Staying Warm in the Winter

[jjs777]

It's 12F with a windchill feel of 7F here in the Boston area.
Since dealing with the cold is a part of life here...I've been getting into the alternative heat to save money on fuel bills and to enjoy a nice fire at the same time.
In 2006 I expanded my house and if I were to heat with natural gas/forced hydronic baseboards - it would cost me about $300 per month and that would be assuming keeping the stats set to about 68F.
So to offset those costs I threw a wood stove on my first floor sun room and have been running a coal stove in my basement.
The natural gas fired furnace is still 'ready' to go if the temps demand it.
I chop my own wood - mostly from scrounging during wind storms. I've got almost 5 or 6 cords of split and stacked wood - some of it green but mostly its all been seasoned for > 6 months.
The coal thing...unfortunately (I think) I dont live in coal country - Pennsylvania - so i have to buy my coal from the local nursery at $325 per short ton. My discovery of coal was quite a revelation compared to burning wood. It's amazing heat and can last >10 hours on a single load and unattended - very linear heat.

I'm sometimes over on the wood burners site and the coal forum.

http://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/

and

http://nepacrossroads.com/

My parents are near 80 years young...and on a limited fixed income - they have oil heat so Jan 1st I installed a wood stove insert and stainless steel flex liner in their chimney. Been hauling splits over to them to burn. At over $600 for a single tank of oil...the wood heat is really helping them get by.

Part of my interest in wood and coal heat I think comes from resenting some Arab Prince with billions of American dollars. That and my nephew has done two tours in Iraq and is going back for another soon. So anything I can do to lesson our dependence on foreign oil is worth it. Actually I think the large percentage of nat. gas is produced here in the states or Canada - but you get my drift.

I guess I also enjoy splitting and stacking the wood. When I swing the maul I people tend to leave me alone or speak very softly. So it's like a retreat

[Big Jon]

Hahaha, cold in Boston tee hee . 12f nyuk. Yesterdays windchill was below -40, and -40c and 40 below f is the same. The woodstove gets a pretty good workout here, saves on natural gas, but we still only pay (on a schedule for the year) $70/month. Good dry pine makes for very good heat and little ashes, similar to birch but much cheaper. Aspen and poplar give less heat and more ash but can be had for nearly free. If you want to make the wood last longer then load the stove crossways to the door/intake. If you want more heat, then load lengthwise to the door/intake. If electricity is still cheap there, you can always get a heated mattress pad for the bed. Usually the have separate controls so the wifey can crank it to nuclear and you can have your side warm, and then everyone but the cats are happy.

[spook]

I couldn't even imagine living in those temperatures! I think it gets cold where I live in Melbourne, like last night for instance when I went to a mates house for a bbq and left early when the temp plummeted to 15 deg C, because I had forgotten to take a jumper, or wear shoes. I lived down in Perris Valley CA for a couple of years Skydiving years ago, the weather there is similar to here, perhaps a little dryer. I don't know how you cope with the temps or indoor life styles. Have any of you looked into burning filtered cooking oil or used sump oil for that matter? Plenty of the later in the US

[kiwi60]

Wow - that's cold here in Auckland we get down to about 4 degC.

I used to live in Christchurch where riding to work in minus temps was quite common in winter, and the rules for lighting the fire after work were: start the fire with soft wood (pine) then change to hard wood as it throws more heat and burns much longer.

I don't know what hard wood costs where you are, but it should be cost effective and better it better for the environment as far as smoke emissions go.

[Hooligan]

it stays very cold here in cleveland as well. you want to know how i am gonna lower my heating bills? i plan on moving to a warmer climate. will save on gas as well - i can ride the bike for more of the year! it's a win-win!!!

[kiwi60]

Try New Zealand Hooli - you'll never regret it

[Hooligan]

kiwi, if i could figure out a way to spend even a short portion of my life in new zealand or australia i would do it. my girlfriend and i have been trying for the past few years to find jobs abroad. i would love it.

[TG1992FZR1000]

Sucks here too, -12 last night, my outdoor thermometer quit today while I was out! lol

[kiwi60]

What industry do you work in Hooli?

have a look on:

www.seek.co.nz

[Hooligan]

kiwi, thanks for the link. i'll have to do some investigating. i am a graphic designer with experience in both print and web.