Haven't started a fire yet this year but a couple of years ago when the heater was out I would start out with about 4 cubic ft (18 deep x 18 tall by 22 wide) in a top down fire. I would usually let it burn down about halfway and top it off again at least 3 or 4 times a night. We never burned during the day and I bought it by the truckload in my long wheel base truck and it never lasted more than 10 days iirc.
When burning full time, post how much wood do you burn in a day...
- Thread starter MotorSeven
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MN Ripper
ArboristSite Operative
December thru Feb pretty typical is a full cord a month of oak/elm for my home. Oct/Nov & Mar/Apr vary a lot depending on the weather I'd average those at 1/2-2/3 cord per month of popple, box-elder, or conifer species.
smokee
ArboristSite Operative
I find it interesting to hear all the different species you guys have access to. Good stuff! I'm from Sw Pa, at the foot of the chestnut ridge. My grandfather who was born in the year 1900 told stories of how he'd hunt in the mountains that were covered in chestnut trees. He only small game hunted and had a lot of pics of rabbits (his favorite thing to hunt) that were giants by today's standards. Once the chestnut trees were gone he said the wildlife decreased as well. It's amazing how a tree once so prolific was completely decimated. We camp at Codorus State Park and they have some they're trying to grow. They usually make it to 7-10 years then the blight kills them.
Good thread!
Good thread!
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bcorradi
Arboristsite.com Sponsor
In the last 24 hours when it has been around 30 and minimal wind I've used 8 pieces of wood and have the damper closed most of the way. However, in January when it is -20 with a 20mph wind I'll probably use 4 to 5 times that in one day. I'm hoping for a mild winter.
Arbonaut
Go Climb It
300-500 pounds per day. Four 75 lb. logs twice daily is nothing. I get alot of air exchange in the dwelling. I like ventilaton and copious amounts of heat generation far more than a house stuffed full of fiberglass. Today's fiberglass is tomarrow's asbestos. Mark my words even if they not spelled right. Due to outgassing, styrofoam isn't healthier. Radon and problems don't affect me and her and a healthy crop of offspring, cause we get air exchange in here instead of sharing recycled flubug.
stihly dan
Addicted to ArboristSite
1/2 of a 59 gal barrel of small uglies so far this year. House at 75 now. Average is 70
cmsmoke
ArboristSite Operative
1800 sq. ft. house...30-40 degrees outside...air regulator less than 1/2...silver maple fuel. Measured before 10 pm loading then measured the next day after loading at 10 pm (I did load in between but we are talking 24 hours, right?)...26x24x12=7488cu.in. or 4.33cu.ft.
Shoulder season now about 3 cubic feet/24 hrs, When it gets cold double that plus a little. That's a full load early morning and early evening weekdays, the + is weekends if I am around inside all day. A full load right now will result in close to 90 degs inside, just a tad too warm for these old bones
Fred Wright
Addicted to ArboristSite
This time of year we put a split in the stove every hour or so, just to keep the fire from going out. 
When winter sets in we'll often go through more. We bought firewood last year and the stuff wasn't fully seasoned. This year, we're using wood we cut and split ourselves. So far, our wood use has dropped already.
We're heating a 1,300 sf bungalow with 2 bedrooms and so-so wall insulation in the original part of the house. Last year, we went through over 2 cords but the weather didn't get very cold. We heat with wood exclusively. The furnace t-stat is set to 60 and it rarely comes on.
Hope it helps.
When winter sets in we'll often go through more. We bought firewood last year and the stuff wasn't fully seasoned. This year, we're using wood we cut and split ourselves. So far, our wood use has dropped already.
We're heating a 1,300 sf bungalow with 2 bedrooms and so-so wall insulation in the original part of the house. Last year, we went through over 2 cords but the weather didn't get very cold. We heat with wood exclusively. The furnace t-stat is set to 60 and it rarely comes on.
Hope it helps.
russhd1997
Innocent By Stander
I'm heating 2 ranch style houses, including the basements, with "The Dragon" my Central Classic 6048 OWB. I run it year round because it also heats our water. In the summer when it's only used for hot water I use a 1/4 cord per week. In the spring and fall when we only use the heat occasionally I use 1/3 to 1/2 cord of wood per week. In the coldest months I use a cord of wood per week.
I don't know the exact amount of hard to soft wood that I use. I mix them and burn the hardwood overnight and softwood during the day. Doing it this way keeps the coals from building up too much. Feed times are at 7am and 5:45pm during the coldest months and every 2 days in the summer. Right now I am feeding it once a day but it looks like that is about to change. :msp_smile:
I don't know the exact amount of hard to soft wood that I use. I mix them and burn the hardwood overnight and softwood during the day. Doing it this way keeps the coals from building up too much. Feed times are at 7am and 5:45pm during the coldest months and every 2 days in the summer. Right now I am feeding it once a day but it looks like that is about to change. :msp_smile:
stihly dan
Addicted to ArboristSite
Thats alot of wood for hot water. Just a suggestion, But an electric water heater will cost $200 a yr for hot water. If You use it only for the 3 months, that would be $50. I would buy 3 cords of wood for $50 bucks all day. Again just a thought.
russhd1997
Innocent By Stander
I cut the wood on my own land so it's only the cost of fuel for processing it. If I had to buy the wood I would buy oil for the house furnace and shut down the OWB between heating seasons.
stihly dan
Addicted to ArboristSite
Still seems like after fuel, bar and chain oil, Thats $25 for 3 cords of labor. That must be about $1 an hour. If thats what you like cool. No judgement here, I am just cheap to the bone, can't help it. If you are a co op customer, it would be free.
smokee
ArboristSite Operative
A full cord or face cord a week?
NDtreehugger
ArboristSite Guru
I use an arm full for the day and night. at night if I throw an 8 or 10" unsplit 12 to 14" long,
it last all night with a pile of coal in the am.
I then crack the door about 1" gets it going again, then a couple splits or small branches on top of that.
Im heating 1200sf. with new windows doors and insulation. thick pad and carpet on wood.
I dont vary much between 20 and 20 below, I find 20 below I still crack the window on the wind side and open the windows on the back side just a bit.
Before the rebuild I was using 4 - 5 cords a year, now a solid 3 or bit less.
it last all night with a pile of coal in the am.
I then crack the door about 1" gets it going again, then a couple splits or small branches on top of that.
Im heating 1200sf. with new windows doors and insulation. thick pad and carpet on wood.
I dont vary much between 20 and 20 below, I find 20 below I still crack the window on the wind side and open the windows on the back side just a bit.
Before the rebuild I was using 4 - 5 cords a year, now a solid 3 or bit less.
