What's it costin' ya'?

Arborist Forum

Help Support Arborist Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Whoa there boys, this was meant to be a comic relief thread of sorts... too much seriousness in some other threads I been postin' in. I certainly wasn't trying to talk y'all out of heating with wood... I ain't gonna' stop.

I started burning this year again after a 12 year hiatus; some of my "stuff" had been sitting for years, needed long past-due maintenance, updating, or flat replacement. I'm also counting on NOT making another $800.oo emergency room visit next year. Still, even with the $2630.oo in expenses I saved money... figure I would have spent $4000.00 - $5000.oo buying LP fuel.

Besides, I like being outdoors... any time of year, any weather. It felt good to get out all winter, even wading through the unusually early deep snow that kept us buried all winter. I started cutting wood the day they came out and filled my LP tank, Halloween weekend... I was out in it, freezing rain, below zero temps, blizzards, every Saturday after that until... well, I'm still out every Saturday cutting for next year. And guess what? The 500-gallon LP tank is still over half full... the water heater don't use much. AND... AND I feel healthier and stronger than I've felt in years... that there is worth something!
 
First, it never really gets cold in Central Texas. We turn on the heat once or twice a year to make sure it still works. The fireplace burns most days from November to early March. Lots of Oak here for free. The work is more a method of therapy than anything else. Beside, I am able to donate some wood to the local volunteer fire department for their annual BBQ fundraiser or help out a co worker who needs a little wood.

And it gives me an excuse to have all these saws!

Hal
 
more finacial gains than meets the eye

all i know is that i lost use of my OWB this winter for about 7weeks, and the cost of fuel oil really took a beating on the family budget. early march we were back on line with wood heat and cash flow immediatly eased up. I paid for 1/5th of the new gassificatino burner in the remaining 2.5 months of the heating season. I guess it depends on climate and length of heating season but for us in upstate NY and our seven month heating season, the savings with wood heat is huge.

It seems like you would need a large operatoin to be depreciating 1200 dollars a year. and if you are going to to go to that extent of that kind of calculations...dont forget to subtract the cost of going to a gym. Also, a big factor not mentioned is the fact that your making large improvements to the value of your woodlot. Since i have released a bunch of poplars from my woods, i have seen black cherry increase in size and vigor. My sugar maples are developing large crowns now..and the amount of sap production increase is measurable. Finally, dont forget the entertainment value..If i wasnt in the woods having fun or checking out arborist forum... I would be doing some expensive hobby, drinking..or other wicked things.

did i mention the avoided cost of seeing a shrink or taking some of those fancy pick me upppers. I work in the construction industry..stress and errors and found asbestoes, are always pushing the blood pressure. If i didnt get my time in the woods, i would be pounding those "mothers little helpers" like asprin!

anyway, its always fun to discuss this stuff!
 

Latest posts

Back
Top