Winter Prep Already?!?!

[Moose7060]

Spent the weekend at the lake prepping it for winter. Year round use with heat and power but the water system needs to be turned off and drained. Use an outhouse during the winter. While there installed a new wood stove, carpet and new recliners and couch. Will be nice and cozy this winter.

 

[JRHill]

We're lighting the woodburner every other day now in the evening. Burn ban finally ended so getting it fed when we get some moisture.

 

[Tughill Tom]

I’m late getting the winter stockpile finalized but I should be good until March. Depends on what Mother Nature sends our way this season.

My garage is always full this time of year

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Arrival of La Nina may stir up more lake effect snow

Oct. 27—WATERTOWN — The north country may be on path for higher than average lake effect snow totals this winter, according to data released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center. Meanwhile, NOAA says its data reflects winter temperatures for most of...

www.yahoo.com

With La Nina looking like some bigger Lake Effect events this year.

 

[RCW]

I recently read that the pellet cost is very high this year making heating with electricity cheaper in most areas.

I've looked at this or similar site for years. Allows you to input your actuals:

Compare Fuel Costs

My experience pellets costs are less this year than last year. Not a lot, but noticeable at -15% +/-.

A couple years ago I might agree for those that have electric for an option.

My NYSEG rates have grown nearly 100% over last 18-24 months. I'm at $0.14/kWh. Was $0.08 not that long ago. Are you RG&E? Same company as NYSEG.

My option is oil-fired boiler, although do have a couple electric baseboards for a couple rooms.

Using the Calculator Site, Pellets and Oil are close at my costs/MBTW at ~$33.50.

Electric is higher (not an option for me anyway) at ~$42.

 

[JRHill]

Forum arguments over regional things are ridiculous.

Why is this a discussion except for what you pay for the place you live? Electric rates? Living in a place with no trees to burn for heat - and those are cottonwood or worse? Why is this a discussion except for site selection?

 

[Sidekick]

I've looked at this or similar site for years. Allows you to input your actuals:

Compare Fuel Costs

My experience pellets costs are less this year than last year. Not a lot, but noticeable at -15% +/-.

A couple years ago I might agree for those that have electric for an option.

My NYSEG rates have grown nearly 100% over last 18-24 months. I'm at $0.14/kWh. Was $0.08 not that long ago. Are you RG&E? Same company as NYSEG.

My option is oil-fired boiler, although do have a couple electric baseboards for a couple rooms.

Using the Calculator Site, Pellets and Oil are close at my costs/MBTW at ~$33.50.

Electric is higher (not an option for me anyway) at ~$42.

NYSEG up here. Was $0.16 a kw up to a couple months ago. Recently jumped to $0.213 a kw delivered and taxed. We have crappy service with many outages and everyone is really mad. NYSEG told us it's going down because the grid is overloaded and the lines are constantly switched with old equipment to keep power up. That was 2 years ago when it became unreliable. I think the grid up here is in trouble now without many EVs or people using it for heat.
We have heated 100% with wood the last dozen years.

 

[RCW]

Forum arguments over regional things are ridiculous.

Why is this a discussion except for what you pay for the place you live? Electric rates? Living in a place with no trees to burn for heat - and those are cottonwood or worse? Why is this a discussion except for site selection?

Guess I don’t see your point nor any arguments.

If I’m wrong, please point out the discord that leads to your comment.

There’s been quite a few contributors to this thread over the last couple years….. do you guys see this as argumentative?!?!

Energy rates, whether electricity, natural gas, fuel oil or wood fuels vary by region.

There’s nothing wrong with someone saying this resource cost$X in my area; and another person saying it costs $Y here…..it’s called discussion in my book.

Discussion doesn’t equate to argument.

Am I missing something?

How and how much we heat our homes varies by region. Fact of life.

Thanks. Not being argumentative on my part at all. Just trying to get to figure out your motivation.

 

[RCW]

Arrival of La Nina may stir up more lake effect snow

Oct. 27—WATERTOWN — The north country may be on path for higher than average lake effect snow totals this winter, according to data released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center. Meanwhile, NOAA says its data reflects winter temperatures for most of...

www.yahoo.com

With La Nina looking like some bigger Lake Effect events this year.

Depending on wind direction, sometimes we’re spared the Lake Effect altogether here at the house. We’re kind of on the outer edge of both Ontario and Erie LE.

As you know, can vary greatly in just a few miles. Just depends on the wind….

I’ve seen times where we had a dusting here and 10 miles up the road there was a foot.

Up your way it can go from dusting to 3 feet in a mile or less …..

 

[The Evil Twin]

Winter prep-
Vacuumed the furnace. Fired off the propane heat. Tested the heat pump reversing valve. Filters look good.
And,,,, done.

 

[Sidekick]

We get burried in lake snow when the winds come from the Georgian Bay. I've seen storms where we have 3 ft and a mile down the road is nothing with lake snow. Old forge and Buffalo sure can get burried early in the season before the lakes start freezing over. 4 years ago we lost power for a week the first week of feb with 5 below windchills the entire week. Our aluminum underground feeder was cut by a rock pushed up by frost over the years. Luckily there was 3 ft of snow in the yard keeping the ground soft enough to dig for replacement of the cable. That's when we realized the importance of a woodstove when you live in the country.

 

[RCW]

We get burried in lake snow when the winds come from the Georgian Bay. I've seen storms where we have 3 ft and a mile down the road is nothing with lake snow. Old forge and Buffalo sure can get burried early in the season before the lakes start freezing over. 4 years ago we lost power for a week the first week of feb with 5 below windchills the entire week. Our aluminum underground feeder was cut by a rock pushed up by frost over the years. Luckily there was 3 ft of snow in the yard keeping the ground soft enough to dig for replacement of the cable. That's when we realized the importance of a woodstove when you live in the country.

There’s an old saying about “ it’s too cold to snow.”

Often true, unless you’re talking about a north wind and Lake Effect. Cold makes it snow harder if the Lakes are warm and not frozen.

 

[RCW]

Jeepers- had some issues getting the stove in working order this year.

First was circuit board issues. Blew one last spring. New one on the shelf since 2021 was bad and put another new one in.

Replaced the combustion blower with new as a preventative measure. Getting a vibration and believe it to be the new combustion blower……think motor and fan were on the shelf a couple years. Might be of questionable quality/supplier(s).

Will check it first, but have a new one ready just in case….

 

[JRHill]

To me, one of the wonderful things about burning wood is the simplicity. Other than a good stove, a chimney (that is serviceable) and seasoned wood there is freedom. Friggin circuit boards and whatever?!? What a step backward.

I am buying more aged/seasoned as I get older but still dicing, splitting and stacking. When I go to the farm store the parking lot is FILLED with pallets of pellets. That is one thing but the issue of circuit boards and input power is another. Wow. If you don't have power you get cold.

I do use power for the woodburner: a box fan and a thermostat trigger. If power fails we still stay warm even in zombie times. But it gets hot upstairs. Pellet stoves.... they don't even have the ambience.

 

[RCW]

To me, one of the wonderful things about burning wood is the simplicity. Other than a good stove, a chimney (that is serviceable) and seasoned wood there is freedom. Friggin circuit boards and whatever?!? What a step backward.

I am buying more aged/seasoned as I get older but still dicing, splitting and stacking. When I go to the farm store the parking lot is FILLED with pallets of pellets. That is one thing but the issue of circuit boards and input power is another. Wow. If you don't have power you get cold.

I do use power for the woodburner: a box fan and a thermostat trigger. If power fails we still stay warm even in zombie times. But it gets hot upstairs. Pellet stoves.... they don't even have the ambience.

Hmm...seems like the argument is on your part. Couldn't figure out your point from yesterday.

I relied on a wood fire for 40 years or so. You're preaching to the choir.

Stove heated the house when I was home, but I worked and couldn't tend to it 24/7.

Was burning 12-16 face cords of northeast hardwood firewood (3 +/- cords in the western US).

Also burned about 1,000 gallons of fuel oil for heat and hot water. Most of the fuel oil use was because I wasn't there to tend to the stove.

In 2007 or 2008, my pre-buy fuel oil bill for the house was almost $5,000 for 1,000 gallons.

Never thought I would pull my wood stove out, but I did in favor of a pellet stove that vents through the wood stove chimney.

Pellet stove paid for itself the first year I put it in

After putting in the pellet stove, my annual fuel oil use eventually dropped to 20 gallons/year. House was/is 76 degrees F 24/7, which also heated the upstairs to 66 degrees F. Fine for bedrooms.

While pellet costs have increased, I can heat the house for ~$1,600. My fuel bill the other day was $78, and I think that was for 2 years.

Pellet stove uses 300W when running. Can easily accommodate with a generator in a power outage. I have a 12kW unit now that runs the house, although I do have to hook it up manually.

Looked up your location:

Wahkiacus, WA Weather averages



MonthHigh / Low(°F)
January43° / 32°
February47° / 33°
March55° / 37°
April62° / 41°
May70° / 47°
June77° / 52°
July86° / 57°
August86° / 57°
September79° / 51°
October66° / 43°
November50° / 37°
December43° / 32°

If I had those kinds of temperatures, wood heat would work great.

No offense, but that's not cold weather...... You're seldom at risk of even freezing pipes....try -15 F with a stiff wind....

A few years ago, our AVERAGE temperature for the MONTH of February was 9 degrees.

The pellet stove kept up. The wood stove wouldn't have kept up, unless I didn't work nor sleep.

I'll replace the occasional circuit board gladly. Whether you like it or not I don’t care.

What works for you works for you.

What works for me works for me.

Certainly no argument on my part.

Best wishes.