money saved
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iCreek
ArboristSite Guru
We did my OWB install ourselves and the stove was used (free) from a family member. I spent around $1K, and figure it will pay for itself in one to two years. We cut wood on our own land, so that's free except for the saw gas/oil and labor...
Here's a quick list....
60' 4" pipe as house to stove conduit $85
1 ea 4" long sweep 90 $25
200' 3/4" PEX tubing from Lowes $90
200' 5/8" pipe insulation from Lowes $40
100' 3/4" Blue pipe for water $40
15 bags of Concrete Mix $45
120' thermostat wire free
100' 12-2 Electric wire free
100' 14-3 Electric wire (future) free
Misc. brass/copper fittings $50-$75
18"x18" water to air heat exchanger $250
AIC water to water heat exchanger $150
New White Rodgers Thermostat $100
Rent Concrete Core drill and bit $45
Hardy H2 Stove (used) free, brother in law
HVAC work free, other brother in law
Backhoe / Concrete work free, father in law
HUSKYMAN
Addicted to ArboristSite
Lighten up Huskyman... My position is not what it seems. I love cutting wood and actually make it my winter time hobby. I have used a wood stove in my walkout basement for about 10yrs now. I love the warm cozy heat it brings to the house. I've looked at the OWB's many times and wish I could justify owning one. Most people in my area with relatively new homes experience utility bills similar to mine if they own an average size home. I'm basically trying to figure out what I might have over looked about their attraction. When I hear someone say they saved 10-12,000 over a 2yr period I'm thinkin wow, they must be spending on utilities what it would cost to by a new house. Thats where I'm coming from.
Sorry but I have not heard of anyone with a single woodstove having utilities as cheap as yours. As Butch said, since you have cheap utilities you have nothing to gain from an OWB
hydro2
ArboristSite Operative
When I built my house 10 years ago my gas bill in the coldest month was $120.00. When I decided to put in my outside stove in 5 years ago my bill in the coldest month was $280.00. I heat my mom's house, my house and my garage with my stove. My basement was around 58 degrees before my stove. I had all the heat shut off down there. Not a good choice, but I did in not want to pay to heat it. It is now 70 degrees. My mom's house is not that well insulated and I would imagine that we are saving around $700 to $800 month during the coldest months. I did not start my stove until the end of October this year and my gas bill went from $24.00 per month to almost $90.00 for the month of October and it was pretty warm this year. If it was 90 then, what would have it been in Jan. and Feb.? There are people I work with that have $700.00 a month gas bill and keep there house at 60. Yes they are big houses, but.... Has my stove paid for itself? Sure has! Would I cut wood if I could heat my house for $120.00 a month in the coldest months. Sure wouldn't! I hate being taken advantage of and that is what is happening with gas and oil. The enjoyment I get from not giving my money to the gas company would almost make it worth it even if I was just breaking even. I loved it when they called my house and wanted to know why I had not been using my normal amount of gas. They wanted to know if I was using an alternative heat source. I told them I did not have an alternate souce of heat. The women then got hateful and threatened to send out somebody to come and change my meter. I told them that they were the ones footing the labor and the cost of the new meter and I would look forward to a replacement. They never worried about a meter replacement when my bill went up. That was not a problem for them. I never got my new meter. I was a tad dissapointed. I aways say that if I hit the lotto for millions I would still burn my wood stove and pay somebody local to deliver wood. I would much rather give it to a local wood supplier than a gas or oil company. I am not cheap and like to spend money, I just don't like being ripped off and throwing money away. I like to have something tangable for my efforts. My electric bills are over $100.00 per month every month and I don't leave lights on when I am not in using rooms. I still don't know what to do about that one. A friend of mine installed a windmill and has not had much luck with it.
Depending on where you live.The cost of heating with wood can be just as exspensive as propane or natural gas. I live in wyoming and have access to pine and poplar.Poplar provides such a fast burn time,its not worth the hassle. Pine requires me to drive up the mountain,which costs gas,vehicle maintenance etc.Not to mention saws and other upkeep. Granted I like dumping trees and running saws.
I can burn coal for around $40 a ton delivered and dumped in my hopper.I burn 4 tons of coal a year and heat a 2800sq ft. home.I've kept the heat at 79 and still only burn 4 tons a year. The only thing that comes close to this economy is wood pellet,but you burn twice as much pellet as coal.
Unless you've got access to wood that simply drops from the sky into precut piles next to your burner.Wood costs more to heat with then people are willing to admit.
I can burn coal for around $40 a ton delivered and dumped in my hopper.I burn 4 tons of coal a year and heat a 2800sq ft. home.I've kept the heat at 79 and still only burn 4 tons a year. The only thing that comes close to this economy is wood pellet,but you burn twice as much pellet as coal.
Unless you've got access to wood that simply drops from the sky into precut piles next to your burner.Wood costs more to heat with then people are willing to admit.
JBinKC
ArboristSite Operative
I agree costs are going up to harvest wood and I have even been reluctant to travel 60 miles round trip to a woodlot I am being semi pressured to clean up. I am more inclined to take my chances and buy a cutting permit on corp land.
jjett84724
ArboristSite Guru
We moved in on January 1st this year. We have been spending about $300 a month on electric bill. We don't have gas or propane. Not too bad. I didn't get enough wood cut this fall to make it through the entire winter. Won't make that mistake again. Still a huge improvement over the house we were living in before this one. We were averaging $450 a month in utilities during the winter.
huskystihl
Addicted to ArboristSite
I have an airtight which is pretty much top of the line and that cost $4000, you can get them for a lot less but you get what you pay for. I can heat the entire house and I mean 78 degrees if I wanna crank it up. I figure this thing paid for itself in three years, and there is nothing better than a woodburner on january day.
I haven't bought a drop of fuel oil in 4 yrs. It's all about choices, i don't like wasting money, or making the utilities richer. Tell me I don't have a choice and i have a problem with that. We already heated with wood in our old farm house, closer you got to the kitchen the faster you went as stove was in the living room. When we got our owb 4 yrs ago all has changed, even heat, unlimited hot water, no smoke in house, no mess. I liked burning in the house but love the owb. Electric bill stays the same cause i have two pumps to run, owb and the inside boiler(hot water baseboard), i trip the breaker on the water heater when i fire up around mid October and burn till mid May. My heatmor was around 5 grand when I installed it, I did all install to save money. No idea how much they are now, or the cost of fuel oil for that matter. So we all have choices, my only regret is not getting it sooner.
i have saved 150 $ on electricty so far only 6weeks of operation i did get in to it with the gas company all ready its 3.50 a gallon just wanted a liittle propane but it was no 700.00 $ min i said come get your tank it will take me 2 years to break even the rest is my money i even dug the ditch from the house to the woodstove just took 10 to 12 hours not bad total i have 5,500 in everything not bad
hydro2
ArboristSite Operative
Hee hee I got a neg. rep. for not using paragraphs. Did not realize I was writing the thesis for my Master's Degree. I thought I did that 10 years ago.
