Wood as a Fuel Source

[Laird]

One of the recent articles from Indiana Woodland Steward.

http://www.fnr.purdue.edu/inwood/current%20issue/Spring%202009/Spring%202009%20Our%20Current%20Energy%20Dilemma.htm

 

[WidowMaker]

Very interesting, especially the last couple of paragraphs...

 

[timothykamp]

I love cutting firewood, but always questioned how cost effective it was to the people heating their homes with it - even with a high efficiency burner- compared to gas or other forms of fuel. When people are paying 250-350 for a cord of oak, it just seems like gas would be so much cheaper.
Everyone says they like the ambiance - when it all stacks up, thats some pretty expensive ambiance unless you're cutting the wood yourself.

 

[freemind]

I heat my home with wood. An add on wood furnace. I use 3-4 full cords a year. @ 200 per cord, if I bought it, I would have an expense of $800.

I have propain back up. I have never bought any propane in the 4 years I have lived here.
ONE fill of 500 gallons @ $2 a gallon, would cost me MORE than buying a years supply of firewood. I could not heat my home for less that 1000 gallons.


Electric, propain, or natural gas, would cost more to heat my home, than firewood.

 

[CrappieKeith]

In my book his numbers are off, but overall not a bad read.
There is a bunch of generalization mixed in with specifics which could be misleading.

 

[mtfallsmikey]

I wouldn't own an OWB if I had to buy the wood for it.....using 2-3 cords/yr.in a woodstove wouldn't be bad to buy, unless fossil fuel prices climb again.

 

[CrappieKeith]

I woulnd't care if propane went to .50 a gallon I'll still burn wood.

 

[PasoRoblesJimmy]

Woodstoves are often demonized as sources of pollution. I say balderdash. Fallen trees slowly rotting away in the forest put out the exact same amount of BTUs and pollution as wood burnt in wood stoves. Decomposition and burning are chemical reactions. Slow or fast, the end results are exactly the same.

 

[harrybeaver]

Woodstoves are often demonized as sources of pollution. I say balderdash. Fallen trees slowly rotting away in the forest put out the exact same amount of BTUs and pollution as wood burnt in wood stoves. Decomposition and burning are chemical reactions. Slow or fast, the end results are exactly the same.

The net CO2 output is considered the same, however I think the problem people have with wood burning is that incomplete combustion can release a lot of pollutants that are not released in normal decomposition of wood.

 

[PasoRoblesJimmy]

The net CO2 output is considered the same, however I think the problem people have with wood burning is that incomplete combustion can release a lot of pollutants that are not released in normal decomposition of wood.

Modern air-tight stoves certified by the Oregon DEQ and the EPA for over 20 years are efficient and clean. The other junk is obsolete.

 

[howellhandmade]

I love cutting firewood, but always questioned how cost effective it was to the people heating their homes with it - even with a high efficiency burner- compared to gas or other forms of fuel. When people are paying 250-350 for a cord of oak, it just seems like gas would be so much cheaper.
Everyone says they like the ambiance - when it all stacks up, thats some pretty expensive ambiance unless you're cutting the wood yourself.

The kicker is "cutting the wood yourself." It is beyond my capabilities to drill for my own natural gas or oil. I can, however, cut wood myself. It is the most economical means to achieve some energy independence.

Jack

 

[harrybeaver]

Modern air-tight stoves certified by the Oregon DEQ and the EPA for over 20 years are efficient and clean. The other junk is obsolete.

Obsolete yes, still being used; unfortunately also yes.:monkey:

 

[PasoRoblesJimmy]

The net CO2 output is considered the same, however I think the problem people have with wood burning is that incomplete combustion can release a lot of pollutants that are not released in normal decomposition of wood.

A big part of the problem is operators who don't pay attention to their wood stoves or don't know how to properly operate a wood stove. If the smoke coming out of the chimney stinks of creosote, there is incomplete combustion because the stove isn't getting enough air. They are setting themselves up for a chimney fire. I watch the thermometer mounted on my stove as much as I watch the fire. I then adjust the air input to make sure that my airtight stove is burning cleanly in an optimum temperature range.

 

[Moss Man]

:agree2: :agree2:

 

[harrybeaver]

A big part of the problem is operators who don't pay attention to their wood stoves or don't know how to properly operate a wood stove. If the smoke coming out of the chimney stinks of creosote, there is incomplete combustion because the stove isn't getting enough air. They are setting themselves up for a chimney fire. I watch the thermometer mounted on my stove as much as I watch the fire. I then adjust the air input to make sure that my airtight stove is burning cleanly in an optimum temperature range.

Then you are a responsible wood burner and are not part of the problem. Unfortunately it is the few smokers that get noticed that give us all a bad name. Most times you cannot even see or smell anything from my chimney, just brief periods of transition that smoke. I work with a guy that told me with his OWB he can even burn log length green wood without any problems.

 

[harrybeaver]

"a ton of oven-dry wood is equivalent to fifteen gallons of gasoline"

I certainly hope not or I will be burning a lot more wood this year.

 

[woodbooga]

The kicker is "cutting the wood yourself." It is beyond my capabilities to drill for my own natural gas or oil. I can, however, cut wood myself. It is the most economical means to achieve some energy independence.

Jack

Yup. I still remember the first time I saw one of those pellet stoves. Neat idea, but I wouldn't go for one since its beyond my capacity to linginify wood waste into stuff that looks like whatfor I feed the rabbits.

That, and it's common knowledge here that I like cutting, splitting, and stacking. All tasks that I equate on the pleasure scale of certain other pastimes particularly enjoyed by the male of the species. And the female, too, if done properly.

 

[Laird]

Y And the female, too, if done properly.

Careful.....this a somewhat homophobic crowd.

 

[woodbooga]

Careful.....this a somewhat homophobic crowd.

Are you suggesting that women don't/can't get pleasure from a certain activity? And that being sensitive to her is homo?

I am of course refering to splitting and stacking.

Processing, however, requires the handling of a lot of wood. So I guess I can understand how you came to misconstrue my statement.

For the record, I am refraining from making any ash-based puns.

 

[PasoRoblesJimmy]

Then you are a responsible wood burner and are not part of the problem. Unfortunately it is the few smokers that get noticed that give us all a bad name. Most times you cannot even see or smell anything from my chimney, just brief periods of transition that smoke. I work with a guy that told me with his OWB he can even burn log length green wood without any problems.

Unless I'm burning really green/soaking wet wood, the smoke coming from my chimney is invisible. It smokes some when I'm firing up from a cold start. The smoke goes away when my stove warms up and reaches normal operating temperature. I try to maintain it midway between 250-500 degrees F.

My house was originally built with an open hearth Franklin Stove. The Franklin Stove didn't put out much heat and it consumed 3-5 times as much wood as the high-efficiency airtight that I replaced it with. My BrassFlame, Made in Oregon, puts out heat galore.