It’s been unseasonably warm during the day here in NC so unlike my norther FHC homies, I don’t have to run all wood. I can cut the heat pump on but by golly it’s just gooder heat when my stove is singing it’s praises. Not to mention the overall satisfaction. So on 2/1 I shut the heat pump off and it hasn’t ran since. Ours lows have been in the high teens/low 20’s but it’s been the high 40’s low 50’s all week. I’m lookin get under $100 on my total power bill for feb. its a lofty goal but I feel it’s attainble. Here’s a pic of my units operation. Note the indoor avg temps. That would heat is the Jazz. Lol.
If I didn't have to open the patio door to let the dogs out several times a day, my furnace probably wouldn't turn on at all, even down to 5° or so. I'm sure you can easily heat your place in NC with a stove.
While we have different heat requirements, if all I had to do was fight was 15-20 F, I'd never buy a drop of heating oil again. Turn off that heat pump and give 'er.
I have been since Nov 2017 with Only wood stove as heat for this old farm house. Even when temps were -15F so I am sure in NC you will do just fine
In my new “very old 1830” house that’s all we run. First year in this house and we hooked up the wood stove in the fall. That’s the only heat we’ve had so far. Learned a lot of things about the house. The kitchen was an addition to the house, original house is a log cabin. So the main house is pretty well insulated except the front door. Kitchen has no insulation. So the kitchen gets chilly, but the rest of the house stayed warm. Hardest part was we had about a month of brutal cold here where we stayed in single digits most of the day. Had to run the stove hard and reload a lot more often. But we’ve gone 100% wood heat and made it through.
I used to chase my stove but the last 2 years I've not worried about the propane kicking on once in awhile. Getting older and coming home to a 55 degree house after working outside all day just don't fly anymore. Used to stress about getting home by a certain time to reload and avoid the propane kicking on. Living and not being a slave to the stove has become more important to me but up to a couple years ago I was there.
Our furnace konked out in 2013-14 winter. We didn't replace it and do just fine. If we can do it it western Illinois, you should be fine in NC.
Same here, our Furnace crapped out out in 2008 - 09. We replaced it the next year. We buy 150 gallons of oil about every 4 years. The switch is always off, the only time we turn it on is if the fire out and the IAT is in the 50's and someone wants to shower. That's not too often, the stove being out.
Good luck CHeath as that is a worthy goal indeed. This made me stop to think and the last time we ran a furnace was in the winter of 1978-79. 100% wood heat since then. Love it!
Sir, your furnace has been off longer than I've been breathing.. I strive to achieve your level of Greatness.
My gas heater is set at 68º but it "very rarely" kicks on. When it does it's usually near the time were getting up in the morning because the wood burn't up in Grandma. My electric base board heaters haven't been turned on for 35 years! They are turned off in the breaker box.
Unfortunately, my oil burner is always 'on' for DHW, but my thermostat for oil heat is always off. I do use the oil heat backup when temps get brutally cold for several days (well below zero) as I fear pipes freezing - worth a few buck in oil rather than a big project to fix pipes - or also if we are away from the home for more than a day. This year has been the worst so far - we had a long stretch of very cold weather and left the oil running in the zones far from the wood stove (upstairs) - probably for 10 days or so. That hasn't happened since we first bought our home in 2008. I normally go through about 250-275 gallons of oil per year - nearly all for DHW and for minimal heat. Without wood heat, I'm not sure what we'd use/spend in oil - but it would be a lot! Cheers!
Our old furnace cracked in 2001, bought our first Central Boiler then. Two years ago bought our second one as I bought it under the wire before needing to go gasifier. Very doable in your situation.
NICE! Wish I could do the same. But with my work schedule, really old house, and stove setup it's not really possible. But I haven't used very much heating oil this year all things considered with how brutally cold it's been! Saved me mucho dinero!
I don't stress over it but I always like when I hear of someone who has something pricey to heat with that can save a bunch with wood. We replaced our natural gas boiler about 5 years ago and we do use a bit of gas but it is a nice set up with 2 zones and works out well as the insert is on one end of the house so the back zone runs a bit when it is very cold. We use gas for that, hot water and to cook, budget from Oct thru March is 58/month, I'm ok with that compared to what I hear some talk about. Edit: I forgot I have a 100btu reznor in the garage that I keep set on 40 most of the time so I use ng there too.
