I hate heating with wood

[Fronty Owner]

well, on days like this where is cold and snowy and I cant find a comfortable medium with the temperature of the house...
It got too hot, so I dampened it down then it got cold, so I stoked it again and it got hot, now its cooling off again...

 

[RacerX]

There's nothing better than having a thermostat regulate the house temperature. Except maybe when you have to pay the bill. :msp_wink:

 

[GLOBOTREE]

Thats for sure:msp_biggrin:

 

[Fronty Owner]

all the other heat has been off all day... I just cant seem to get the house to stay a nice 65 degrees. the house wants to be 60 or 75...

 

[TMFARM 2009]

just crank it up let it get to 75 and crack open a window..lol

 

[laynes69]

With our old woodfurnace, the house would fluctuate between 70 and 80. We always had to load enough wood to keep a fire going, but then things would overheat. Now we can set the thermostat and keep the house within a couple of degrees. We keep our thermostat set around 72-74 during the day and turn it down to 71 at night. Sure beats burning pro-pain!

 

[rancher2]

well, on days like this where is cold and snowy and I cant find a comfortable medium with the temperature of the house...
It got too hot, so I dampened it down then it got cold, so I stoked it again and it got hot, now its cooling off again...

This is the exact reason I installed my Garn to burn my wood in.

 

[flyboy553]

Gairn woodstove company bought firewood from me

This is the exact reason I installed my Garn to burn my wood in.

A couple weeks ago, the makers of the Gairn woodstove called and wanted to know if I had any 24 inch firewood. Said no, but could cut some for them. They then sent me the specs on what they wanted for their firewood:
No less than 23 inches long
No more than 24 inches long
No more than 10 inches wide
No less than 3 inches thick
Standing dead red oak, with as much bark on it as possible!! told them no one would actually sell wood that way, would be too wet, but they wanted it anyway.
A full cord, delivered.
Took almost a full day to cut and split to those specs!
They are using this wood to test the stove for some sort of Gov't certification. Each and every piece of wood is to be tested for moisture 13 times!

 

[kmcinms]

A couple weeks ago, the makers of the Gairn woodstove called and wanted to know if I had any 24 inch firewood. Said no, but could cut some for them. They then sent me the specs on what they wanted for their firewood:
No less than 23 inches long
No more than 24 inches long
No more than 10 inches wide
No less than 3 inches thick
Standing dead red oak, with as much bark on it as possible!! told them no one would actually sell wood that way, would be too wet, but they wanted it anyway.
A full cord, delivered.
Took almost a full day to cut and split to those specs!
They are using this wood to test the stove for some sort of Gov't certification. Each and every piece of wood is to be tested for moisture 13 times!

Cool. Hope you got paid good for that.

 

[flyboy553]

well enough...

Cool. Hope you got paid good for that.

that I will cut them any thing they want!! lol

 

[Fronty Owner]

This is my first house, there are alot of things about it I dont like, but I got it really cheap and I really dont know what to do with it. I like heating with wood, I dont mind the work involved, but with just a fireplace, the heat is a bit odd. Altho, getting airflow going as suggested here has helped.

 

[fiasco]

This is my first house, there are alot of things about it I dont like, but I got it really cheap and I really dont know what to do with it. I like heating with wood, I dont mind the work involved, but with just a fireplace, the heat is a bit odd. Altho, getting airflow going as suggested here has helped.

Just a fireplace...yeah that makes it tough. When I was growing up, my parents had woodstoves to keep the cost of heat down (until the late 80s when they were practically giving oil away, then it didn't get used as much). When I bought a house, it had a nice fireplace and I used it a lot the first couple winters to take the edge off the oil bill. Then at the end of the second winter I had used up all my really good wood, so I went for the "good enough" wood that crackled and popped a lot more.

Then I had a chimney fire that cracked the flue. Ooops. So I had a stainless liner installed and put in a woodstove in front of the fireplace hole (shallow fireplace couldn't take an insert). Much better heat. Yes, you'll probably need to crack a window in the room the stove is in, but you'll be much better off in the long run.

Fortunately, between a big ice storm and my father-in-laws and parents land, I haven't had to pay for wood yet, although I have a feeling a grapple load is in my future to make sure I have enough for this winter and next. I think I'm about 2/3 of a year ahead right now, would like to be 1.5 years ahead.

 

[fiasco]

Oh yeah, and there's nothing quite as nice as being set up for automatic delivery on your heating oil and having them only put in 55-65 gallons a month. For you hardcore guys, my hot water is also on my oil burner, and I am admittedly an "up from 65 degrees" person. But it sure beats the 150 gallons a month of oil-only!

 

[ks_osage_orange]

There's nothing better than having a thermostat regulate the house temperature. Except maybe when you have to pay the bill. :msp_wink:

That has been one of my favorite things about running an OWB. I have always had wood heat and always struggled with the same thing as the OP until I got the OWB. Now the house is thermostat controlled and I still heat with "free" wood. I have to admit though. I do like messing with a wood stove and watching the flame. I have an insert also that allows me to scratch that itch when I need too.

 

[Storm56]

Plus one on heating with the OWB! No mess in the home, nice constant temps, no worry over chimney problems. Only negative I find is the odd occasion when it is raining and I need to fill the stove. I have a fireplace and like to burn that several times over the heating season, that takes care of my need to see nice flames and listen to the crackle of a fire indoors!

 

[Encore]

I have a free standing stove and I used to have that problem as well.

I put a thermometer on the stove top and then a smaller room thermometer on the wall in between our kitchen and living room (ranch style home) which made it a ton easier to keep the temps more level at 70. If I see the stove is getting hotter, I just dampen it down, if I can see the room is losing a little temp, I just hit the damper open and turn on the ceiling fan.

Usually once I get the house warmed up though it stays consistent. if the OP is having that much fluctuation it might be time to re-insulate the house

 

[formula_pilot]

I have good results burning smaller fires, with the air open more on milder days. Sometimes we have to let it burn out in the morning then re-light later in the day. It does require more attention and work than turning on the thermostat.

 

[flyboy553]

Heating a screened in porch

I heat with wood as my only heat source. Like the title says, heating this house is like heating a screened in porch. In Minnesota! lol Not recommended! A 300 gallon tank of LP lasts less than 1 month, so that is out of the question. Old farm houses some times are like this- poorly insulated and windows less than perfect.
But have always liked heat from a wood stove. So much warmer. plus I actually like the hint of smoke from firing up.
One day, after firing up, I was making bacon and eggs for breakfast, and the smells of the smoke, eggs and bacon reminded me of being a kid and smelling those same smells. Was a nice way to open the day.

 

[mga]

all the other heat has been off all day... I just cant seem to get the house to stay a nice 65 degrees. the house wants to be 60 or 75...

life sure is tuff some times.

 

[duane9835]

With our old woodfurnace, the house would fluctuate between 70 and 80. We always had to load enough wood to keep a fire going, but then things would overheat. Now we can set the thermostat and keep the house within a couple of degrees. We keep our thermostat set around 72-74 during the day and turn it down to 71 at night. Sure beats burning pro-pain!

Us to!!!! Love the Greenwood!!!!