Those who heat with wood

**Darlene** · 04-15-2010, 07:42 PM

Got next years wood all split and stacked? We are behind with ours this year but are on our way.

Feels good to have it almost "in the bank" Here's a link to some work in progress. Woodcutting

**Libby** · 04-15-2010, 08:03 PM

Wow Darlene, now THATS a tree!

**KeithBC** · 04-15-2010, 08:12 PM

Yep, that's one big tree!

We try to stay two winters ahead. We have next year's supply in the woodshed and are working on the following year's supply. A neighbour who had some trees cut gave us a truckload of wood and we scavenged some from our recent windstorm, all of which we have to split before it can go in the woodshed. That should be most of the second winter's wood.

Staying two years ahead means that we know for sure that our wood is well seasoned, and we can collect fresh wood without worrying about whether it is dry enough to burn.

**Brat** · 04-15-2010, 09:06 PM

That is great to be that on top of it...Guess I won't be useing the wood stove this next year...

**Darlene** · 04-16-2010, 07:55 AM

We've cut down much bigger trees before and it really can be kinda scary at times.
I like how your way ahead of the game Keith, sure is nice peace of mind. You heat all with wood? We used about 100 gal of oil (I thought it was more, I was corrected

) this year & last in addition to wood. We have an insert in our fireplace that really blows the warm air all tru the house. Good investment.

**ladytoysdream** · 04-16-2010, 09:28 AM

We have ALL of next winter's wood in place ready to go.
Actually hubby is still putting a few pieces of wood in the outside wood boiler/furnace every evening currently. We heat 100 % with wood, and in the winter, it is the wood furnace, that is the fuel source for all of our hot water for the household ( baths, dishes, laundry, etc ). I feel almost like crying when I know spring is here because then our hot water heater is back to being powered by electric. We could leave the wood furnace going through the summer, but not sure we want to smell smoke on a hot summer day.

So for 2 winters now, we have been all wood heat. The propane furnace is shut off. We use a 100 pound tank for propane for our kitchen stove. So glad to see that 500 gallon one go back to the propane company. We now own our own propane equipment

We have a second tank filled and ready to go when the current tank in use goes empty. First tank lasted 7.5 months. As soon as the current tank goes empty, we will take it down to get it filled within the week. We like to be ahead of the game if at all possible

Best way for us to get wood is to buy a 18 wheeler tri axle load of logs, and then the hubby cuts the wood to the length he wants it to be for our furnace.

I really wish now we had gone back to wood heat sooner. We had a big wood furnace in the old farm house in the cellar, and when we got this house, we thought the propane was the way to go. Well it is a good way to go, but with the heating prices, the way they are, one has to have deep pockets. But now, we are no longer held hostage, by any propane company

**zakity** · 04-16-2010, 09:21 PM

We are ahead a few years also. We bought a ton of wood last year and spent a ton of time splitting it. We still have a cord or two to split. I think we have like 10 cords out there right now.

**IntlMom** · 04-16-2010, 09:29 PM

we have a good bit chopped and stacked for next year......

**KeithBC** · 04-16-2010, 10:03 PM

Originally Posted by Darlene

I like how your way ahead of the game Keith, sure is nice peace of mind. You heat all with wood?

We do use a bit of electric as backup and supplementary heat. Maybe 95% of our heat is from wood.

DW gets cold easily, and can't wait for me to get the fire going in the morning, so she cranks up the thermostat. I'm getting better at making an all-night fire, so she doesn't need so much electric heat in the morning.

**Darlene** · 04-17-2010, 07:55 AM

Hubby gets up before I do and turns on the furnace to take the edge off as he's getting the fire going then turns the thermostat off usually.
How many of you have log splitters? He used to split the old fashioned way but we've since gotten a splitter, like a hot knife thru butter. Nice tool!