Well after this winter i have decided that i need to find a way to better heat my house. My average heating bill was 500-600/ month all winter long and i just can’t seem to be okay with that.
I heat with heating fuel, NOT PROPANE, and the cost is up to 3.80+ per gallon so when i do a full fill up it’s 1200 bucks and only lasts 2 months max or i can do a half which is 600 to last me 30 days.
I know that my house is not exactly efficient because it’s old and i have been updating slowly but surely as i can afford it. I need to update windows, etc. to keep the heat in a little better but still this is getting a little out of control.
My question is can i use another form of heat, like a wood burning or pellet stove or something. I can get firewood for free because i have 68 acres of land with trees and stuff. or i can buy pellets in bulk or whatever.
So if you have a something besides just natural gas or fuel, what are you using? Do you like it? how much does it cost?
Also most of my house is plaster, not regular drywall, and i have heard that a wood burner or pellet stove will dry it out and crack the plaster? anyone know if this is true.
While I can’t speak too much to how to heat your house, I can say that making the investment into insulation and better windows is worth every penny. Plus, you get 1/3 of every dollar back at tax time when it comes to energy savings.
If I were in your position I’d put together a 6 month plan starting today for realistic renovations you can make to the house. I also like the wood heater idea, bonus points for having acreage to pilfer from.
I would do the wood-stove routine, especially with the free wood.
Get the wood cut NOW though for the next 2 winters (Typically want a full year drying time at least; can get away with just the summer, but a full year+ is better).
As for the drying out, it can; so most people keep a cast iron pot on top of the stove, and just keep it filled with water to add humidity to the air. The drying is more pronounced with the older wood-stoves that used inside air as combustion air. If you get one of the newer high-efficiency ones, they use outside air for combustion which helps with the humidity dry-out issues; I still suggest the pot of water though.
Think that pretty much answers your question. Free material is tough to beat, even if it does mean some manual labor. The humidity issues are easily solved with humidifiers.
I grew up in the county where everyone used fuel oil though and never had bills that high. Even these last couple winters they haven’t been that high for my family still living there and heating with fuel oil. I’d start with a home energy audit. For around $100 they’ll come in and give you a list of things you can improve and explain which ones are critical and really costing you money.
From experience I’ve learned that using your dryer to heat your house doesn’t really work.
But really, since you have the acreage I assume you have the space to put an outdoor wood burning stove/boiler. You can use larger pieces of wood and it utilizes a heat exchanger so humidity issues aren’t a concern, plus it can heat your water too.
My parents are in the same boat. Oil is just getting out of hand. They use the boiler for only hot water and to get rid of the chill if need be. Wood stove in the basement heats the floor and acts like radiant heat. Down stairs will be 80 degrees, up stairs will be 65-70, usually burn 4-5 cords a season. They have land so wood is free.
Another thing to look into is a outside wood boiler.
You have been in my house. Its 74+ when the wood furance is rocking.
I found a display model on CL at a dealer and just plumed it into the current ducking, made our own cold air box.
Have your chimney instepced and clean it now and them. I had to clean mine twice this winter.
Burned about 20 cord of wood with the fire going 24/7.
k. I bought a Blaze King Chinook last season. Thermostatically controlled catalytic wood stove. Smolders the wood, burns the gas that comes off. I have 700sq/ft and never once been overheated. Even when it’s 40-50 degrees outside. Been burning 24/7 since November… Only time I let the first go out was last week. 30+ hour burns on a single load of SOFTWOOD (Pine, catalpa, willow, cottonwood mix).
Expensive as hell compared to regular tube style EPA stoves… but worth it if you want to heat 24/7 in the shoulder seasons especially.
Chinook was $4300, drove to Syracuse to buy it.
Don’t forget to consider the cost of a chimney and if you’re going to do it yourself or not.
Also talk to your insurance co. Mine didn’t care about a wood stove. Some companies will terminate your coverage or jack your rates. Plenty of horror stories at hearth about it.
The wall behind my stove gets to about 90-100F when the stove is burning on high (600F stove top)
I doubt that will crack plaster. If it’s a concern just make sure the stove you get has good rear heat shields.
edit;
you can get money back on a new EPA stove just like insulation btw.
Wear warmer clothes, use blankets and turn the heat down. We keep our winter heat no higher than 67*F.
Insulating that house would make a huge difference. Blown in is your best bet as to avoid tearing through a bunch of stuff. To save money you can use the plastic wrap kits on the windows.
LOL no fair you have insider knowledge. I don’t leave my door open anymore…We always use blankets etc. cuz you know how frisky we are around the house… and we did the plastic stuff and all that the last few winters and she never lets me turn it up over like 62-63 degrees.
Thanks for all the help guys, im looking for down the road savings, i would rather spend a little extra now to save alot of money down the road. Heating oil isn’t getting any cheaper thats a given. In fact they told me it’s going up at least a quarter.
---------- Post added at 05:16 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:14 PM ----------
Glad you posted in here, i was feeling bad about our situation, hopefully no hard feelings bud. Ill always be here for ya regardless
My parents were complaining about their heating bill as well. (I think my dad went through 1.5 - 2 tanks this year. )
Put in a old style wood burner in the basement and burn wood when you have a chance. If you fill it before work and when you come home it will help keep the costs way down. In my buddy’s house that is what they do it they have natural gas lol.
A cheap and easy way to use a wood burner is to find a nice old used one on craiglist or something and install it properly. Monitor the exhaust for build up and clean it as needed. Burn as much wood as you can when you are home and just keep your normal heater set to the min you like. (In your case 62.) Your main heater will kick on much less, thus saving you money. As a bonus you might get them temps up to 65-68!!
I hope Deathproof see’s this I know his dad goes through a couple cords per year to save on winter bills.
We updated our furance’s but the drafting in the old farm house sucks.
My mom burns corn. Holy hell does it burn hot. It can be -5 out and 75 in there palce. everyone is in shorts.
IIRC they just plumed it more like a dryer vent then a chimney.
Does your place have a chimney?
I heat my shop with a Lopi Pellet stove, heated my previous house before I moved. Ton of pellets is ~$200, 50-40lb bags. About a bag a day if you’ve got it cranked up pretty good, day and a half if you’ve got it set to simmer.
