Hey Guys,,, good input from everyone. Kinda' gets me thinking.
As for what is filled around my drain pipe, I filled it with sand, then 2" of high density foamboard on top, then dirt. No rocks to eat through the casing. My wood consumption has been about the same this year, if not better than last year, and we have had more snow and colder weather DAILY here in WV. Rough winter so far. (My cousin just moved here from Alaska,,, she said she is ready to move back to Alaska, where the weather is nice,,,,lol.) I have had consistent 12-14 hour burns all year. I think last year, I was loading the stove too heavy each time. Now, once the wood is gone, it can go another 2 - 4 hours before it needs wood, just heating on the 12" pile of coals. I have noticed no difference in the performance of my stove, and if anything,, it is doing better this year than last. Maybe a learning curve on my part.
One thing I did think about as far as difference from last year to this year. I had a low spot along the ditch in my yard, and I decided to fill it in with loose dirt and let it settle before I seeded it. It seems that afew other spots that I filled seem to melt off first as well. Not sure the reason, unless like Willie's ditch filled with rock for drainage, maybe the air passage through the porosity of the "new" dirt might be causing some of the melt. It only does it when the weather is right at freezing or above. Maybe I'm worrying over nothing.
I'm already making plans for a new stove for next season, just to make some changes that I think would make a better stove. I will keep ya posted as it progresses. Lots of information on here. Need to take advantage of it.
LOVE MY OWB!