Brr, I may need to light the wood stove early

“I usually don't fire up the wood stove until mid to late October, but I was thinking about doing it this past weekend. Feels like we went from mid-summer to mid-fall in less than a week. Can't light it up yet even though my chimney's clean, I have several seals to replace before I can do that. Off to the stove store tonight.

Anyone else ready to fire up the "sun in a box" soon?”

“Not quite, yet but weather here is described as typical for October.”

“With a low last night of 79*F?”

“Ok, so no heat necessary for salebored. But our high today is 65F, so you can see why we need it. And we have the damp cold (I hate) since its raining.

We're ripping off the outer shell of our house in another month, and we'll be adding another layer of insulation before everything goes back. It will be much more air-tight, too. I'm really curious how much less wood I'll need this year. The last 2 I've burned about 4 cord.”

“I would love to add a wood stove to the house. Gotta fix up the basement and finish the landscaping first.

We have evening lows in the upper 50's around here. The 4 windows in our bedroom are open as wide as they go. Let the cool air in!”

“turned the furnace on the other nite for a while,hated to do that.”

“It hasn’t gotten out of the 50’s for the past few days here. I love it, nice comfortable t-shirt weather.”

“Be carefull about how tight you make a house. (been there/done that) A fire needs air to burn, usually seeps in from many places. I made my house so tight, I needed to crack a window for my woodstove. If it ever started to go out my carbon monoxide detectors would go off & we'd have headaches.

Been using a computerized kerosene space heater for years now. Very efficient & draws it's own air from the outside.

I'm thinking of finishing my rock walls for this woodstove & build up the base, but first I'll install pipe ducting to the outside where it can draw air.”

“I washed, sealed and arranged (I only rearranged them 5x, lol) the slate tiles for our hearth today. Tomorrow I'll mortar them and hopefully by the weekend I'll have grouted, sealed and trimmed the entire thing. It's 8x5 and it is going to be pretty.It's not anchored down but I don't think it'll move, ever, without being taken apart. The hearth sits in front of a half brick (red) wall. I'd really like to tile the entire wall. It'd be another 35 square feet of tiles to buy @ $1.97 ea. Maybe next year....but dang it'll be difficult once that stove is in. I think I need to talk to the finance department...

This project may get bigger.

Hoping to have the woodstove installed w/in two weeks. Hopefully prior to having to turn on the furnace. =)”

“Someone in the neighborhood is burning. Don't know if it's stove or fireplace.”

“"turned the furnace on the other nite for a while,hated to do that."
fingerlakeshiker

Yup, I had to do the same the other night, and it physically hurt to turn that switch to "on" and move the temp setting up so it would start. I pride myself on keeping the fire stoked over the winter so that the furnace never comes on (set to 66 as a backup). Its a game (compulsion?) for me.

catskhiker - I talked about that with my contractor last time I saw him. We're going to install a 2 or 3 inch pipe in the wall as close to the stove's air intake as I we can get it, with an adjustable closure. The prior owners of my house just took the rubber seal off of the garage door sill. So dumb. Not only is that 30 feet away from the stove, but the layer of hot air going to heat the rest of the house ends up moving in the opposite direction above that layer of cold air flowing towards the stove (!). Interesting effect when I'm walking around with bare legs - I can feel the difference in temperature from my feet to my knees in that hallway.”

“You go, Sass! That sounds like a way-cool project. It's getting very autumnal up here too. We went to DC to visit for a few days, and when we got back to Vermont yesterday, there were some trees with all red leaves. Projectile vomit! It's way too early for that kinda bidness.”

“I love it! Autumnal bliss.

The finance department vetoed my request for more tiles, mortar and grout. He also brought up a very good point....we have no idea how the brick wall is anchored to the drywall. Knowing the way the previous owners did everything else, they prolly used elmers wood glue or some such nonsense. So, I'd have to take the brick down and then install the tiles (which I feel is a great idea). The finance dept likes the stupid 1970s brick, unfortunately. Sigh.”

“Please. Trees that have totally changed color by the first week of September are obviously of the devil. It is more funner to cook & bake in cooler weather though, so there is that...

That'll teach you to ask permission, Sass! ;-)”

“First September in Vermont, ha ha ha !!!
Get used to it!
And where is Scary Carrie?

Got Sorels?


last edited: 9/06/06 11:32:41 AM”

“Oh boy. I thought I started this heating season with 2 years worth of wood (about 8 cords), and I have a grand total of 3 split pieces sitting under my tarp outside. Since the cold weather doesn't look like its letting up any time soon I think I'm off to the local sawmill for some slabwood on Thursday. I have plenty of wood, but none split or dry. At least the slabwood is ready to burn and I can get a whole cord with a half-day's labor.

This has been a very loooong burning season!”

“Yes it has. We have one log left. The furnace has been running for about three weeks now. =(”

“It snowed for about 5 minutes in North Alabama yesterday...my house is at 1600ft elevation. I've never seen it snow this time of year. It was fun while it lasted !”

“as sass said we are all out too. I am in the process of designing a new wood rack. It'll be 20ft long, 4ft wide and abour 6ft tall. Thats a heavy 3 cords. We'll see what that does...”

“I don't know how much wood I've cut, but it's a bunch and my wood stove still isn't installed (tho it's sitting in the mud room). When I get a little bored, I grab the chainsaw and cut wood. Should be plenty come winter. BTW, I think I may have figured a way to hike the AT again next year (I hope, I hope).”

“I think I may have figured a way to hike the AT again next year (I hope, I hope).”
Nimblefoot
5:45:37 PM


I suggest you try the method you used last time. I believe that was left right left right, repeat till maine LOL.”

“LOL, I experienced some difficulty with that method and am now considering right, left, right, left...”

“Looks like that troll is busted.”

“Ashley, you need to trim your nose hairs. ;)”

“LOL! Nothing like forgetting to log off...

Hey NF, make sure you wear hearing protection. Have fun cutting - that's the part I hate. I like splitting, though (with a machine, not by hand).”

“I cut with a chainsaw and split with a maul. It's still fun, but not sure if that will continue once realized that it HAS to be done. It helps knowing that good exercise is part of the process. My land is quite hilly and I'm still working on how to get either the tractor or the truck into the best areas.”

“The exercise is great. I'd rather be out there cutting/splitting/moving firewood than running on some treadmill. And then nothing beats coming in from playing with the kids in the snow and warming your hands by that woodstove...”

“or drinking a beer or two after you've split a bunch.”