I am 40 and have been burning since I got a house - 14 yrs. My folks said why are you still hustling wood and burning - oil is cheap. I said its not free yet so I am just saving less along with remaining hardcore and keeping up the stacks. Even if it was free - not better than stove heat.. More power to those of you who are the same - its about the $$ more about the lifestyle - heat on..
I think it's crazy walking in out of -10 weather to an 85 degree living room, and wifey in her undies complaining about being cold. But I like it. I love it more when the propane fireplace is off.
The longer oil prices stay low, the more likely it is that we will be burning foreign oil as new wells in the US are not started or producers stop pumping due to prices.. That means our money spent on energy, even if not expensive, is going overseas to countries like Venezuela, Iran and Russia... While I can't find an alternative for transportation that will stop my money from going overseas AND save me money, I can do exactly that to heat my home. Oil money funds ISIS.. Heating your home with wood allows you to keep more money local....
I love burning free wood and my supply is endless but work schedule and age are prompting me to let the thermostat take over more these days. This last year I got beat up pretty good working . No injuries just worked like rented mule and I'm paying for it now. This winter the propane furnace usually gets a workout when the Aleve bottle gets cracked open.
so true, some of us age out differently. my wood stove started out with cord wood and free pallet wood from my business. the pallets amounted to 0ne-two cords a season bringing the cordwood price down. business no longer is what it was and supplies a lot less. I have gone cord wood and fuel bricks, both in the $300.00 vicinity. at almost 67 yrs. old, can't do what I used too for a variety of reasons. with oil today @ $1.519 i'm using the new boiler more than I have in the last eleven yrs.
When I was a young lad the price of gasoline was generally around $.20 per gallon and oil was from $.20-$.40 per quart. We heated with wood. Today, even though the price of gas is way down, we continue to heat with wood and have no plans on doing anything differently. After all, we have wood on our property and if we don't have to pay dollars to heat our home using a thermostat, that's great. In addition. I've never really felt warm in a house heated with oil or gas. It always feels cold except for when the fan is running. Yes, it is easy, but no, it's not comfortable. In addition, I can keep my home 80 degrees in the winter months (everyone seems to enjoy 80 in the summer!) so I am comfortable. Can't do that heating with oil or gas. In addition, I'm retired, or just plain tired but I need exercise and have always loved working in the woods. So, we'll happily continue heating with wood.
I am with you being retired and love to get the exercise. With wood heat I can run what ever temperature I want and not sweat it, no pun intended, but with the propane I watch the thermostat like a hawk. I am only 65 and can still get all the wood I want with out any problem. I would like to keep it that way as long as I can and cutting wood I think will help that. Like the OP said it is a life style and a pretty good one that makes you just a little more independent.
wood heat is better than fossil fuel heat hands down. it seems to recover from opening the door sooner too. when i was burning oil i saw the furnace come on every time the door was opened. anything i can work for and not spend for is good. i will go till i can't.ps splitting is kinda' fun too!
I enjoy "making wood" as it is referred to around these parts. As long as I am able, I'll burn/process. One buddy, however, usually shuts down his OWB since LP is so cheap.
And ... pellets are made from what? To some, it's mostly about the economics, or the comfort level. That could be part. Leaving carbon sequestered in the ground is good, too. Could help preserve Greenland & Antartic ice caps- non-trivial bennie.
as my wood and brick supply dwindles, I had my second oil delivery of 2016. as warm as it has been we used 4.25gal. /day. down from 5.5 gal/day. that includes mom apt of 1600 sq.ft.(she is 85,we keep it warm.) plus wood and brick. roughly end of the month is drop dead day on using the thermostat. at $300.00 a ton for brick, $1.569/gal oil is 190 gal. 3 gal+/day for 60 days. interesting test coming stove will only be used with free pallet wood. have a day.
No matter how cheap furnace oil gets, I'll continue burning as if it was expensive. Wood heat feels warmer, and the exercise doesn't hurt either! Our prices are darn near where they were 8 years ago... We can't get away from the oil furnace completely due to living in an old mobile home (need heat in the floor for the water lines), but it sure isn't thirsty these days. Running average of 3.3 liters a day since the end of October, burning 16-18 hours a day.
The economic break -even point for me to burn oil vs. wood i figure is about $1.50-1.60/gal. I tried letting oil boiler fire. Mentally i couldnt take. I literally was not able to sleep at night knowing that thing was kicking on. At $1.46/gal, we are burning wood now. Feels right.
this thread needs a disclaimer. Age, physical aliments, economics, envy from us old folks, free wood, work for pellet seller(discount), stubborn streak(burn even if it costs me more),huge wood lots, work in sawmill, pallets thrown away, own an own distributorship, propane dealer, gets free from town, pellet manufacturer, tree service owner, independently wealthy, congressman or congresswoman, power company ceo, erquired for all posts!!!!! have a day
