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$1000 or less

8 (21.6%)

$1001 to $2000

10 (27%)

$2001 to $3000

11 (29.7%)

$3001 to $4000

4 (10.8%)

$4001+

4 (10.8%)

Total Members Voted: 37

[schoppy]

For sure a person needs to maintain their wood supply. My neighbor just logged off a 20 acre parcel with a lot of ash and I believe he got a paycheck around $17,000 and this was not clear cut but they took a lot of trees out. 

[braveblaster]

How much I've saved?

No clue, but I do know one thing --- there is no way I could've maintained my current house heated up to the levels I do IF i was just doing it with electricity alone, period.

My house is very toasty during winters and that is solely because of the wood burning stove. Not a chance my thermostat would get any where near to the current settings if electricity was the source of my heat.

Besides, as mentioned a few replies prior; add in the fun to burn wood. The "free" membership to your own gym and the blessing of working out everyday at the leisure of your ow backyard w/o paying for it

Bring on the heat!

[E Yoder]

How much I've saved?

No clue, but I do know one thing --- there is no way I could've maintained my current house heated up to the levels I do IF i was just doing it with electricity alone, period.

My house is very toasty during winters and that is solely because of the wood burning stove. Not a chance my thermostat would get any where near to the current settings if electricity was the source of my heat.

Besides, as mentioned a few replies prior; add in the fun to burn wood. The "free" membership to your own gym and the blessing of working out everyday at the leisure of your ow backyard w/o paying for it

Bring on the heat!

I totally agree... Love burning wood.

[mlappin]

Same here, between having the house warmer than we would with gas, plus the unlimited hot water amounts to a lot more than just whats saved in gas/oil/electricity.

[braveblaster]

Same here, between having the house warmer than we would with gas, plus the unlimited hot water amounts to a lot more than just whats saved in gas/oil/electricity.

Right on!

Failed to mention the hot water availability, that's priceless....

[jrider]

I figure heating with oil to a cooler temperature than I have the house now cost me around $3,500 a year.  I sell firewood and everything I burn at home is the junk that I can't sell.  I'm going on year 7 with my boiler which took 3 years to pay off.  I'm looking at around 14k saved so far and my house is toasty warm.  It also saves me hollering at the kids as they stand there in the dead of winter with the door open. 

[mlappin]

I figure heating with oil to a cooler temperature than I have the house now cost me around $3,500 a year.  I sell firewood and everything I burn at home is the junk that I can't sell.  I'm going on year 7 with my boiler which took 3 years to pay off.  I'm looking at around 14k saved so far and my house is toasty warm.  It also saves me hollering at the kids as they stand there in the dead of winter with the door open.

 

[arkgac5]

Same here, between having the house warmer than we would with gas, plus the unlimited hot water amounts to a lot more than just whats saved in gas/oil/electricity.

I used between 800-1000 gal of propane prior to my wood boiler install. I think the last propane I bought was 4 years ago. When I purchased my propane furnace in 2002, propane was selling for around $.89 / gal. I think it has been as high as $3 / gal since. So I compare my 1000 gal usage to 7.5 cords to calculate my savings. At $165 / cord for red oak and hickory, I need to buy propane at less than $1.20 / gal to justify its use. Plus it has to be purchased in lump sum in the summer to get that price. I can buy wood anytime for $165 / cord delivered. My pre-buy price for my propane this year was $1.53 / gal.

Times have been hard for my family during the Obama years, so currently it is financially difficult for my family budget to put down over $1500 on propane. My saving this year would be around $300 for using wood. Some would say not having to load a furnace is worth the extra $300. One thing I do with the wood heat is raise our temperature to 76 degrees F. Never did that with the propane furnace. 72 Degrees was the norm.

If I chose to cut a few trees on my 10 acres, I could save more. Seems like I always have at least a cord of scrap wood that needs cleaning up every year. Plus I like the pioneering feeling I get when I see the smoke.

[mlappin]

Not sure if it’s possible in your area, but I just sold a G100 to a guy that has at least a few years worth of wood sitting around, he owns 2 acres with maybe five trees on it. Anytime he sees a tree company working he stops and asks if he can have it. Most of the time he has to pick it up, a few times they dropped it off already mostly cut up. With the ash borer around here the county seat has been bringing him wood that they cut in different parts of the city.

It’s a win win regardless, he gets free wood and the tree companies/city avoids tipping fees at the landfill.

[braveblaster]

Not sure if it’s possible in your area, but I just sold a G100 to a guy that has at least a few years worth of wood sitting around, he owns 2 acres with maybe five trees on it. Anytime he sees a tree company working he stops and asks if he can have it. Most of the time he has to pick it up, a few times they dropped it off already mostly cut up. With the ash borer around here the county seat has been bringing him wood that they cut in different parts of the city.

It’s a win win regardless, he gets free wood and the tree companies/city avoids tipping fees at the landfill.

Thus far, and I've owned my OWB for three years, I've yet to ay for any wood. All wood used have been gathered free off of Craig List and as of today, I do have all wood needed for this coming season plus at least half or more for next year. Did I say free?

[wreckit87]

I was paying around $600/mo between LP and electric to heat the house to 65 and shop to 50. Before I broke my neck 3 years ago, the wood cost was around $100 a year for fuel and whatnot as I have 40 acres of hardwood right down the road. Now I buy it by the semi load from a local logger which ends up around $800 a year processed and I rarely need to even start the saw. So in theory I save $2700ish a year. But in reality, I spent $14k on a new system with installing it myself, $12k on a lean off my shop to house the boiler and wood because I'm too big of a pusscake to be cold while firing up, $3500 on a dump trailer, etc. Then taking into consideration the boiler will probably need replacement in 10-15 years, so then ya start all over. Realistically I don't think it saved me any money, but I can keep the house at 70 and shop at 60, melt my sidewalk and apron, take hour long showers, and dispose of all my empty beer cases. It's more the comfort and ease over the cost savings as far as I'm concerned.

[schoppy]

Your just being honest wreckit87. Sometimes it isn't all about the money. I enjoy getting out in the woods, cutting in the spring and keeping me active now that I'm retired. There are still times when it gets old but that's what tomorrow is for.

[silver star]

I figure this year is my "free and clear" year.  We have a two story with two electric furnaces. We put a second story over a ranch home. First two years, would spent over a thousand a month on electric.

Similar heating bill is now about 150- 200.   I still havent installd the water heater unit.   I have my garage heater, am waiting for my brother to hook it up before firing up the boiler.  Figure keeping the garage at 40 or a little higher will help with a warmer buble for the bonus room above it, and for the living and dining area next to the garage.

We did a bump out on our kitchen remodel and added a four seasons room above the bump out.  Since we have the OWB, I didnt think twice about utilitiy cost.   We did five foor windows for a view of oyr pasture. I got the highest s.unlight blocking uv Windows available, and did a passive solar adjustment on the eaves. Less sunlight in Summer, more in Winter. My main goal is reducing AC cost. Heat is cheap.

Additionally, My lower furnace was installed in the early 70's.  I don't feel the need to update to a more enertgy efficient unit. Figure I am afew thousand paid into the OWB by never having to do that.

My neighbor who educated me on OWB has a double wide that he added a two story Branch Davidian looking thing next to it, was getting killed on propane.   Given the suprise attack fill up the tank without telling you program, he paid over five bucks a galln a couple times. Now, the only propane he uses is to keep the pilot light on the furnace.


I have ample wood at the farm, and have to cut anyway. Just had one fall in the weaning lot this week. Had a tri-axle of mill remnants dropped off to keep me ahead of the game for cutting this Winter.

I just love turning up the temp as much as I please.   Only worry is that wood hasn't burned down too low overnight. Got it down pretty good now, though.

[patvetzal]

around here it seems to cost about $3000 to replace an out of date oil tank. (10-20 years, depending on your insurance). Oil is about $1.10 per liter.
We have been heating two houses off our 80 acres for years and last year installed one used Portage and Main  to do both houses. $4000 for the heater, $5000 for the piping, my own little JD hoe. Each year in past we have burnt about 15-20 bush cord total in our airtites BUT
my wife and I are 72 yrs old, and  I'm undergoing chemotherapy.  We have an old friend for a tenant who  is out there twice a day feeding the dragon so we both have heat and water. His young sweety has a 14 year old who has yet to start a chain saw as he was raised in town.
Twenty year old JD compact tractor is currently in for its first major repair and when it returns it will either have the wood forks or snow plow, which ever we need at the time.
No plans for the nursing home yet.....and that is worth thousands$$$$

[aarmga]

Amen to that!!!  Glad to see you are in high spirits and kicking the sheet out of cancer!