# Wood Stove Advice?



## Old Mission (Dec 26, 2009)

I would like to get a wood burning stove to help heat our home but
am not sure if its worth it, we do not have any woods and would have
to buy most our wood, but there are many places around there that sell it for around $45 a cord. We have planted thousands of baby walnut trees that someday will be used for wood but not anytime soon. We do have a few mature trees that need to come down and a large stack of wood from trees and branches that come down in the past.
Our furnace is gas and our bill is about $200-$300 a month in winter,
the thermostat is set at 69 but the house never seems to be 'warm'
but is still comfortable you just need sweats and a sweater.
So I not only want to save $ but I want the house to feel warmer too.
We have a tight budget so we cannot get any solar or a wind turbine
or a outdoor type wood/corn stove or geothermal. So wood stove for now is the only possible option I know of. 
Our house is 2000 sq ft, 2 story. Insulated pretty well, could use some
improving in a couple spots, need new windows (we have plastic over
them all right now) thats next on our list.

Would it be worth it to get one? and what should I look for when buying
one?
And is this something we can install or selves or better left to a pro?

Thanks, Stephanie


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## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

Stephanie,

A good woodstove will knock that gas bill about completely out....but you need to understand wood is a messy fuel compared to gas....more dirt and dust involved. The more "open" you house is inside, and less spread out, the better a single stove is at heating it.

Get a good, high efficiency stove ( 75% and above ) with the gasifier 're-burn' type system ( NOT the catalytic converter that has to be replaced from time to time ). Regency brand is a good one (...there are many others ) We have one...it's 86% efficient.....3 cords of wood will do us all year, and keep the house WARM....and it has been in the mid 20's for a high for the past week.

If you can get wood for $45/cord ( and a cord will NOT fit in a standard pickup truck....a CORD is a 128cuft of wood....4'x4'x8' stacked ), that's a great deal.... cheaper than anyplace I've ever heard of.

If you know nothing about wood heating appliances, get it professionally installed....it's not something to fool around with if you don't know what you're doing....and there are so many variables involved ( do you have an existing chimney, and so on )

AND there is a federal tax credit last year and this year for 30% (up to $1500) of the stove/install price......so Uncle Sam is buying you 1/3 of it ! ( assuming you pay taxes )


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## gertieok (Jan 6, 2010)

Stephanie, 

I applaud you for looking for better ways to heat your home. TnAndy makes some good points about how woodstoves would be good for you.

I wanted to share some even better news! 

My husband and I have a Sedore stove. We found it when we were looking for a heat source that would get us off the grid.

It's technically a furnace, as it burns not just the fuel, but also the gas the fuel puts off. That makes it more efficient than a standard woodstove.

And, the best part is that the Sedore burns just about anything. Your fuel bill will be far lower than what you were expecting at $45/cord. With the Sedore you can burn things that don't work in standard woodstoves: pellets and corn, PLUS cardboard, paper, yard clippings, scrap wood, woodchips... and more!

Many Sedore users have been able to find free fuel sources since it is so versatile.

And, it qualifies for the federal tax credit.

We bought ours from this website:
http://sedorestoveWEST.com

Good luck!

Gertie


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## barnyardgal (Sep 21, 2009)

You'll never regret putting in a wood stove...yes,it will save lots on gas...i have an outside wood furnace and also a fireplace insert and love them both but hate the mess..so gotta give a little.......i also buy my wood but its still worth it....i can spend 450.00 on winters wood and or spend that in one month in heating with gas...and my house is almost 3000 sq ft and 37 years old......


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## Texas_Plainsman (Aug 26, 2007)

As far as getting wood, just keep your eyes peeled all year. People are always taking out a tree of having them knocked down by ice.


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## Michael Kawalek (Jun 21, 2007)

Hello Stephanie

I second or third the others recommendations for wood. Is there state or federal lands in your area that allow wood cutting? I used to get a US Forest Service permit to cut wood on Forest Service land. Perhaps you could do the same.

You might find a good woodstove on Craigslist. Keep in mind though, that the money you spend installing the chimney is likely to be more than the stove itself. For a DIYfer, you'll pay 500-1000$ for all the pipe. Add labor to that if you have someone install it for you. 

But, you'll love to soaking warmth that a woodstove can put out!


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## woodsy (Oct 13, 2008)

Some things to consider:
Homeowners insurance if you have any, check with them to see if they will cover you with a wood stove and what they require for an inspection , if any.
Some of these companies can be a real PIA.
Do you have a separate chimney flue for the wood stove ? And is it lined with tile ? What condition is it in ? I don't think a backup oil or gas burner and wood stove are allowed on the same chimney flue, draft issues.
If you remove the oil or gas furnace and hook into that flue then you will be considered to have wood heat only and many insuance companies will not insure your place at all.
If you can work those issues out than buy a all-nighter type stove, one that will hold 
a fire and coals for 10-12 hours.
Do you have children, ? consider the double wall type box stoves (Ashley type) as they are not so hot on the outside as Steel and Cast Iron stoves, Burns can be severe from the latter two.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

We heat using outdoor boilers, its a great system but pretty pricey. I still have my oil furnace, but I took it apart last year and havn't re-assembled it and I even took out my indoor wood furnace. Yup those outdoor boilers work great. But then thiking about it I put in a wood stove where the furnace was. I use it now and then but its really there for power outages so we can have heat between powerign up the blower, and we can cook. Mind you the house is much cozier when its burning some pallet chunks or even a little hard wood. If you have a pick up truck you should be able to scrounge free wood, geez I've even seen it on freecycle!


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## Old Mission (Dec 26, 2009)

Thanks everyone for the tips and pointers! It will help a lot.


Stephanie


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## conscious (Jan 4, 2005)

Hard to believe anyone would want to mess around selling a whole cord of wood for $45. We pay $60 for a face cord. You might want to double check your price but even at $45/face cord, its still dirt cheap.


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## gusty60 (Jan 18, 2010)

Texas_Plainsman said:


> As far as getting wood, just keep your eyes peeled all year. People are always taking out a tree of having them knocked down by ice.


Get 90 percent of my wood this way.


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## Helena (May 10, 2002)

You have to also think of the independence it will give you and your family to be able to heat and cook without the outside utilities. Even if you spend money equal to utilities..which I'm sure you will not..the independent lifestyle is what you are after. You can usually scrounge around and get wood here and there and then buy cords as you go. But...send me the name of the guy selling wood for $45 a cord...I'll even pay Fed EX to deliver at that price !!:nanner:


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

I am betting your "cord" is actually a face cord which is one third of a full cord. Watch out anybody selling a "rick" of wood. That has no legal definition and is basically whatever the seller wants to define it as. There are local customary definitions of a "rick" but that can be anywhere from a face cord to a half cord. 

Buying firewood is real gamble until you find a seller you can trust. All sorts of tricks to stack the cord of wood very loosely so you get far less than a real cord. And many times what you buy will be greenish so really needs to cure for another year to get best heat value out of it. Old timers would mix some green in with dry to slow the burn. Ok in fireplace or possibly non-airtight stove, but not something you want in an airtight. You will get creosote pretty bad if you do.


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## 1fast68 (Apr 20, 2009)

Everyone's already given some good advice. I'll try to add some from my experience with wood stove only heat. I don't have a central heating or AC system. I live in the south so the winter isn't as hard here. We burn about 4 full cords of wood each year. We have a single story home with a very large living room and dinning/kitchen open to that area, a hallway that leads to 1 bathroom and 3 bedrooms. Any of the bedrooms and bathroom are always 5 - 10 degrees cooler than the living room/kitchen area. We have an old steel stove and now that I have got my doors to seal better, I can close everything down over night and still have coals the next morning. It is messy, my wife is a clean freak and it's a constant chore to keep the stove area clean and dusted. Around here people sell "ricks" of wood for $45, it's understood that it's a half cord. But a real cord 4x4x8 would be logs that are cut to a 24" length, most people can't burn wood that long and so most of the wood cut is only 18 to 20 inches long. Try to get a stove that will fit a 22 inch piece of wood (measure the opening to see what will fit, don't take the manufactures specs). If you don't deal with wood now and you want to take advantage of other peopleâs fallen trees, factor in that you will need the tools to do that with. Chainsaw, axe, splitting mall, trailer, truck. For myself since I cut so much wood I bought a good Stihl chainsaw ($600), I had an axe and splitting mall, after the first year I hand split wood, I bought a log splitter ($1,600), then a used trailer ($600). Getting a wood stove is something I recommend to everyone, but be aware of the expenses that go with it. You will have to clean the pipe every year or every other year depending on how hot you burn your stove, figure the price of hiring someone to do it vs. buying the ladders and tools to do yourself. Just a side note: Don't loan your tools out unless you can afford to replace them. If you feel the need to let other people use your stuff, offer to help them do the job, that way you know your tools are taken care of.


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

1fast68 is right- buying wood would certainly depend on if that is a better option due to lacking all the equipment he mentioned or having any health condition prohibiting the hard work involved. DH built our log splitter, due to not finding a suitable industrial hydraulic one that would split the dry 2nd growth wood we had lying all over our backyard. Yes, it did the trick and has been a great piece of equipment. We also have three chainsaws, multiple axes, splitting mauls, and DH built us a large wood shed. Just this last month, we got 75% of the firewood we will need for FREE. The County workers were clearing the sides of the road of trees, limbing them, and leaving the logs lie. DH went home, got his truck, and went back for three full loads of Alder. We won't have to pay for any more wood for next year. Fairly soon, DH will invite his sons over for a firewood splitting party. All four men will be hand-splitting, using chainsaws, and also taking turns using the wood splitter. Last year, they put up all our firewood for the entire Winter in one day. That is about 5 cords. We may need more this next Winter as the wood stove was converted to heat our water, too.


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## Mac_ (Sep 27, 2009)

A friend of mine in NE Ohio buys his firewood as green logs from a logger. It's delivered on a logging truck with a cherry picker to unload it. Then he cuts it to length and stacks it. There is a seller of firewood in my area that buys his logs the same way, then cuts and stacks it to dry.

Just one more option to consider.

Mac_


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## davel745 (Feb 2, 2009)

Mac_ said:


> A friend of mine in NE Ohio buys his firewood as green logs from a logger. It's delivered on a logging truck with a cherry picker to unload it. Then he cuts it to length and stacks it. There is a seller of firewood in my area that buys his logs the same way, then cuts and stacks it to dry.
> 
> Just one more option to consider.
> 
> Mac_


This is what we are going to do this year, buy two truckloads, hopefully about 16 cords

I might add we are getting a Sedore stove also. After a lot of looking this unit best fits our needs.

Best regards

Dave


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## Mac_ (Sep 27, 2009)

There is a calculator at the following link where you can enter your costs for electric or natural gas and your costs for firewood and calculate how much you can save with wood heat.

http://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/articles/fuel_cost_comparison_calculator/

Also, there are a lot of wood stove reviews at "hearth.com"

If there are any members in NC, Buck stoves are made in western NC.

Mac_


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## Sully (Feb 29, 2008)

Great advice on this thread.
I grew up in a well insulated house with a woodstove insert in a fireplace. Foothills an hour's drive are full of beetle killed lodgepole and fir. No hardwoods. The most fun hard work I can remember is cutting wood. We would throw sleeping bags and Dutch ovens in the pickup and head for our cut. Forest Service allowed lots to non-commercial cutting at no cost. Dad would cut dead standing trees, and I would follow up with axe and limb them. Cable on pickup hitch used to drag logs to staging spot where Dad would cut into four foot lengths. Cut enough to load the 3/4 ton pickup and call it a day. The Dutch ovens would be ready for whatever Mom brought. 

Listen to the coyotes sing and sleep under the stars. Next morning, load the four foot lengths and drive down to the creek. Catch a few trout and enjoy a lunch creekside.
Get home in time to unload pickup and see to whatever needed.
Late summer was spent cutting logs into stove sized lengths, splitting and stacking.

Dad always said burning wood warmed you twice. Once cutting and once burning.

Keep in mind wood cutting tools are designed to cut, and they aren't particular what they cut. Be safe !

I do wish I could convince my neighbor that green elm isn't good firewood. He stinks up the whole area.

Please excuse the reminice, It was a good memory.


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## tarbe (Apr 7, 2007)

I loved your post, Sully.

Took me out of Houston for a couple minutes!


Tim


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