Hypothetical question.. how much less wood are you burning by seasoning an extra year?

I've definitely observed the difference I've just never really tracked it and I'm not on a good multiyear system... yet.

 

It’s a great question. I’m in the same position as you tho. No real idea. So many other variables at play.
Even if it were zero the pros still outweigh the benefits of not caring.

 

Backwoods Savage, that year you were running the Fireview, just with inadequately seasoned wood? Or was that with another stove before the Fireview?

 

Good question.......

 

It’s hard to quantify as the winters seem to start earlier and last longer. My biggest observation is in my chimney!!!! Less headaches, cleanings and other issues.

 

No idea. My first winter burning, I was splitting and burning within a week or so. It was a desperate situation, and I have no idea how much wood we burned. Second year, it was at least all split and stacked in the Spring, so it was one year "seasoned." Still burned a lot, but wasn't organized enough to say how much.

Here we are several years later, house much tighter, improved stove installed, and truly seasoned firewood - life is better. The house is warm when we want it, and we burn a reasonable amount of wood. All is well.

 

I also don't know as I haven't had the extra wood. But have done a lot to the old farmhouse and it is tighter and more livable. It is nice living off the sweat of our brows instead of owing the fuel man. With wood being my only source of heat, I have had a couple of times that we were scary short on wood. We had one woodshed that we didn't use for the last couple of years and did notice this spring when we did pull out of it, we have used less over a months time.

 

I know pretty much every season since I started burning in my house in 2016 I've used less wood. This season, which is the first season burning truly 3 year split/stacked wood has been noticeably less burned than previous years. Usually I'm at 3 cords a season plus a bit more, so in my neck of the woods I would say 10 face cords a season. This year I haven't even burned 9 face cords.

 

I burned almost 7 full cord my first season burning. Luckily it was standing dead ash. It was so cold January and February. I was bringing a danger ranger load of wood home after work from my grandpa's, splitting it, and stacking in front of the stove to help get water out. I'll never forget the smell of the Ash heating up. Like a olivey buttery toast.

We had similar situation weather wise this year, 8 seasons later, and just started the last row to finish cord number 4. I'm about 3 years ahead. I'm burning stuff from 2017 finally.

We also keep that house around 68-69 instead of 72 because I dont have infants anymore

 

I also cannot answer that question. Way to many variables. I do know when I switched to a High Efficiency stove I definitely noticed that I burned less. But that's not really answering your question.

 

I can't really say either, but it's nice not to have to clean the chimney several times a winter. Drier is definitely better.

 

With us there is definitely a significant difference when we started having enough seasoned wood to be on the 3 year plan. The monkey wrench in the data is the fact that, being a wood scrounger, there is a difference each year as to what kinds of wood I burn. The quantities for straight Doug Fir years are different from the years that Madrone, Cherry, Apple, Western Ash and other hardwoods are showing up in the wood shed. If I was pressed to give a spread I would say 15% - 30% less would cover our decrease in quantity for dry wood over partially seasoned. Hard to pin an exact number so that's my guess!

 

10-15% maybe, but the extra btus it puts out heats the house much better!

 

It's hard to say. I've done several things to the house in the last few years that seem to be making a big difference. Windows, storm door, caulking, etc. So between these improvements and weather variations its hard to say how much extra drying has contributed to less wood consumption. The best part of drier wood is not waking up and finding a smoldering round in the stove.

 

Interesting question, it would take a lot of data to give a accurate answer. Being no two winters have the same length, cold, sunny days, humidity and so forth. I will give a observation from this winter. We have a wood stove at work and several of us bring in wood to burn on our shift. Someone brought in some spruce that was dead standing that was heavy (green). You could not only see the flame difference but feel the heat difference. We would have to fill the firebox fully and run 100% air to get the same output that 1/2 a full firebox with 1/2-1/3 air would produce. Without details from the other two shifts. I would say 30-40% more wood burned when using less than ideal wood.

 

It would depend on the year and the species.
Oak at 2 years vs 1, quite a difference.
Ash at 8 years vs 7, probably none.

 

My educated guesstimate is 25% you burn less and re load less and house is warmer!
Then your dad moves in for winter and won’t leave stove alone has to see flames in a cat stove; house is 90 degrees and doors are left open in January! You burn more wood then

 

I love this! My mother in law God Bless her @ 88 years young turns up the thermostat to 80 when she’s cold then when she gets warm she opens doors & windows but doesn’t turn the thermostat back down!
I still love her though, she is a wonderful woman who’s just slowly loosing her memory.