There is nothing like wood heat. While my co-workers are b**ching about cost of NG and propane, I just smile and chuck another split in the stove. Boss loves to make fun of me for all the work I put into doing wood. Said I was "nuts", just turn up the t-stat he said, gas is cheap. He ain't laughing now.... Running about 750° on the flue, little hotter than I like, but I just got done stuffing it up for the night. Had a GREAT secondary going too.
Yep keeping dry firewood on hand is alot of work but it is also very rewarding. Like I always say when everyone else has their thermotstats down to 68 70* to help save on money I have the house cranking away at 78*. The wife loves it and no worrys.
Full firebox will give me almost 10-11 hours of heat, with enough coals left over to just throw new stuff on it and fire it back up. Its a great freaking stove. Once we start it for the year, it burns 24/7 short of shutting it down for a ash cleaning, maybe every three weeks or so. Best investment we made on the house.
That's ideally what I'd like to eventually transition too an insert that will give me 10-12hrs of solid heat with plenty of coals. I am at that 8hr range now with drop off of solid heat around the 6hr mark. I usually wake to the blower still cranking and enough coals to restart the cycle but the stove temp dropped dramatically and heat coming out is warm at best. It heats my house well don't get me wrong but I see where I can improve at. Someday!
It is great to be able to laugh all the way to the bank With the higher costs for heating this year it is wonderful not feeling guilty if the house gets a bit toasty.
We're also burning oak. I have lots of it 3.5yrs stacked. Enjoy the warmth indoors, this winter season.
I agree Joe! I get those warm fuzzy feelings all the time in winter knowing it's only costing me exercise (of which I need) to keep our place nice and warm. As you are aware, I also burn my fair share of oak I'm currently burning the same stuff you bought and I'll be continuing to burn it well into next winter. -HERE- you can read about my almost 24 hour burn this past weekend with my 4CF firebox. Includes internal flue temps as well as supply temps. We were out of town for 28 hours and I was able to keep the house warm while we were gone.
With the cost of heating oil and gas I many times wonder how many dollars we have saved over the years. I had company yesterday and they wanted to sit right close to the stove and enjoyed feeling warm for a change. It was also 81 degrees in the house.
The only person who ever said they smelled smoke in my house was the same one who said I must be about to burn my house down for burning pine.... And I, too, start getting uncomfortable around 72-74. More used to mid to upper 60s, but that's probably because I'm usually dressed like I'm about to head outside.
Do you have a insert now? I’m in the same boat as you I guess. Have a Napoleon 1401 and it does a good enough job for what it is but I’d really like to find something better. Get about 6 hours of good heat on a big load. Are there any companies making nice catalyst inserts, Blaze king maybe? You really don’t hear about a catalyst insert ever. Just not sure I want to spend that kind of money on a house I’m looking to sell. Guess I could always put the Napoleon back in and take new stove with me or sell it if it couldn’t be used in new place.
I don't mind dressing for the outside but then go there; not to sit down and relax dressed like that. In addition, the warmer you keep the house, the less clothing is required. This works out very nice when females are present.
I do, I am running a Drolet 1800i. I am very happy with it for the price and it was a DIY first time install that turned out really well IMO. Their customer service has been very helpful and they've replace two baffles for me free of charge. If I load up with oak and some of my overnight bigger splits I am usually pretty good, although the wee hours of the morning about 4-5AM it starts getting chilly and the heat might pop on depending on the lows that evening. It would be ideal to get to that 8 - 10hr mark with solid heat & zero concern if there are coals or not in the AM to reload. On flip side I just put this in a few years back so its hard to justify ripping it out unless I could get a buyer for it recoup some of my money. I am in same boat as you, I am always looking to move out of this particular area out more rural so I don't want to put that in and then move. Then again I can't be sitting around not doing stuff because I might move, have to just live at some point whatever happens...... happens....kinda thing.
I too am burning all oak. Filled the firebox last night about midnight and woke at 7:50 to about 5" of nice solid coals and 72 degrees inside.
Last year I only had a little dry oak to burn. Have 2 cords that should be ready in 2024, but that was until I bought the 16 cord lot from CL of dry oak. Loving it Burned some the other night. No "real" flame for a couple hours.
Hahaha excellent point Backwoods Savage. But to get the most benefits from the benefits, the heat has to be within reason.. I for one overheat if I get too hot, which can be, shall we say, counterproductive.....
Chuck, why don't you try heating the house more before you go to bed? Then the heat will last longer before the furnace kicks on.
