How much??

[Whitespider]

So I thought I'd be the first to start a "how much have you burned" thread this spring. I figure it's close enough to spring, the ground frost has mostly gone out 'round here, and I just lit the fire for the first time in three days... I call that spring. I just measured and added it up; near as I can tell I'm a bit under 6 cord for the season. Even if we get a spell or two of cold weather I don't see me hittin' the 6½ cord mark... it can't get that cold this late??

Figurin' we started earlier than I ever remember, November and December were colder than "normal", January was warmer than "normal", February was near record cold, and we've had a warm spell here in March... well... I'm callin' it a "slightly-colder-than-normal" fall/winter (shrug). October 15 through March 15 we've had 6045 heating degree days... verses 6844 for last season... 4229 for the season before... 4833 before that... and 5576 for 2010/11. The truth is, I had to go back to 2008/09 before I found another 6000+ heating degree days for the same period (6145).

Also figurin' a pretty good chunk of what I burned wasn't of the best quality this year... well... heck... I'm damn happy with 6 cord heating 100% with wood. And other than a handful of mornings, the house was a nice even and constant 70°-71°... ya' sure can't kick that.

So... what's my point??
Well, I've got a bit over 5 cord of well-seasoned Bur Oak still stacked outside, and maybe a cord of elm... meaning, I'm still pretty much set for another winter
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[.404]

Pile of ashes you could write your name in.......while you're standin' it up to your waist.

 

[zogger]

2 1/2 cord mixed, 1/2 cord pine, 1/2 cord ash and oak during the real cold snap.

What are the heating degree days, how is that figured?

 

[mallardman]

About 2 cords. Mostly ash, cherry, and Norway maple.


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[jrider]

Probably about 10 cords heating 3000 square feet to 74 during the day and 66 at night, burning mostly low grade/partially rotten hardwoods and some pine.

 

[SteveSS]

Best guess has me somewhere between 7 and 8 cord of oak and hickory burned. My stacks weren't the most symetrical when I started, but I had 8 cord stacked and burned another 3 or 4 pickup loads that I scrounged along the way. Still have close to 2 cord left. I burn in an OWB and kept the house between 70 and 74 depending on how cold it was outside. House was built in 1958 and is very poorly insulated.

 

[olyman]

this year, I had 2 year cured wood.. and I only burned about 6 total cords... im very happy....still have 2 1/2 cords left!!!

 

[sbhooper]

I think 8 or 9 for me but, it is a little hard to tell exactly. I heat 100 percent with wood, also. Nice warm house and no propane expense. I have very little invested in the wood.

 

[Whitespider]

What are the heating degree days, how is that figured?

Heating degree days are figured on a base temperature (typically 65°) verses the average temperature for the day. The base of 65° is used because that's considered "good enough for comfort". So, for example, if the high temp for a day 24 hour period was 48°, the low was 36°, the average would be 42°. Next you subtract that value from the base (65° - 42° = 23°), making that day equal to 23 heating degree days.

In all honesty, the calculation can be as complicated as the "user" wants it to be. For example, the temperature could be recorded every hour and then averaged... which may make the average for the above example higher or lower (depending). And, because most of us heat our homes closer to 70°-75°, the "base" should be adjusted. Heating degree days are a measure of energy required to heat a building, but because heat loss varies depending on insulation and whatnot, and everyone heats to their own comfort level, it's more of a simple comparison tool... day-to-day, month-to-month, year-to-year, etc. As long as the calculation remains constant for each time period/location, one can be compared to another.

I just use the numbers from wunderground.com... they use a 65° base, but I have no idea how complicated or involved the calculation is other than that. A quick check of the period from October 15 through March 15 in Gainesville, Georgia came up with 2771 heating degree days verses the 6045 heating degree days here. But that's not allowing for differences in our homes (size, insulation, number of floors, windows, wind at location, and whatnot). For the calculations to be "accurate" (as far as energy used), the temperature we heat our homes to, and a heat loss assessment for each would need to be part of the calculation.
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[ft. churchill]

It was so warm here this winter I only used 1/2 to 3/4 of a cord of mostly pinyon pine.

 

[Cheesecutter]

Right at 12 cord heating 2 houses. Burning steady since October.

 

[Iska3]

Maybe 8 cords from June to now but I heat my hot water all year so about 3 or more of those cords was scrap bass, punky old oak and even soft maple. For the past several years most of my wood was 16 to 18 inches long, now I try to keep it 20 to 24 inches and only split every thing once. The larger chunks of wood seem to last longer and gives me a 18 to 20 hour burn time. Used a lot less wood this year, only wish I would have picked up more of the junk that I've always passed on. Once it's dry, it heats..

 

[OhioGregg]

4 1/2 - 5 cord for me this winter. Doing better than last years winter from hell! Started burning early Nov. Had a slight break in Dec. Then was full bore on since then. Furnace has been cold the last few days...but sounding like the weather guessers will have me lighting it up again tonight or tomorrow. Overall, this winters wood usage not terrible, but more than what had been using during a "normal" winter. Whatever that is. I used more Oak & hickory this year, than Ash. Which has been the norm for me for 5-6 years previous. Don't seem to go through the Oak & Hickory as fast as the Ash.

Gregg,

 

[Whitespider]

Don't seem to go through the Oak & Hickory as fast as the Ash.

I'm not impressed with ash at all... I burn it when I have it, but it's (so-called) "shoulder season" wood in my opinion.
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[kingOFgEEEks]

Right close to 10 cords of a mix of ash, maple, locust, and a smattering of hemlock, oak, beech, and birch for variety.

I don't often disagree with you @Whitespider , but Ash is prime firewood in my eyes. Not as many BTU's per cord as oak or hard maple, but it cuts and splits much easier, seasons quickly, and leaves a beautiful coal bed - not too much, and not to little.

 

[benp]

Under 20 cords. I attribute that to the new smoke baffle/water jacket system we added on and the fact that January was so mild.

This is the first time since we've been burning that there is wood left over and I have a jump on this coming winter's wood this time of year. I bailed into the recent black ash delivery this past weekend and I am beyond ecstatic about that.

 

[laynes69]

I'm a little over 4 cord. I'll see about 4.5 cord this year.

 

[mainewoods]

Started burning in Sept. and haven't stopped yet. Been through 8 cord so far with single digits forecasted, at night, for the next 3 days. Highs about 20*. 2 or 3 feet of snow still in the woods. This can't last forever! I predict by early June we should be done burnin' wood........Maybe!!

 

[robespierre]

burned through about 3 cords and now picking up pallets everyday behind supermarkets and a Tile importer that has Hardwood pallets and also sawed some standing dead Poplar last weekend to try and stop burning my good wood.

 

[Whitespider]

I don't often disagree with you @Whitespider , but Ash is prime firewood in my eyes. Not as many BTU's per cord as oak or hard maple, but it cuts and splits much easier, seasons quickly, and leaves a beautiful coal bed - not too much, and not to little.

I'm guessin' the difference in perception (like many things) is driven by regional differences. The ash I find here is gnarly, knotted, twisted and stringy... it don't split a whole lot better than much of the elm (but, on average, I will say the elm is worse). White Ash is the most common, but we also have Black and Green Ash. For the most part I toss ash on the same stacks with other "medium, mid-range" types such as American Elm, Hackberry, Birch, Cherry, and Walnut. If burned by itself, the ash I find 'round here doesn't last all that long (not as long as American Elm), and the coal bed doesn't last very long at all (no where near as long as American Elm). I can load with American Elm at night and still have a pretty decent coal bed in the morning... but if I load with ash the firebox will be stone-cold-dead in morning. That's why I mix all those mentioned with American Elm... American Elm is, by far, the best of that bunch, which improves the burning characteristics of the "stack" by mixing it in (usually something 'round 60-70% American Elm).

I've tried using ash in the fire pit for cooking... it was a friggin' joke. I usually load the pit and burn it down to a good coal bed for cookin'... the coals from ash "go cool" way too fast for anything but hotdogs or thin steak. If I tried to cook some sort'a potato before tossin' the meat on the coal bed was near gone. And forget about cookin' something like a chicken... unless you like it raw‼

I'm just not impressed with ash... it don't split all that easily, it don't burn all that long, the coal bed ain't all that hot, and it don't season any faster than many of the other "medium, mid-range" types. I know a lot of guy here like it... I see a lot of "raving reviews" here... personally, I don't "get it". Really, 'bout the only thing I see as a "real" positive, is that it's plentiful where the bug has moved in (but the bug ain't here... yet).
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