Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Originally Posted By: IndyIan
OT
I really don't understand why more people don't have a woodstove though.
$3k installed, lasts forever, no major maintenance required, fuel grows on trees, needs no power, fuel storage for a year require no infrastructure, no price manipulation [censored], no taxes paid on the fuel(usually). Most people need the exercise of moving wood, or even processing if they want a real workout.
$3,000 gets me almost 5 years worth of propane. Add to that the purchase cost of the wood at $150-$200 per cord times about 4 cords per winter = $600-$800/year. Then I have to rig up a dry place to store it (let's say $200 worth of building materials and we'll amortize it over the 5 year period mentioned above).
So in the 5 year period mentioned above it will cost me between $1,840 and $2,040 each year, where I currently pay $700-$800/year for fuel.
There's also my time which has value. I have no desire to trudge out a couple times a day and get wood to stoke the fire and spend the time keeping the fire going. We also have a fairly large 4,200 square foot house, and a wood stove at one end means extremely cold temperatures at the other end of the house and in the basement unless we rig up a bunch of box fans. No thanks.
There's also the stink of burning wood, which I don't care for and don't want in the house. And my current HVAC system also filters and humidifies the air, which burning wood in a wood stove can't do.
There's also the insurance rate increase with burning wood because it's a higher risk for fire.
So maybe now you'll understand why many of us don't burn wood for winter heat. Unless you have access to cheap or free firewood it doesn't make sense, and even then it may not be desirable.
I suspect you don't really care if propane is $6/gal, that's fine, but many people do care about the price.
Also a modern wood stove doesn't release smoke inside the house and if you are burning properly you will barely notice it outside.
We have a pretty optimal land and house set up for wood burning so it works quite well as our main heat source, and it takes all of 5 minutes to bring in 2 arm loads and load the stove 3 times a day.
As a backup/alternative heat source I think its pretty hard to beat for many people, but it requires some manual skills, knowledge, planning, and some physical work which I guess makes it a "waste of time" for many.
I like doing it though, its fun to run the saw, and falling trees well is satisfying, as you are sort of making something from nothing even if you are just collecting wood from a friend in town when they need to have a tree taken down.
Its probably my only hobby that pays quite well too as our propane is always around $2.50/gal.
I also love the smell of a woodstove operating!
