Print

[heat550]

I was wondering I'm at 15 cord ( 10 cord dry oak 3 cord wet oak 2 cord of ash and other softer wood ) I never went over 12 normally . So were talking 3 cord over for that nasty winter were having . I looked everything other and all is working right with system . just seems like a lot of wood . Heating 5500 square feet  with average temp of 60 f  ( some parts 45 some 75 ) Ordered another load next week  . centeral MN

heat550

Cleaned out my reserved wood also  good old polar vortex brace yourself . And the muffler on chainsaw( husky 353 ) is kinda bright purple now. 

[LittleJohn]

HEAT550 - my old man is up near Hinckley Heating 7000sf and he has gone thru almost 17 cords - first 6 were junk/punk basswood and poplar.  -20's and below, will suck down a pile 

[diesel-dodge]

Im really perplexed also ive burned more then double the wood I normally burn. this is my firt year with the 200ss. I previouslt burned about 15 to 17 face with a central 5036. and right now im at 37 face cord heating a 1700 sq ft and hot water. I cant do this another year. my next year wood is completely gone and burning green oak now. I burn oak ash and maple and I cant believe my next years stock is gone. Im in trouble.  jason

[Crow]

Holy smokes!  How could you burn that much with 1700 sqft and dhw?? Are you sure someone didn't steal it?

[diesel-dodge]

I honestly don't know. I haven't changed anything except switched to the heatmore . When it was 17 below I had to load it 3 times a day. Something must be wrong but I really don't know what. I know I cant do this another year

[ITO]

 Wow diesel that's a ton, this has been a brutal winter (-22 this morning again) and I have burned more than I ever have in 10 years but I would say I am going to finish 7 cord by the end and that's heating 1400 sq. ft. with DHW and an outdoor hot tub. Mine is a Heatmor knockoff and I have to say it does the job very well, you must have some other problem to be going thru that kind of wood?

[hondaracer2oo4]

What's your story with your supply lines from boiler to the house? Sounds like you have water infiltration.

[victor6deep]

This is the same reason I may sell my own and go geothermal and never have to do back breaking labor again.

[heat550]

HEAT550 - my old man is up near Hinckley Heating 7000sf and he has gone thru almost 17 cords - first 6 were junk/punk basswood and poplar.  -20's and below, will suck down a pile 

Well  I must be in the ball park . Houses are comfy main thing . But ya wow . I have heard of people burning 14 cord with there inside house stoves also . So Its been a crazy year You know I was looking at DNR website from dec 1 till feb 28 our average Temp here was 5.7 f  That is record breaking .  Twin city's are at the 9th slot for coldest winter ever . also heard 8 foot deep water lines are starting to freeze in the cities also . nasty

heat550

[LittleJohn]

As of this morning in the Twin Cities, we have had 50 days - with below 0 temperatures (currently 5th all time).

Also heard on way in the it will be -17 today breaking the old record of -13 set in like 1890 or something crazy like that

[lindnova]

I honestly don't know. I haven't changed anything except switched to the heatmore . When it was 17 below I had to load it 3 times a day. Something must be wrong but I really don't know what. I know I cant do this another year

I found that by overloading the heatmor I loose efficiency.  My first year I was going thru a lot of wood until I realized I was overfilling it.  Unless I know I am going to be away for over 12 hours, I load less than full with good dry wood and it will be ok even in very cold weather.  I use larger pieces of good heavy oak or elm on cold nights and lighter pieces of cherry or elm or rotten stuff on warm days.  Sometimes when it is below zero I fill at 7 am, top up a little at 6 pm and full at 10 pm.  The best place for the wood is down by the firebrick. 

I have heard the same thing about loading techniques from Central Boiler friends, so you probably already know that. 

The other thing I did to my Heatmor was add insulation.  I think they are underinsulated.  I taped bubble wrap insulation on the inside of both doors since it appears that is a major heat loss area.  Insulate the pipes in back.  I also pulled back the roof steel and found the fiberglass was not evenly installed and there were gaps and lots of airspace above.  I added fiberglass to fill the voids being careful not to compact it.  I think that helped on my wood usage.  I know it helped some since the snow doesn't melt right off the roof anymore.

I heat a well insulated 1500 SF ranch (68°) with basement and 1100 Sq.Ft. attached garage (58°).  I would guess I have gone thru over 12 cords so far this winter.  Normal winter would be 10-12 cords total, but this winter has been very cold.  I started with 4 or 5 cord box elder and light stuff and have had good oak, elm and maple thru all the cold spells.  This is all good dry wood - generally I use wood: oak that has been stacked for over 3 years, dead standing elm with no bark or light maple or box elder stacked 1 year.  Right now I am so far ahead it is all stacked and allowed to dry some and the box elder is always the newest as it tends to rot if it sits too long.  A lot of it is split down to 12" size to fit in the door.  I am cutting wood all the time, but getting ahead and having dry wood is worth it.  The wet wood smokes more and I go thru a lot more of it.

[Brad]

I've nearly burned all the wood I had cut.  Started with around 10-12 full cord.  I will be spending every weekend out cutting until I shut it down..  Last year I shut down 2nd week in June and this year I'm hoping it's much sooner than that.  I'm in N Central MN.  I have told myself I'm going to cut wood like a mad man this summer and fall to make sure I have enough for next winter..  Not sure that will happen tho...  Once spring finally hits there will be plenty other things to do on the farm but I need to make this a priority and try to get as much done before the mosquitos drive me out of the woods....

[mlappin]

No ideal of actual cord usage, I pile it on a cement slab and cover it towards fall. I do know I've used a LOT more wood this winter than last. When you have weeks of cold weather at a time that last winter might only had a day or two of it at a time you're gonna use more regardless of the stove or how well your house is insulated.

[diesel-dodge]

Im a knuckle head. I  should have proof read my posting but im a keyboard hunt and peck kinda guy. It should have said 27 not 37. but im still 10 face cord and counting above what I normally burn. I tries to use a infa red lazer temp thing. I couldn't get a good reading anywhere outside. It was bouncing all over the place temp wise. I truly am wondering if my underground pipe has been compromised. I talked to scott7m (great guy by the way) and he asked me to try to get my temp leaving the boiler and temp coming into the house so that is my new mission to get good temp readings somehow.
jason

[heat550]

HEAT550 - my old man is up near Hinckley Heating 7000sf and he has gone thru almost 17 cords - first 6 were junk/punk basswood and poplar.  -20's and below, will suck down a pile 

Was doing some searching on net came up with this . Like 2 winters in 1 .

heat550