Rough math here. Started burning full time here 10yrs ago now. Figuring avg cost of propane over that time I have saved about $18,000. That's after saws, stove, chimney etc. Doesn't count my wood truck & trailer because I'd have those anyway. I won't sell firewood, but like most, I've given it to many in need. Was told once my wood would rot before I used it. Funny thing is that same stack is keeping it a steady 72F in here just now, doesn't seem rotten at all, but it sure is comfy.
No way would I ever consider selling a cord of 2.5 years seasoned wood for $200.00. Now, I would gladly BUY it for $200.00.
There's a man who takes walks past my house (not lately), who has given me some wood because he switched to a gas insert. He looks at my wood dump in the front yard, and asks "do you have enough wood yet?". And I always answer, "you can never have enough firewood.". I can hardly wait to see him again.
Darn it, you are gonna ruin my rep! I grew up in a blue collar transient town, itsnot a fight if you don't need stiches and screws but yeah, if I can help someone on the way, I was a boyscout, got to do a good deed a day..
People here in the city are too lazy i guess to heat with wood, so nobody ever asks about me selling them any. Every now and then a friend wants a little so i just ask them to come down and help me for a bit and i give them some seasoned wood. Usually just gives me a opportunity to hang out with a friend.
The funny part of this story is, I never really intended to heat with wood at all. I had removed my oil furnace from the main part of my basement and put in a new furnace on the opposite side of the house and used a direct vent, leaving my chimney unused and I had planned on just demo'ing it since it was in pretty rough shape. I was telling my brother, BrianK here on the forum, about my plans and he prompted me to buy his old Fireview and put it in. So I called and got the SS liner put in and the stove hooked up and started burning it that day. My plan was to have an alternative heat source for emergency... or for when TSHTF or TEOTWAWKI... Well, I quickly figured out that having that little stove running was keeping the furnace from running... First for one day, then a couple days then I had gone for a week and it only ran when the fire was down to coals. So I needed to keep it going, needed to find more wood. Brian was sending me links to CL and Pennswoods for firewood ads. I was making calls and getting stocked up. Then we scored 8 cords of CSS ready to burn wood... Then I was planning for next year...
Ha ha, I do that too! And it's usually one that's been especially ornery to split and caused you to bleed or curse.
Well said. I will add that the firewood we have being 3 years seasoned makes the value that much more. Just try finding some.
It's not just that. The lifestyle is a life changer. I find myself looking to save money in other places now. I put in a tankless water heater about 8 years ago because I'm a plumber and thought it a good way to save a couple bucks. Then the wood stove. Then I bought a Verizon wireless extender($200) and I cancelled the land line and saved $50 per month. Having a company fone works out well! Then i kept threatening to cancel the cable. I don't watch tv, but the wife would turn it on for background noise. Finally 2 years ago, I cut the cable. my 55" Tv is now unplugged. (Electronics burn power whether they are turn on or not) I've replaced most of the lights in the house with LED fixtures and retrofitted a couple fluorescent fixtures. Led's are a win win! With just a small investment up front. I've even considered some solar energy, but the ROI just isn't enough in our area. Our Jetta gets 50+ mpg on the highway. It's sort of a game now. Look for little things that will save you a little something.... You know...."Stick it to the man" kind of stuff
Nice! Thats a pile of cash in YOUR pocket. Not the propane man's... or worse yet some third world bizillionaire ... I figure I save the same, about $1800 per year...except 2013, i think I saved at least $2500, probably more.
I live in a subdivision where I am one of maybe 3 families that have a Woodburner, and get a mix of ribbing, jokes and mild disdain for our four cords of wood. I always say, you like paying a monopoly for your fuel? I don't. Plus it's nearly free to me. Lots of wood available, and free. My only costs are the electricity from my logsplitter and the number of extension cords I may have cut with my electric saw and or hedge trimmer. We added a NEST smart thermostat, and our furnace gets used so little it's runtime is less than 30 minutes a day. And I don't have to go to the gym just to get exercise like my neighbors.
When people ask me to sell firewood, I say I work too hard to sell it for the going price, so no. But I will gladly give it away to a deserving person. I give away 1-2 cord a year.
Yeah yeah yeah. You just don’t want to admit that deep down you’re an earth hugging greenie environmentalist and you only burn wood because other greenies said it’s an environmentally conscious carbon neutral heat source!
