It's been MUCH milder for us here. We usually have several hard frosts by now, we've only had one or two very mild ones so far but this morning was a decent one.....
Its definately been a mild October... August and September where cool and dry here to the point it felt like fall was coming early and I took the ACs out much earlier than usual... Then Oct warmed up and we got a ton of rain and a short heat spell in the 80s making us get the shorts out and wish we had the AC. My grass did the September greenup around Columbus day (WTF??) and I wish it would just stop growing. Last two weeks a couple nights flirted with a frost but no real freeze yet, still reaching 60s on occasion. We have burned the fireplace 2 or 3 times but I haven't thought about the stove yet. Gas heat is on for the shoulder and maybe kicks in for a half hour overnight from time to time.
This is the first time I've ever burned wood in October. Prior to joining this site, I wasn't aware of the concept of "shoulder season". Nor did I have enough wood to "waste", by having a fire before I really needed to heat full time with it. I had never considered using the "lesser" woods like poplar or pine for this purpose. If it got too chilly, I'd run the furnace. I've gone through probably a 1/3 of a cord of poplar so far. If the house dips below 70, it's time to light a fire! It's free, besides what it's cost me in time and labor, so why not?
I'm right there with you BB. I haven't had to start many fires this month either. I can't believe it's going to be Nov come the weekend. The overnight lows this weekend are going to be near freezing too.
Yeah, I have exactly the opposite problem: going through wood at a surprisingly high rate and having to use fans (yep, more than one) with open doors and windows to both run the new stove and still be able to exist in the house. The only thing worse than a fire in the woodstove right now (it was nearly 70F today) is a bigger fire in the woodstove and I have both. This new woodstove is supposedly extremely efficient (Woodstock Soapstone Ideal Steel) but it ain't workin' out that way at my house, at least not yet. Brian
Tell me more. You seem to be over heating the house. I know the IS can burn at lower temps. At the very least a smaller fire would be practical. What appears to be the hurdle you have with the new stove?
Yeah, it's going to be in the 70s for you and I tomorrow, but the temps drop to a high of the mid 40s this weekend.
No hurdle at all with the stove. The basic problem is that I am a 7 year old kid (who has been around for more than 5 decades now) with a new stove and I want to see it burn! And it is far too warm for that. Combine those two things and I have 1) insufficient draft (duh on me!) 2) a badly overheated house (still at 78F) and a stove full of charcoal so there is no end in sight. As far as function, other than the poor draft, I am quite happy with the stove. Right now there is approx. 6 inches of live coal bed, the stove is shut down (although the draft(s) will not go to mechanical zero, the draft control is closed), the firebox temp. is 505F, the stove top is 209F and the stack exhaust (in the middle of the smokepipe, not surface temp.) is 168F. Outstanding in my opinion! I have less than 3' of stove pipe exposed and I can hold my hand on it where it enters the thimble. My post was basically humorous in nature; I am not complaining about anything other than I want it to be -5 F outside so I can properly play with my new toy Brian
I've had a couple small fires this month but just because I love my stove and it was 62° in the house! Normally I don't burn at all in October, November is the official start of my burning season unless it's unseasonably cold. October hasn't been too bad the last few seasons but it still has to dip below 60° in the house to warrant a fire for me in October. We are looking at some snow flurries here by the weekend so I'm sure I'll be lighting the fireview soon......
I've been trying to dispatch some shorts and cookies in order to make way for more stacks but haven't made much of a dent in the pile yet. Haven't cooked myself out but have come close.
Got ya'all beat! Haven't lit up yet!! Could have one night, but haven't pulled the trigger yet! I'm guessing we will have a mild winter. uh oh!! Did I just jinx us??
I think here October has been more mild than the last several years. Today for instance it got up in the high 70s. No frosts yet. I haven't kept track of how many fires I've had, but I've only brought two small piles into the house and only burned one. Apparently that's going to change come this weekend but for now I'll enjoy it. We'll all probably load the stove enough in the coming months.
