How much $$$ do you save by burning wood?

[Butch(OH)]

I am not sure how much we actually save because I have never bothered to keep track of the costs of wood heat. I can tell you what I paid for my wood heat system (little over 7K) and what I paid Columbia Gas the last year I heated with gas, 2005 (right at 3K) and what I paid them in 2006 ($350) I am heating my home, shop and domestic water with a Woodmaster 4400. Winter last year was mostly mild and this year hasn't been too bad either. Burned right at 10 cord last year and on track to do same this year. Problem is I like my man toys, 18 working saws sitting on the shelf, newly built super splitter with elevator, about 2K and labor in those two items. Fuel for trucks and saws, couple mauls, Fiskers axe, 'lectric chain grinder consumables like chains, trips for chiropractic. Who knows? Maybe If I could quit buying toys I could save 2K a year? Right now probably would be money ahead to buy natural gas

 

[kellog]

The house was using 1300-1400 gal of oil per year (previous owner) for heat and hot water. Now using 600 gals (probably 200 for heat and 400 for hot water / keeping the boiler warm.). So 700-800 gals of oil saved at 3.50/gal is about $2500.

I spend $500/yr on a logging truck load of wood (7-7.5 cord after cutting and splitting) and burn about 6.5-7 cord.

Spent just less that $3000 on stainless chimney & install, chain saw, homemade cord wood saw, trailer for lawn tractor, wood racks, chimney brush and other capital sundries (already had a stove from previous house and there was a stove set-up in the house already). Very little spent on consumables like gas, files, chain, etc. each year let’s say $100.

So at $3.50 /gal oil and 10% depreciation/maintenance on the capital and $100 on consumables ($2500-500-300-100) the real savings is $1500 to $1600 not including labor of cutting/stacking/moving/loading stoves, etc.

Having a 75 degree house all winter and not having the women complain about heat – absolutely PRICELESS. Not to mention that I really like the heat too, it is environmentally better, and we are not bankrupting the country by sending all our money to the foreign oil barons.

 

[stonykill]

I've never heated with anything but wood so my budget doesn't even have a place for heating costs. I do know that I'd have a major lifestyle change if I had to use fossil fuels to stay warm

Me either, at least not since the winter of 1990, my last winter with oil heat. I don't have a heating or hot water budget. In 1990 it cost me $1200 to heat the house alone, now I'm heating the house, workshop and domestic hot water. Guess I've saved a lot of money. No idea how much.

I enjoy cutting, scrounging wood in the warmer months. Its an excuse to run my saws. Everyone needs a hobby or 5

 

[Wood Scrounge]

By my calculation I will save 3200 this year, which pays for my new saw, splitter, trailer and about 500 left over

 

[johnha]

2650/sf split level house built 1969, meaning lousy insulation. Natural gas heat.

I recouped the cost of my stove($100), ss chimney($900), saw(s)($600), and logsplitter($1200) in just about one season when I kept track of such things. That was 6 years ago.

Used to keep the house at 62 with the gas heat. Last February, we put an insert in on the main floor in addition to the stove. I'll have to calculate how long that will take to pay for itself.

Past two nights it went down to 15F but it was over 70 in the house in the morning. The heat is yet to come on this winter. I'm waiting for the Ngas supplier to show up and accuse me of stealing gas.

Also, I scavenge all of my wood.

 

[reaperman]

I've never had a heating bill to speak of in the 20 years I've owned a home. I figure I've saved enough money whereas I should be able to retire a few years sooner. It looks good on paper, but reality says I'll be working until the day I die At least I'll be warm when I get home from those long days at work when I'm 80.

 

[Rob G.]

The quick answer:
Three year savings = $4,100 (conservative)
Fireplace and tool investment = $1,900
(that means I can justify up to $2,200 for a splitter and/or more saws)

The usage history is for a 900 sq ft house and the current usage is for a 1900sq ft house so my quality of life is better for less money.

My story of wood burning addiction:
This is only my third season burning wood.
I used to heat our 900 sq ft house with about 600 gal of oil.
I built a 1000 sq ft addition and added a 36" Fireplace Xtrordinair.
The first winter I burned wood, I used about 125 gal of oil to heat 1900 sq ft.
At that time oil was about $2.50/gal
475 gal oil saved times $2.50 is almost $1,200.
The second winter, I used about 200 gal (lots of variables, don't ask).
400 gal times $2.75 is $1,100.
This winter usage to date is about 15 gal (I'm getting better at this), so I expect to use about 75 gal.
525 gal times $3.50 is over $1,800
Heat even when there is no power..."priceless"
Fresh air and exercise from collecting/splitting..."priceless"
Minimal oil dependency..."priceless"
Three year savings is about $4,100

My investment so far: $1,900
The addition was to have a fireplace for asthetics anyway, so the price of a basic zero clearance is part of the addition.
EPA certified upgrade = $1,500
Echo CS440 = $300
Two extra chains $50
Maul, sledge, some wedges = $50

Running these numbers is a rewarding exercise.

 

[Rob G.]

The quick answer:
Three year savings = $4,100 (conservative)
Fireplace and tool investment = $1,900
(that means I can justify up to $2,200 for a splitter and/or more saws)

The usage history is for a 900 sq ft house and the current usage is for a 1900sq ft house so my quality of life is better for less money.

My story of wood burning addiction:
This is only my third season burning wood.
I used to heat our 900 sq ft house with about 600 gal of oil.
I built a 1000 sq ft addition and added a 36" Fireplace Xtrordinair.
The first winter I burned wood, I used about 125 gal of oil to heat 1900 sq ft.
At that time oil was about $2.50/gal
475 gal oil saved times $2.50 is almost $1,200.
The second winter, I used about 200 gal (lots of variables, don't ask).
400 gal times $2.75 is $1,100.
This winter usage to date is about 15 gal (I'm getting better at this), so I expect to use about 75 gal.
525 gal times $3.50 is over $1,800
Heat even when there is no power..."priceless"
Fresh air and exercise from collecting/splitting..."priceless"
Minimal oil dependency..."priceless"
Three year savings is about $4,100

My investment so far: $1,900
The addition was to have a fireplace for asthetics anyway, so the price of a basic zero clearance is part of the addition.
EPA certified upgrade = $1,500
Echo CS440 = $300
Two extra chains $50
Maul, sledge, some wedges = $50

Running these numbers is a rewarding exercise.

 

[PA Plumber]

Good thread.

We would have 4 fills per heating season. At approx. 200 gallons/fill and $3.00/gallon fuel oil, I guess that's about $2400.00.

Last year we used 5/8 of a tank of fuel with a wood guzzling, low effeciency woodstove. With the new Pacific Energy, I suspect that to be around a 1/4 of a tank or so.

We should be able to pay for the woodstove in one heating season.

 

[JBinKC]

I did the math when I first installed my Jotul stove (which included extending the hearth and stove pipe) plus 2 saws and incidentals like extra saw chains and splitting tools. I figured my payback period would be 2 years+1 month at $1.50/gallon propane assuming an average heating degree year.

Since then the prices have gone up some and I lost the ability to contract my propane which meant the winter fill ups were at much higher prices


Obviously, I recovered my costs at a faster rate.

Likely my next new purchase is to convert my propane tank for OTR use and buy a vehicle which uses propane so I can save even more money.

 

[olyman]

well--ive been burning for over 25 years----------so how much have i saved????????????????? tons--i built my own 30 ton logsplitter---30 years ago. but its gas powered--have to switch to diesel to save more cash-- wife gets on me!!! owned a small woodburner for 5 years--it died--then got a large 2 stage burn woodstove---still using it!!!!!!!!!! about 5 cords a year---on a not to efficent house!!!!!!! that will change this year!!! all new windows!!!! about 3 years ago, when the price of nat gas jumped--a two week bill--on a 96% gas furnace--was 128.00!!!!!!!!!ouucchhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Tazman1602]

Well, it's zero outside right now, and I was just thinking about how much money I'm saving by burning wood. And the more oil costs, the more I'm saving.

I figure that I'll save somewhere around $2500 this winter.

How 'bout you guys?

I've just been waiting for someone to start this. Wife and I have been married 27 years. For the first ten all we could afford to heat with was wood -- dang furnace never worked after consuming $350 worth of oil in 1981 dollars.

We built a new energy efficient house in 1989 and we built the house around a wood furnace. Used it for two years and then the cost of LP was pretty reasonable. I woke up one winter morning with the stove out and wondered what it would be like to just turn up the thermostat on the LP furnace................that was nice. No hauling wood, no mess, just turn the dial. We used LP and the wood furnace sat dormant for the next 12 or so years....................right up until 6 weeks ago.

The propane company we'd been with for 17 years came and put 272 gals in my tank and left the bill on the door. $3/gallon almost $900. I just about dropped a load in my drawers. NO WAY. At that rate I'm out almost $5 grand to heat the house.

$720 for ten pole cords of wood
$400 in new Husky 353 and other "stuff"
$50 woodsplitter rental (wife runs a rental place, had it for ten days)
$1170 TOTAL

12 days of cutting/splitting 10 pole cords with my 23 year old daughter -- PRICELESS! ALL DONE!

$5000 - $1170 = $3830 in savings even after I bought all the crap I had lost/given away or was just plain too old and heavy for me to work with anymore.

You know, I plain FORGOT how much I liked cutting that crap and working outside in the winter. Ain't real cold when yer humpin wood all day.

...........I got another 10-pole cord load coming next spring and am going to buy a splitter (and I *think* I've planted the seeds of another saw in wifeys head....) AND I'LL STILL BE AHEAD!!!

:greenchainsaw:

 

[jjett84724]

Hi guys, new to the site. My wife and I live in a moderate climate and were paying $300+ a month for gas and $150 a month for power. We just built a house and insisted on a wood burning stove. We paid $150 for the wood burning stove from a buddy of mine and expect to save the $300 a month in gas. Paid for itself in two weeks. I already had a saw and looking at your posts realized I have been had by my wife. I need a new saw

 

[Tazman1602]

I already had a saw and looking at your posts realized I have been had by my wife. I need a new saw

ONLY ONE???????

 

[grandpatractor]

I already had a saw and looking at your posts realized I have been had by my wife. I need a new saw

Dolmar 5100- 1 dealer in Hurricane and 1 in St George.:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[WVhunter]

I figure a couple of hundred a month on the electric bill and as much as $300 in colder months, so probably around $1500 a year.
Tom

 

[ktm250rider]

We bought 2000 gal of propane last year. So far this year we have bought 100 gals for hot water and cooking. Woodmaster 5500 gets me out in the woods and I get to clear trees for my mx track. If I didnt have my tractor already, it would have been a tougher decision. So far, its one of the best Ive made.

 

[Firestarter]

I'm in my third year in the house I'm in now. Previous owners went through a tank of propane a month they installed a wood furnace but didn't use it much. When we bought this house i checked out the furnace it was rusted out, NICE So I replaced the Wood Furnice 900.00 New Chainsaw and etc 500.00= 1400 at todays propane prices i use about 150 gal in the winter = 300.00 for hot water and back up, and when its real cold out like New Years DAY. Crappy insulation and windows soon to be fixed.

Previous owner bill oct- mar 1200.
my propane bill oct -mar 300.
furnace, saws, etc 1500.

Mine paid for itself last year.

Cool I Never figured it up before.

 

[spike60]

The propane company we'd been with for 17 years came and put 272 gals in my tank and left the bill on the door. $3/gallon almost $900. I just about dropped a load in my drawers. NO WAY. At that rate I'm out almost $5 grand to heat the house.

This was a great post. It would cost me the same or more, to fill my oil tank. A $1000 for a tank of heat can leave anyone shell-shocked. There is a stove store just down the road from mine, and the owner says that people have always calculated how many years it takes to recover the cost of a stove installation. In the past, it averaged 3 years, but now payback is usually accomplished in just one season. Makes it easy for people to take the plunge, and many of them also get fired up after one of those tank fills.

In my store, I've seen a lot of people like Taz, who are already set up to burn wood, but haven't bothered with it the last few years. Many of them say that they had grown tired of it and would only occasionally burn during a power failure, or real cold snap, if at all. But they are having the same reaction as Taz to those $1000 invoices hanging on the doorknob. Folks are dragging saws out that haven't been used in years. I've actually started to stock 59 driver chains for Homelites for the first time in 10 years. The strange thing is that firewood prices haven't really gone up in this area. Only about $25 a cord, but it will likely go higher before the end of the season.

Looking at the posts so far, it looks like we are collectively well over $100,000 a year in savings. Pretty impressive.

We're all pretty lucky that we have the ability to do this. Most of us seem to live in fairly rural areas, where wood is plentiful. And it looks like most of us get our wood for free as well. Myself, I've never paid for a stick of wood. Think what it would be like to be in the same boat as someone who doesn't have this option, and having to figure how to pay a few thousand dollars in heating bills. My former girlfriend had an old furnace in an old house, and was going through a tank a month. That's insane at current prices.

I'm going out to the woodshed and bring in a few more pieces.

 

[aandabooks]

$150-$200 per month depending on how cold it is. Natural gas though. Friend of mine at work put in a OWB and he hasn't used a noticable amount of LP yet. Last year he was having a 300 gal. tank refilled monthly. Any of them are worth it if a person is willing to put in the work.

Matt