Outdoor Wood Furnace Info
All-Purpose OWF Discussions => General Outdoor Furnace Discussion => Topic started by: Banna on January 23, 2015, 07:12:07 AM
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Hello All,
I live in the South so naturally wood usage around these parts is a lot less that you guys up North. When I was burning inside I would need 10 -12 ric for the year. This is my first year with an OWB so the jury is still out on my usage.
I read post where people talk about using 20 cords a year. That just blows my mind. I can not imagine the time/ labor it takes just to get one years of wood together.
I work on my stash as I have time in the evenings and weekends and it keeps me busy. I really don't think that I could do 20 cords in a year. How do you do it?????
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I'm not sure, but maybe the 20 chords a year pertains to face chords.
Face chords are 1/3 the volume of a tru chord.
This could be the mix up.
If someone was burning 20 tru chords of wood, they would be heating a small village.... imo.
KK
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Hello,
I will chime in. I live in Northern MN and I fire the boiler up in Oct and sometimes don't shut it down until June. I don't know exactly how many cord I burn but I can tell you it's a lot. If I have to guess I would say between 12-15, maybe more. It's obviously a HUGE commitment and one really has to enjoy handling wood and all that comes with that. To keep warm it's just what you do. This year we don't have much snow so I'm out in my woods nearly every weekend. I don't know if I will ever get to a point where I am 2 years ahead but I'm really only focused on 1 season at a time. I burn mostly "green" oak, ash and popple and I split it by hand and it works just fine. When I do find a good deal on a truck load I buy it and that helps cut down on the trips to the woods so that saves me a little time too.
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I'm in north central Ontario and usually have the A/C on by June :bag:
My boiler season starts in Nov and ends in April.
We burn a bit of propane and use the Elmira if it gets chilly off season.
The idle time on the boiler does not support it's use in warm weather.
I guess I could try running it into BlackFly season,,,, and smoke the #$%%% ''s out >:D
Everyone's situation is different, but I still think burning 20 bush chords of wood, specially if your buy$ng it, is over the top.
M.O.
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Look at the money I am saving on natural gas and a gym membership. It is my excercise program and free heat rolled into one.
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Hello,
I will chime in. I live in Northern MN and I fire the boiler up in Oct and sometimes don't shut it down until June. I don't know exactly how many cord I burn but I can tell you it's a lot. If I have to guess I would say between 12-15, maybe more. It's obviously a HUGE commitment and one really has to enjoy handling wood and all that comes with that. To keep warm it's just what you do. This year we don't have much snow so I'm out in my woods nearly every weekend. I don't know if I will ever get to a point where I am 2 years ahead but I'm really only focused on 1 season at a time. I burn mostly "green" oak, ash and popple and I split it by hand and it works just fine. When I do find a good deal on a truck load I buy it and that helps cut down on the trips to the woods so that saves me a little time too.
I agree with that except I like dry wood - less smoke.
I measured the shed and stacks for this winter and I had 12 cords. I think I went thru all of that and maybe a little more last winter. This is heating a 1500 sf well insulated ranch with basement and a 1200 sf garage and dhw. I think the garage uses 3/4 of the load.
I burn a good mix of dry wood. Some oak, some box elder, a lot of elm and cherry depending on the year. I have managed to get about 25 cord split and stacked in back right now and am still cutting with little snow this winter. Probably will be 3 years ahead by May. I cut 18-24" and split once over 12" or to make manageable.
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Hello,
I will chime in. I live in Northern MN and I fire the boiler up in Oct and sometimes don't shut it down until June. I don't know exactly how many cord I burn but I can tell you it's a lot. If I have to guess I would say between 12-15, maybe more. It's obviously a HUGE commitment and one really has to enjoy handling wood and all that comes with that. To keep warm it's just what you do. This year we don't have much snow so I'm out in my woods nearly every weekend. I don't know if I will ever get to a point where I am 2 years ahead but I'm really only focused on 1 season at a time. I burn mostly "green" oak, ash and popple and I split it by hand and it works just fine. When I do find a good deal on a truck load I buy it and that helps cut down on the trips to the woods so that saves me a little time too.
I agree with that except I like dry wood - less smoke.
I measured the shed and stacks for this winter and I had 12 cords. I think I went thru all of that and maybe a little more last winter. This is heating a 1500 sf well insulated ranch with basement and a 1200 sf garage and dhw. I think the garage uses 3/4 of the load.
I burn a good mix of dry wood. Some oak, some box elder, a lot of elm and cherry depending on the year. I have managed to get about 25 cord split and stacked in back right now and am still cutting with little snow this winter. Probably will be 3 years ahead by May. I cut 18-24" and split once over 12" or to make manageable.
I certainly would prefer to burn dry wood but unfortunately I burn what I can. I have been cutting as much dead fall in our woods as I can and do mix that in with the green stuff. Everyone around me burns wood and I don't really have any "neighbors" so if the green stuff smokes a bit more so be it..
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Banna,,
To help with your original post ,it depends on how much you have to heat + other variables .
We got people heating two buildings and hot tubs/swimming pools etc .
They would be burning more wood,obviously.
But I doubt 20 chords @ 4x8x4.
So you got to weigh out what your heating .
And you say your in a warmer climate?
My example is, 1600 sq.ft. bungalo +basement.
1 line out.of boiler
Woodmaster 4400 burns 5 or 6 bush chords in a 6 month season and it's cold here!
(http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e212/kommandokenny/P1240262.jpg)
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I'm heating 8,000sq ft with 16' and 10' ceilings. Also two dhw. This is my first yea with this particular stove. For a whil I was on pace to burn 20 cord. Not face cord. Thanks to a warm January im thinking it's going to be more around 17 cord. I have a skidsteer and all I he toys to mount on my he front of it. With the right equipment it's nothing to pull 10-15 cord in a weekend. You hav to love it!
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Last year the old man burned in the neighborhood of 23 PULP WOOD CORD (A little over 2 semi loads worth) in East Central MN; he is heating a bit over 7000 sf (2 structures), and DHW.
What also makes this 23 number look so large was first 6-7 cords were junky/punky birch and maple; that combined with a record setting year of cold (I know it was top 10 in recorded history, might have even broken into top 5)
How do you cut that much wood you say; the combination of owning a portable saw mill (lots of slabs to burn) and a strong son like me. Last spring he bought to semi loads of "junk" logs (mixed ash/maple, he could not sell to mill) from a family freind who is a logger. In one four-day week end we (dad, myself, my mom and my two little 18 month old munchkin helper) blocked split and piles 14 cords. If we would have had another working saw, I am thinking we woudl have knocked out the whole 20 cords
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With the right equipment it's nothing to pull 10-15 cord in a weekend. You hav to love it!
Your a better man than I,,, if you can cut , buck, split and stack 15 chords in a weekend.
How many employees or kids ya got? :o :post:
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Last year the old man burned in the neighborhood of 23 PULP WOOD CORD (A little over 2 semi loads worth) in East Central MN; he is heating a bit over 7000 sf (2 structures), and DHW.
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So, like I said, you got to weigh out what your heating ,,,,,a small village,, or a well insulated avg. size house.
The guys doing 20 chords have help and the proper equipment :thumbup:
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I average about 15-18 cords per yr I also hv the equipment and perseverance to keep dragging logs and splitting anything to not pay the propane fuel bill.. I actually enjoy doing it it's kinda therapy to me... So it's what you want and need what decide what to do.
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I average about 15-18 cords per yr I also hv the equipment and perseverance to keep dragging logs and splitting anything to not pay the propane fuel bill.. I actually enjoy doing it it's kinda therapy to me... So it's what you want and need what decide what to do.
I think what's important to the poster,, and myself ...is.. what are you heating that requires that much wood??
Wood = sq.ft. etc.. temp outside distance to house on and on ......... :post:
Best way the poster is gonna get a handle on wood consumption
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It all boilers down to the cost and the heat you get out of your boiler 15 to 20 cord wood x135.00 = 2700.00 how mush oil 2000 gal to heat my house 3.00 a gal 6000.00 i need to keep my thermostats at 68 maybe plus i want a hot shower oil 5 min outdoor boiler stay as long as you want plus with wood you keep your money local need i say more i can keep going gym fee 30 dollars a month you don't have to mess with i can keep going
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Oh yeah house is 75 without the government holding my hand
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Big Wood, Dan says thanks a lot, he really enjoyed most of the apple pie.
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I guess I need to make a run over his way while you are on the road sorry for such a short visit this last trip had a great time as always
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Dan and Mary Lou would be very happy to see you! I don't think I'll see Dan today, too much Apple Pie last night I think >:D
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Oh yeah house is 75 without the government holding my hand
You know their not going to like that.
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Last year the old man burned in the neighborhood of 23 PULP WOOD CORD (A little over 2 semi loads worth) in East Central MN; he is heating a bit over 7000 sf (2 structures), and DHW.
So, like I said, you got to weigh out what your heating ,,,,,a small village,, or a well insulated avg. size house.
The guys doing 20 chords have help and the proper equipment :thumbup:
I also said "What also makes this 23 number look so large was first 6-7 cords were junky/punky birch and maple; that combined with a record setting year of cold (I know it was top 10 in recorded history, might have even broken into top 5)"
...I will repost this spring, after a more normal (not mind chillingly cold) winter and see what my dad had for wood consumption
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http://outdoorwoodfurnaceinfo.com/forum/index.php?topic=7180.15 (http://outdoorwoodfurnaceinfo.com/forum/index.php?topic=7180.15)
Check out the thread on wood consumption in the firewood room.
Usage is pretty mixed........ a lot depending on insulation.
kk
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My dad does not seem concerned with the 20 cord number, as he used to have a indoor wood stove, when we lived in town. We would go thru on average about 10 cord (1 semi) per year, heating about 1500sf liveable, and another 1000sf of unfinished basement.
So when he Quadrupled his heated/finished square footage, and his wood pile only doubled I saw it as an improvement. Plus he now has more power tools (tractors, trailers, splitters) and grandkids, to help :thumbup:
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In NW Wisconsin you can use 15+ wood if it's a normal winter. We are in our 2nd using our stove and still figuring the amount of wood we need. The problem is I get several times during the burning season supplemental wood by the pickup load or my 4x8 trailer that dump by the stove to burn first before using my stacked wood. Sometimes it's cut wood or it might be scrap lumber/pallet wood. I take all I can of it.
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We burned around 19 last year due to the cold. I only know a chord as 4x4x8. So far this year around 8.
We get our own wood. Dump trailer stacked without sides 1.5 chords with sides 2.25 chords. So you cut the trees down buck em and load em. Takes me about three hours unless the wife helps then 4. After we bring it home we split it right out of the back of the trailer, maybe an hour, usually not the same day. After we get done we just go about our weekend.
Burning has just been a part of my life since I was a child so it's just one of those things that's part of life. To me it's always been fun.