thermostat set at 54° when we are sleeping at 56° otherwise to help with LP consumption. Even though the fireplace w/ the -GRATE WALL OF FIRE- does do a good job at keeping it 70°+ in here w/o the help of the LP furnace, it's just not an efficient way to heat a home. I had 28 full cords of hardwood split/stacked before this winter and I'm probably going to be burning 6 or so of it just in the fireplace before the heating season is over. I recently used a thermal scanner/camera to look at various areas of our home and decided to scan the chimney while I had a nice fire going....it was 78° in the house when this was taken. This image drove home the fact that I'm losing a BUTTLOAD of heat through the chimney, something I already knew, but seeing the graphic made it even more real....lol


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## db9938 (Nov 17, 2013)

Don't get me wrong, I love my fireplace, but it is not the most efficient when it comes to heat. 

Have you considered an outdoor boiler, that either interconnects to your current LP system or a separate stand alone. If you were doing this with new construction, then I might suggest radiant floor heating, using the outdoor boiler.


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## JRHAWK9 (Jan 6, 2013)

db9938 said:


> Don't get me wrong, I love my fireplace, but it is not the most efficient when it comes to heat.
> 
> Have you considered an outdoor boiler, that either interconnects to your current LP system or a separate stand alone. If you were doing this with new construction, then I might suggest radiant floor heating, using the outdoor boiler.


yeah, we have a Heat n Glow with the heat tubes and all that and it does keep our place heated, but you have to constantly add wood and once you stop the heat stops. 

I looked into them but even the newer gasification OWB's are not as efficient as the new gasification furnaces are. The older OWB are even worse. I'm looking at add-on furnaces which have up to -85% OVERALL EFFICIENCY-. It can go 8-10 hours on a single load of 4-6 pieces of seasoned firewood. It's crazy efficient and releases virtually no smoke out the chimney.


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## Mr Fixit (Nov 19, 2013)

Arctic body of air is spinning on it's axis over Saskatchewan but moving South. 
-39 C expected Saturday March 1st. 
My natural gas bill for 3 buildings is $240 in January.


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## JRHAWK9 (Jan 6, 2013)

Mr Fixit said:


> My natural gas bill for 3 buildings is $240 in January.


Sure, rub it in why don't ya!  

I only wish we had a low pressure natural gas line around us we could gain access to.


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## junkyard_sal (Feb 20, 2014)

If you are heating with an older wood stove that does not capture exhaust gases you should consider this product.

IntensiFire Woodstove Upgrade - Buy Here

I have no affiliation but I saw this thing work in DC at the wood fire decathlon. It seems like a great idea. I have an EPA wood burning insert and a 1923 solid masonry wall home that I heat with wood during the day and I let the furnace bring temps up after the night when I let the house coast through.

During the really cold days the wood stove is not enough but those are rare.


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

I just want to be able to breathe fresh air without freezing my nose off.


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## Q-town Ranger (Feb 8, 2014)

Normal low temperature for this date where I live: -7 C (about 20 f).
Predicted low temp tonight: -25 C; that's about -13 f. Darn cold for this time of year.
Still 2' of snow in the yard & on the roof.
QR


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## SMFCPACFP (Jan 3, 2012)

We have much colder than normal although our snowfall is a little less than normal. I have learned with over 30 years of wood burning that the most important thing is to have very dry wood. I have probably used 4 cords and 400 gallons of propane so far. I only use wood when the temperature is below freezing. 

Video of my tractor snowblowing:


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