Anyone started thinking about winter?

**Momof4cats** · 06-25-2008, 09:01 AM

I had the radio on this morning while on the way to work, and there was a news item of a woman who, if I remember correctly, is testifying before Congress today about home heating oil. She stated that right now, heating oil is running about $4.50 a gallon. I remember the posts on here last year about the heating oil costs, so I was wondering if anyone was already making plans to handle this upcoming winter's heating costs. I live in an area that uses hydro electric for heating and my pinch is nowhere as high as the north's.

**StaceyS** · 06-25-2008, 09:41 AM

I have! On June 16th our state started issueing wood cutting permits. For $90 we can get 6 cords of firewood (each of us, since I live in a different house). I just can not get DBF motivated! Ugh! We still have to factor in the gas (I con only fit a portion of a cord in the back of my truck) and the cost to rent a wood splitter, but that beats $4.50/gal for heating oil. I estimated that he used from 3 to 5 gallons a DAY to heat his house! (That was when it was around $2/gal, but still!)

**anna021** · 06-25-2008, 09:47 AM

right after paying our village taxes I'll be filling our oil tank, I was going to wait a while and see if we got any relief help from the government or if prices just naturally went down, but I don't think thats happening, and my tank is 550, so while I have the money I might as well fill it. I'll let you know what I pay. I will say that replacing all our windows really made a huge difference this year. In the past we would have run out of fuel by now. We filled up last september, so thats pretty good I think. Of course I am the heat nazi, I put it on 64, (as late as I can) and it stays there till April 15th, (or earlier if I can get away with it). But we do heat water with it all year round.

**Holly** · 06-25-2008, 09:51 AM

We have 2 wood stoves and we start thinking about the next winter as soon as the past one is done.
We do have the furnace for nights if the stoves go down it will come on but not for long.

**freebs** · 06-25-2008, 10:01 AM

we never stop thinking about winter. we only have wood heat. My dh gets to bring home scrap wood from where he works so i already have a 10' x 10' shed already filled with cut wood ready to go.

**banana** · 06-25-2008, 10:11 AM

Im thinking about the winter too. We are having a pellet stove installed next Wednesday. Oil prices are just crazy.

**Buckeye5** · 06-25-2008, 10:28 AM

Yes, we think about winter year round since it can be very cold and snowy here in Ohio. We use propane and we have a contract for this winter for no more than $2.49 a gal and no less than $2.23 until April 1st of 09'. That isn't too bad compared to the $4.00 a gal. if prices continue to rise though we will look into wood burning furnace.

**nodmicks** · 06-25-2008, 10:48 AM

I was thinking about winter. We spent 1600 to prepay our next seasons propane.

**MomToTwoBoys** · 06-25-2008, 10:55 AM

I always think about winter, it's Canada after all.

We don't heat our home with any oil or anything, but our furnace is pretty old. It's the same one that's been here since the house was built in 1983, so it's due to be replaced within at least the next few years. At the moment since it is working, we're going to end up replacing the filter in it come September (we don't run it at all until then) and oil it.

I've been debating redoing the seal on the inside of the kitchen window near the front door, which is cracked. I also need to get some good weatherstripping for that front door and a huge roll of plastic for the sliding glass back door.

**sdrjeolsen** · 06-25-2008, 10:57 AM

Yap, already cutting and storing wood for winter. Last year was our first year in the new house and I way underestimated the amount of wood I'd burn with the woodburner. I'm shooting for 8 full cords of wood for this fall/winter.

**Russ** · 06-25-2008, 11:09 AM

My wife says to me all the time.."you're a typical male, ignore things and hope they go away."

So, in typical male fashion, I'm ignoring winter is coming in hopes that it goes away.

**heartofmine** · 06-25-2008, 11:46 AM

My parents have already bought their oil for the winter.

We had central heat and air put in a few months back but still intend to use wood. My husband hasn't gotten to start cutting our winters wood yet. He's had some tops pulled out for him though where some logging went on.

**DonnainME** · 06-25-2008, 12:25 PM

I have been bugging DH about it. We ONLY have a wood stove for heating. We usually go around 6 cord of wood for Winter. I am going to try to get some heating assistance - checking on that the beginning of July.

We do have some wood that needs cutting so I am bugging him about at least getting that put in the wood shed.

**darkchocolate** · 06-25-2008, 04:42 PM

We use propane for heat and my stove/oven only. I called today to come have them fill our tank at $2.95 a gallon. What is the difference between propane/gas and heating oil? I am not sure what we paid the last time but I am thinking it was in the $2.60 range. I had thought that the current price would have been higher, but I am not complaining.

**momof2joys** · 06-25-2008, 04:57 PM

We have a gas furance and a wood burning stove in our garage. Our garage is attached so burn the wood and get the garage hot and then use a fan to push the warm air into the house!! We have also redone several rooms in our house, after we moved in we tore down one wall and found out that we had blown instullation and that only 1/2 of our walls were insulated. Now that we have remodeled a few rooms our heating bill is way down.
We are currently cutting wood for our wood burning stove, my fil works for John Deere and a lot of farmers tell him he can come out and cut wood from their groves, so that is nice. Every time he goes to get more wood, he gives us half of what he cuts. We currently have enough wood to get us through February. We are still going to cut more though. We also use some wood for our fire pit in the summer!!