For years I have had problems sleeping all night. It was a PIA but made loading the stove in the middle of the night easy. This winter I have been sleeping all night, good for me but bad for the stove. I leave the thermostat on 65 and let the boiler kick on as needed. I have used quite a bit of oil this winter compared to other years. I was wondering what everyone else does.
Well, Jack, this is the first time since right after we moved in here that I've used the DV heater to supplement the wood stove. Moved in back in Sept. of '06. Since Mom came to stay, I've been keeping the house warmer than usual, and it seems to also be helping the wife and I too. If I have to use the DV again next year, I will.....but I hope not to need to. So, I guess I'll take Major Playah for a thousand, Alex.
backup only when we go away overnight with temps below freezing or when i will be at work more then 12 hours WHEN its <10*F. thats what its there for!
This year is the first in 4 years I have used a backup, but with the house I am in I currently don't have a choice. Its too big and leaky to run only the wood stove. But the furnace doesn't run very much. That will continue to change as I renovate and insulate.
The furnace may or may not run while we are gone for a few days. My thermostat will go down to 45°. Other than that, I run it every 4-6 weeks to make sure it works.
Nothing but wood for us in 9 years. OK. I should mention that the Mrs. has a small electric space heater in the bathroom that she uses when she gets a shower and the outside temps are in the teens or below. We have an oil fired boiler that used to heat our water as well but I bypassed it 2 years ago and installed an electric heater. I treated the oil in the tank with Pri-D at that time so we now have 250 gallons of oil in the basement if we should ever need it.
The weather dictates my player status. This winter, I am a just a lowly player. An average winter, I may lean toward a major player. The unusually warm winter we had a few years back, I was hardcore! Not because I am hardcore, just because it was pretty warm out and I didn't need the furnace. Sleep is too important to me and I'm way to lazy to be a hardcore burner for any consistent period of time.
This year I've been having problems sleeping and usually get up at 3am and reload the stove. It's kept the oil consumption down considerably. I put the thermostat down to 55 so it rarely comes on. Yes, I've gotten up to some cold mornings.
Just started heating with wood 1 month ago, furnace hasn't run since. I do have a small (1,000 sq ft) house, and it is pretty well insulated. Load it full (small fire box 1.3sq ft) at night, hot coals in morning, but on really cold days, it's about 65 in the morning, and when I get home from work.I've been through a little less than a half cord in this month.
That's the trick right there Cabin… stay in a well insulated 1000 sq ft house all your life… your "stuff" can live in sheds without heat… perfect… Only took me 40 years to figure that one out
I guess I'm between major and hardcore. I wood be totally hardcore but when I work long hours the 'pain kicks on or when its -20 the wood just don't cut it the 'pain kicks on. Don't like payin' for 'pain but it is what it is .
I'm a major player. I set me heat pump to 64, but it never runs when someone is home to feed the stove
I voted player but I'm closer to major player really. I live alone and have a tiny insert that will not make it overnight unless its 3 y/o oak. Like blu jacket, my NG furnace is on 65 and if Im home to load the stove, its running. If only the dog could load the stove with all the splits he pulls off the stacks and chews up.
I had to vote major player for this year most years I would be hardcore but it has been so much colder than average I have had to use backup heat a couple of spells. We were 2 degrees off a record low this morning. 27 right now the average low is 29 for today.
I bet since i moved into the house 2 years ago we have not run the electric heat 20 hours. When we do its only for a little bit to knock the chill off or in the babys room after his bath. Even when we had the ice storm my wife was away from the house with the kids (five days without electric) and i was working 12+ hours the house only got down to 64. Not bad i don't think.
It gets tricky sometimes but we have no backup 24/7 here for the last 11 years BUT i've been told that is gonna change this year
Yep, downsized from a 1700 sq ft 2 story uninsulated, and couldn't be happier. I was a little afraid at the size, but it's so much easier to heat/cool, clean etc. 20 steps I can pee and get a beer and be back on the couch!
