12:30pm it is 12F outside with a 22mph wind gusting to 33mph with about 80% Sun. The temp inside is 73.7F. I heat with wood and oil fired forced hot water. The oil boiler has 4 thermostats are set at 55F. At 5 this morning I put another small piece of wood in the stove. 8am banked up the coals and have left it alone since. I heat about 2400sf, burn about 200 gallons of oil and 2-2 1/2 cords of wood a year for heat and hot water. I designed and built my house in 1988 for maximum solar gain. Subbed out the plumbing and concrete work, did everything else myself.
How much does the Sun influence your heating needs?
- Thread starter olthumpa
- Start date
North Idaho Wolfman
Moderator
Staff member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
We live in a fairly large double wide, 1210sf, Yes I'm trailer trash!
The first thing I did when we got the place to hold us over till we can build our permanent home is to skirt it with 3" pink foam it keeps it toasty in the crawl space, 40 deg even at -15 outside. We opened up all the exterior walls and redid all the fiberglass insulation and the vapor barrier, also replaced single pane windows with double pane.
The only thing I didn't do was open up the roof and work on that (there is loss there), If there is a coat of snow you can feel the difference in the amount of heat that the snow helps keep in.
Like what your title states sun does play a huge role not only on heat but also on Snow/ice management. We have designed the new house to face south west and should get a better amount of sun in the winter on the house and the drive, we only get so much sun as we are in a valley.
Right now I can heat our place all fall, winter and spring (about 6 months of heating) and keep it around about 70 with 3 1/2 cords of wood and nothing else. Our new place will have a heat pump with propane back up just to make it easier down the line.
The first thing I did when we got the place to hold us over till we can build our permanent home is to skirt it with 3" pink foam it keeps it toasty in the crawl space, 40 deg even at -15 outside. We opened up all the exterior walls and redid all the fiberglass insulation and the vapor barrier, also replaced single pane windows with double pane.
The only thing I didn't do was open up the roof and work on that (there is loss there), If there is a coat of snow you can feel the difference in the amount of heat that the snow helps keep in.
Like what your title states sun does play a huge role not only on heat but also on Snow/ice management. We have designed the new house to face south west and should get a better amount of sun in the winter on the house and the drive, we only get so much sun as we are in a valley.
Right now I can heat our place all fall, winter and spring (about 6 months of heating) and keep it around about 70 with 3 1/2 cords of wood and nothing else. Our new place will have a heat pump with propane back up just to make it easier down the line.
It is a CHEEP steel stove that was given to me, (best price). The person that bought it did not like it because it was too temperamental, (it is temperamental). I had an old stove from Portland Stove Foundry that needed some new parts but could not get them. Portland Stove Foundry burnt to the ground in the early 90's.
I have used this cheep stove for 8 years, threatening to replace it every year but like my old tractors, it still works and gets the job done. Once I got used to it's quirks, it's not that bad to run. The hardest part is to keep the burn rate down and not build up creosote even though it is designed for a house less than 1/3 the size of mine. I have only burnt it at max capacity 10 - 12 partial day in 8 years.
What can I say, I am thrifty.
It is very similar to the one in the link below.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Englande...l/Ntt-wood%2Bstoves?Ntx=mode matchall&NCNI-5#
Wolfman
You might live in a trailer but I would hardly consider you trash!
No pink flamingos, bent over plywood ladies or sploded tires on the front lawn. Come on now, step up to the plate.
Seriously, you are too good of a person helping others without any personal gain other than satisfaction for a job well done!
About 150 of the 200 gallons of oil are used for domestic hot water. That is something that I am going to change.
You might live in a trailer but I would hardly consider you trash!
No pink flamingos, bent over plywood ladies or sploded tires on the front lawn.
Come on now, step up to the plate.Seriously, you are too good of a person helping others without any personal gain other than satisfaction for a job well done!
About 150 of the 200 gallons of oil are used for domestic hot water. That is something that I am going to change.
If I get this place I'm looking at renting I need to figure out some sorta affordable heating solution. It has the old school home heating oil. But around here oil goes for 4 bucks a gallon with I think a 200 gallon minimum oil purchase for delivery.
Needless to say the tank is bone dry so topping off wont be in my budget either. I was thinking space heathers but there goes the power bill running electric heathers.
Needless to say the tank is bone dry so topping off wont be in my budget either. I was thinking space heathers but there goes the power bill running electric heathers.
I heat with a Yodel wood stove the model is Oslow I think. It was the next to the largest wood stove they made. $1800. bucks about 10 or 12 years ago. A lot of money for me then. But I had been heating with a 'pretty' Glenwood kitchen stove in the living room. A few years of that, I had enough of cutting 12" wood and not heating the house. The Yodel will drive you out of the house with heat. One secret I found is 'dry' wood. Not seasoned but really dry. Tonight I'm burning six year old dry red oak. The stove has stainless steel pipes with holes in them , in the top of the firebox the gases form the fire reburn when they enter/exit the tubes. In the years I had it. Zero maintence. You clean the ashes. Clean the stove pipe twice a year. I haven't had to replace a gasket or firebrick.
RCW
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Skeets - I thought same thing.
A "cord" is really about 3 "face-cord" of firewood.
In certain areas, people call a "cord" what is really a face-cord - that's the way 'round here in New York.
Hardwood firewood is done in face-cords, but softwood is usually full-cord only. Areas with a lot of softwood only use the cord terminology/measurement (which is technically correct).
Maybe 'thumpa, being from Maine, is using a cord as 4x8x4, whereas a face-cord is 4x8x16" or so.
I used to burn 6 or 8 "face-cords," but it was really 1+ "cord."
I used to cut a lot of firewood, pulpwood, and have a Bachelor's degree in Forestry - I hope I got it right!
If I'm wrong, I'd like to know how 'thumpa does it, too!!
Lil Foot
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
Once again I'm learning something on this forum….. never heard the term "face-cord". Now I know, thanks!
Donystoy
Active member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
LX2610HSDCC, B/H, Loader, plus numerous other attachments. B7200 sold
Do you have wood in Arizona?
Last time I was in Sodona all I saw was cacti and red rocks.
Lil Foot
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
Amazingly enough, yes! I actually worked one summer as a logger near Heber, AZ when I was a youngster. Here are some pics of my place in the mountains:
!st pic- end of the drive out toward the road
2nd pic- from road looking down the drive toward the cabin after the snow plow went by
3rd pic- a stack of oak & juniper firewood (almost a facecord)during a little Arizona sprinkle
!st pic- end of the drive out toward the road
2nd pic- from road looking down the drive toward the cabin after the snow plow went by
3rd pic- a stack of oak & juniper firewood (almost a facecord
)during a little Arizona sprinkleAttachments
Donystoy
Active member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
LX2610HSDCC, B/H, Loader, plus numerous other attachments. B7200 sold
Hard to imagine all the snow that far south but you obviously have it. A buddy of mine has a house outside of Phoenix and was there when they had to postpone a golf tournament last year due to a storm. My cousin is in Denver where they get their share of snow but of course they are quite high in elevation. I know you have trees as we saw lots going south of Flagstaff etc. Just kidding.
Lil Foot
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
That's less than a foot, about twenty years ago we had a 44" snow fall, but that's pretty unusual. Usually 18"-24" is the max. Also, the place is at 6900 ft, much higher than most of Arizona.
North Idaho Wolfman
Moderator
Staff member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
In the 21 years that I lived in phoenix I seen it snow twice, Both times I wouldn't leave my house for nothing!!!!
Thousands of accidents in a few hours.
People there can not drive in the snow...period!
Thousands of accidents in a few hours.
People there can not drive in the snow...period!
Lil Foot
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
North Idaho Wolfman
Moderator
Staff member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
Oh lets just state it how it really is, most can't drive EVER!
I'm lucky to have gotten out alive!
A face cord , it you tried to sell that to anyone around here, (except to people from away), you would get shot.
Yes, I am referring to a stack of wood that is 4' high x 4' wide x 8' long stacked with minimal air spaces.
Types of wood: rock maple, sugar maple, oak, ash, hickory, beach and some other hard woods. All seasoned 2+ years.
DON"T get me started on all the idiots that are trying to "drive" on the roads be it winter or summer.
, it you tried to sell that to anyone around here, (except to people from away), you would get shot.Yes, I am referring to a stack of wood that is 4' high x 4' wide x 8' long stacked with minimal air spaces.
Types of wood: rock maple, sugar maple, oak, ash, hickory, beach and some other hard woods. All seasoned 2+ years.
DON"T get me started on all the idiots that are trying to "drive" on the roads be it winter or summer.
RCW
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Yeah - thought so. Where Skeets and I are from, firewood is usually measured in facecord, but we all call it a cord.A face cord
Yes, I am referring to a stack of wood that is 4' high x 4' wide x 8' long stacked with minimal air spaces.
Types of wood: rock maple, sugar maple, oak, ash, hickory, beach and some other hard woods. All seasoned 2+ years.
DON"T get me started on all the idiots that are trying to "drive" on the roads be it winter or summer.
I know better - but do it anyway.
A "cord" of split firewood here goes for about $55 without delivery now. Was $25 split & delivered for years.
Unfortunately, the market for all pulp is about gone. We have probably 75,000 acres of NY State Norway Spruce and Red Pine plantations within 30 miles of here.
Most of it is Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) projects done during the Depression, so those plantations are 80 years old now.
They still have a lot of pulp/acre, but Champion and IP paper plants are out. If you do cut it, can't sell the stuff.
I sold pulp for $48/full cord 25 yrs ago.
Lil Foot
Well-known member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
Man, you guys got cheap firewood! Last I checked around here, $180-$200 a cord for oak, $125-$150 a cord for pine, $200-$250 a cord for mesquite or ironwood. Not delivered. And usually a little short of an actual cord. That's pretty much why I don't buy any, & just cut my own.
5 years ago I bought from a logger a stake bed load of tree tops, paid 300 bucks he unloaded them with a crane on the truck and I cut and split,, was a lot easier than trying to get home from work and get out and do it, I got a little over 6 full cords. All oak cherry and hickory. I had it stacked in the barn 8 feet high 8 feet deep and about 20 feel long ,, took longer to haul and stack than it did to cut and split,,,lol But on the norm I will burn about 5 full cord from the end of October (depending on the weather), to the end of February. Then start all over, it do keep me outa trouble