View Full Version : Anyone heating with wood or alternative fuels?
C'mon, someone has to share my joy (pain) in heating with wood...
Anyone?
My aresnal includes a Husqvarna 142 downgraded to 14" bar with a Stihl non safety chain, and my father in law's Stihl 029. 10 lb maul, 6" and 4" wedges, 50' chain, 1989 chevy s-10 4x4 pickup, 4x6 utility trailer (newest edition) and a bottle of 98% deet bug spray. Wood furnace is a Newmac wood oil combo, 24" burn chamber.
My father in law has 200+ wooded acres consisting mostly of sugar maple, cherry and yellow birch.
Anyone?
I like camp fires when I'm camping. Other than that, I don't need to induce heat in my dwelling. I endure the heat from electronics and use air conditioning nearly year-round.
King of Snake
09-09-08, 01:00 PM
No, just veal blood as per usual
LostVoyeur
09-09-08, 01:34 PM
Heat ? isn't that the once a year thing I turn on just to say I did it ?
vincentstuntdbl#23
09-10-08, 11:27 PM
I gotta a large electric space heater, but I've found for my small apt. that the regular gas heater works better & slightly cheaper. Of course I don't keep it very hot in my place. ;)
Vitriol
09-10-08, 11:44 PM
I like to start a nice fire using plastic shopping bags right in the middle of my apartment.
I gotta a large electric space heater, but I've found for my small apt. that the regular gas heater works better & slightly cheaper. Of course I don't keep it very hot in my place. ;)
You should use the gas whenever you can... electric heat is by far the most expensive, unless you are with a co-op electric company and your rates are cheap (or you dont pay for your electricity). they have new infared elec heaters that are alot more efficiant... you should look into them
I like to start a nice fire using plastic shopping bags right in the middle of my apartment.
Ooh, thats got to be great for air quality...
Leia Amos
09-11-08, 02:16 PM
I like to start a nice fire using plastic shopping bags right in the middle of my apartment.
Lol, don't you dare! :p
I heat with gas in the apartment when we use it. However, alt fuels wood be my choice... the new place I am looking at has a wood/gas fireplace so I might be able to test with that. Go environmental healing!
melostmo
09-11-08, 02:36 PM
I used to lurve
heating w/wood
in the winter
i don't hang out much
in the winter
anymo
I heated my house with wood for 3 winters. Took out the oil burner and designed and built central wood heat...made a water jacket for the woodstove, circulated the water to a 300 gallon storage tank and from there it would be circulated through the house when called for by the thermostats.
I still have the control panel for it. At the time I worked in a place that made electro-mechanical equipment so I was able to steal all the relays and indicator lights and sensors to do it right. It worked flawlessly and I did it all on 3 cords of wood per winter. I sucked so much heat out of that wood that the smoke came out the chimney and was so cold that it just poured down the roof to ground level. Honest!
But after 3 years of all that mess, all the ashes and puffs of smoke coming back into the house and chimney fires, several of them, I bought a new, efficient oil burner and took out the woodstove.
Sals
wickedsweet
09-15-08, 12:02 AM
The house I'm in now uses gas, the one I'm moving to uses oil, both have fireplaces which I very seldom burn.
ILoveEko
09-16-08, 07:11 AM
My parents use a wood pellet stove to heat in the winter. Works wonders.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_pellets
I heated my house with wood for 3 winters. Took out the oil burner and designed and built central wood heat...made a water jacket for the woodstove, circulated the water to a 300 gallon storage tank and from there it would be circulated through the house when called for by the thermostats.
I still have the control panel for it. At the time I worked in a place that made electro-mechanical equipment so I was able to steal all the relays and indicator lights and sensors to do it right. It worked flawlessly and I did it all on 3 cords of wood per winter. I sucked so much heat out of that wood that the smoke came out the chimney and was so cold that it just poured down the roof to ground level. Honest!
But after 3 years of all that mess, all the ashes and puffs of smoke coming back into the house and chimney fires, several of them, I bought a new, efficient oil burner and took out the woodstove.
Sals
You had chimney fires because your stack temp was too low, causing creosote to build up in the flue, and at that point all it takes is a spark and its up in flames!
We bought a new stainless steel liner that boasts the ability to have a lower stack temp and not even allow the creosote to build up. $1200 later, we'll see how it does...
The house I'm in now uses gas, the one I'm moving to uses oil, both have fireplaces which I very seldom burn.
Fireplaces are the most innefficiant wood heat possible. they are great to look at, but you only get 10% of the avalible heat out of wood.
My parents use a wood pellet stove to heat in the winter. Works wonders.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_pellets
those are all the rage now, with high fuel prices and all. Even in my area, people are installing them like crazy.
PhishCake
09-25-08, 09:29 PM
Good for you CLUCK!!! Having that much FREE (I;m assuming) wood at your disposal, you'd be foolish not to take advantage. Logging is hard ass work!! I don't need to tell you . Living in Vermont, we try to get as much of our own wood as we can. I have a fireplace in my living room, and a big ass honking woodstove in the basement. I no longer have axcess to free wood anymore. Just as well, I'm getting too lazy/old to do it myself anyway. I've been keeping my eye on prices in the local papers, and they have been soaring. I've seen it as high as $225 for a cord of green. Yup GREEN!! So when I saw it for $175 dry, I hopped on it. I just got the first cord stacked in my basement and I have 4 more ordered. Nice looking wood also, the trees have been down for 2 years now. (So the guy says). I also burn home haeting oil, but this year....much, much less.
Good for you CLUCK!!! Having that much FREE (I;m assuming) wood at your disposal, you'd be foolish not to take advantage. Logging is hard ass work!! I don't need to tell you . Living in Vermont, we try to get as much of our own wood as we can. I have a fireplace in my living room, and a big ass honking woodstove in the basement. I no longer have axcess to free wood anymore. Just as well, I'm getting too lazy/old to do it myself anyway. I've been keeping my eye on prices in the local papers, and they have been soaring. I've seen it as high as $225 for a cord of green. Yup GREEN!! So when I saw it for $175 dry, I hopped on it. I just got the first cord stacked in my basement and I have 4 more ordered. Nice looking wood also, the trees have been down for 2 years now. (So the guy says). I also burn home haeting oil, but this year....much, much less.
Dry, seasoned split hardwood is averaging $190-$175 around here...
My step mother just got 5 cords for her mother, log length... $500.
I had our first fire in the new furnace last night... only took me 45 min to get it going! I guess I should have been a boy scout...
I heated my house with wood for 3 winters. Took out the oil burner and designed and built central wood heat...made a water jacket for the woodstove, circulated the water to a 300 gallon storage tank and from there it would be circulated through the house when called for by the thermostats.
I still have the control panel for it. At the time I worked in a place that made electro-mechanical equipment so I was able to steal all the relays and indicator lights and sensors to do it right. It worked flawlessly and I did it all on 3 cords of wood per winter. I sucked so much heat out of that wood that the smoke came out the chimney and was so cold that it just poured down the roof to ground level. Honest!
But after 3 years of all that mess, all the ashes and puffs of smoke coming back into the house and chimney fires, several of them, I bought a new, efficient oil burner and took out the woodstove.
Sals
The plumbing schematic (I am not a draftsman :rotfl:)
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b88/salspalden/img070.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b88/salspalden/img071.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b88/salspalden/img073.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b88/salspalden/img074.jpg
It worked perfectly for 3 years but the mess and effort got the best of me. It was fun to build, though. It was in the early 80's, btw.
Sals
melostmo
02-01-09, 10:57 PM
all I can say is
I used to really enjoy
sitting around
the old wood stove :)
My shoulders hurt, moved 3 more cords into the basement yesterday.
Found in the Land of Lost
02-02-09, 02:14 PM
The plumbing schematic (I am not a draftsman :rotfl:)
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b88/salspalden/img070.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b88/salspalden/img071.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b88/salspalden/img073.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b88/salspalden/img074.jpg
Now THAT is hot. :)
Now THAT is hot. :)
Anytime you wanna see my schematics, ya know;)....just sayin' :D
*clears drafting table*
Sals
LostVoyeur
02-02-09, 06:39 PM
my heat comes from the SUN
in these here parts we don't need no stinking heat
melostmo
02-02-09, 08:40 PM
mo + wood stove + wood + kero + match = HEAT
if you need a schematic for this < abort :D
mo + wood stove + wood + kero + match = HEAT
if you need a schematic for this < abort :D
Caveman :nanabobo:
Sals
Caveman :nanabobo:
Sals
I don't remember cavemen having kerosene!
Sals, I'm going to employ you to help me build the worlds most efficiant heating system... you will draw schematics for me. and paint. and be funny...
I don't remember cavemen having kerosene!
Sals, I'm going to employ you to help me build the worlds most efficiant heating system... you will draw schematics for me. and paint. and be funny...
It's a deal...I had fun building that and came across systems even better...mine was unsealed, an open system. I saw one setup, built by a welder, which used a 200 gallon stainless steel tank and used auto radiators as heat transfers to the baseboard and domestic HW....I know it sounds Rube Goldbergish but it wasn't :rotfl:
Sals
Found in the Land of Lost
02-04-09, 05:17 PM
Anytime you wanna see my schematics, ya know;)....just sayin' :D
*clears drafting table*
Sals
Wow, that's a pretty impressive T-square you have there. :innocent:
Wow, that's a pretty impressive T-square you have there. :innocent:
You should see my protractor. :D
Sals
melostmo
02-04-09, 11:49 PM
Caveman
Sals
city folk :nanabobo: ..:D
You should see my protractor. :D
Sals
it all looks good .. on paper
i'll 'file' that :bump:
RoseArienh
02-05-09, 12:29 AM
I don't like to brag, Mo, but I'm a country girl and I never needed kero. Just sayin' ;)
melostmo
02-05-09, 03:03 AM
aww, that's OK Rosie
I wouldn't consider that a brag
I'd expect most country gals to know other methods
even some City gals :bump:
RoseArienh
02-05-09, 03:05 AM
And I really did heat with wood for a long time. I don't miss carrying and stacking one little bit. But I miss the fire.
It's a deal...I had fun building that and came across systems even better...mine was unsealed, an open system. I saw one setup, built by a welder, which used a 200 gallon stainless steel tank and used auto radiators as heat transfers to the baseboard and domestic HW....I know it sounds Rube Goldbergish but it wasn't :rotfl:
Sals
The next system I do is going to be a closed system with storage and in floor radiant heat with like 20 zones.
Im hoping to come up with a design that can heat 2500sq ft with 3-4 cords a year, including a catalytic freestanding stove in the main living space.
I don't like to brag, Mo, but I'm a country girl and I never needed kero. Just sayin' ;)
Me neither... although sometimes I use those little square fire starters. I haven't quite mastered the newspaper yet.
The next system I do is going to be a closed system with storage and in floor radiant heat with like 20 zones.
Im hoping to come up with a design that can heat 2500sq ft with 3-4 cords a year, including a catalytic freestanding stove in the main living space.
I heated 1500 sq ft with 3 cords per year but my system was inneficient and open. You should be able to do that with a closed system and esp with radiant heat.
Will you use pvc tubing for the radiant? And 20 zones? That's a lot of thermostats...LOL !!
Befriend a good welder!!!
Sals
I heated 1500 sq ft with 3 cords per year but my system was inneficient and open. You should be able to do that with a closed system and esp with radiant heat.
Will you use pvc tubing for the radiant? And 20 zones? That's a lot of thermostats...LOL !!
Befriend a good welder!!!
Sals
PEX.
Not really 20 zones, realisticly probably 3-4 zones (i hate heating space not being used to 75*)
going to heat the garage too.
Hopefully everything will be more efficiant than now... I am staring down the barrell of 8 cords this year... had anticipated 5-6. We have gone through 5 1/2 so far.
Anything I can do to cut down consumption I will!
melostmo
02-06-09, 08:15 PM
I heated 1500 sq ft with 3 cords per year but my system was inneficient and open. You should be able to do that with a closed system and esp with radiant heat.
Will you use pvc tubing for the radiant? And 20 zones? That's a lot of thermostats...LOL !!
Befriend a good welder!!!
Sals
hey Sal, I was just messin' w/u on the schematic stuff
U know that, right ? http://www.losttv-forum.com/forum/images/icons/icon12.gif
hey Sal, I was just messin' w/u on the shematic stuff
U know that, right ? http://www.losttv-forum.com/forum/images/icons/icon12.gif
*slowly gets over the hurt*
:nanabobo:
Mo....you're my pal. That's the way you're supposed to talk to me.
Sals
melostmo
02-06-09, 08:55 PM
Originally Posted by melostmo http://www.losttv-forum.com/forum/images/002/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://www.losttv-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2577177#post2577177)
hey Sal, I was just messin' w/u on the schematic stuff
U know that, right ? http://www.losttv-forum.com/forum/images/icons/icon12.gif
*slowly gets over the hurt*:nanabobo:
Mo....you're my pal. That's the way you're supposed to talk to me.
Sals
+ c *fixed* I knows
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