The Economy of Wood Heat

[Whitespider]

Folks seem surprised when I say I quit drinking at 21 but there's probably good reason.
...I was a pretty competent amateur I 've never claimed I was a perfessional because perfessionals get paid.

Yes, professionals may be paid... but amateurs may also. The label, or title, of "professional" may also be a way of crediting/describing someone's background, training, experience, education, and whatnot. In an over-simplification... an "amateur" knows just enough to screw something up and can easily get-in-over-his-head, a "professional" knows just enough so he won't screw it up and is experienced enough to know when to quit before gettin'-in-over-his-head.
I gave up drinkin' (and a few other things) in my early 20's, spent 7 weeks in a rehab center... didn't touch a single drop for 18 years. Before that I screwed-up a lot of things in my life (and others lives), all of it attributable to my substance abuse. There's a big difference between me back then, and me now. Back then I was a "pretty competent(?) amateur"... now I'm a "professional".
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[olyman]

I get wood free so my cost is fuel and time. We burn about 4 cords a year.

I have a diesel truck that is pretty fuel efficient. I rarely drive more than 20 miles one-way for firewood. Lately I have scored wood from arborists that removed trees. I pick it up on the way home from work. If I fill my truck and trailer I can haul around 1.5 cords per load. To be conservative let's say I average 10 MPG loaded, truck and trailer. This is very conservative because I average 20MPG empty. I'll say 40 miles one-way or 80 miles round trip. If I bring 4 loads home I burned 32 gallons and at $4/gallon (high) I spent $128 in diesel.

I'll be conservative again and say $50 in gas, 2 cycle oil and B/C oil. I'm up to $180.

I bought a pile of chains from a dealer that went out of business a few years ago. They were demo chains and all were only used once or new loops. I paid $4 each and have a minimum of 6 loops for all my firewood saws but one. I file by hand and buy files in bulk.

I buy clothes for outdoor work I probably wouldn't if I didn't heat with wood. I have safety gear like chaps, safety screen glasses and hearing protection too.

I split with a maul and found a local hardware store chain that gives a lifetime guarantee on wood handles for my two mauls. I can't believe they exchange them but then again they made up the rule not me.

I never bought a piece of power equipment new. I either bought my saws not running and fixed them or used. I have an old log splitter that someone gave me because the engine threw a rod. They asked me to haul it to the dump. I brought it straight home.

I figure it would cost us around $200 - $300 per month to heat our house. I think I am way ahead.

Now for the benefits that are hard to quantify.

I am a mechanical engineer. I sit at a desk and work on the floor when they need me. We have a gym at work that few take advantage of. I go daily. The trainers ask me what my goals are. I tell them I want to spliit hard oak all day. No one seems to understand. I lift weights and run every day to stay in shape for firewood season.

I pass physicals with flying colors. An engineer in my industry did a study on retirees. The average aerospace retiree collects 9 pension checks. Cutting and splitting wood keeps me active, helps me relax and burn off stress. Plus there is nothing more peaceful then standing out in the woods, in the beauty of nature with a 90cc chainsaw screaming wide open in your hands.

I know how to do things others where I work don't. I fix broken machines with my own two hands. I don't pay people to work on my house, cars or equipment. I have skills that are practical that I can and do use every week. I love rebuilding saws that were straight gassed or run lean. I sell saws I don't want or need. I may or may not have a problem collecting chainsaws (CAD) so pretty much all the money I made rebuilding saws went back into saws. - but I can quit anytime, honest.

I grew up with wood heat in Illinois and I plan to bring up my two boys the same way. At 6 and 4 they help stack wood as much as they can. A life outside doing things in the yard will be so much better than TV and video games.

I can't put a price on these things. I know am ahead financially heating with wood and the savings has only grown with the passing years. As far as I am concerned the benefits I can't quantify far outweigh the benefits I can.

Bob

you can quit at aaaaaaaany time ....you know how many times that's been stated on here,, by others???????????? and the rest of the post,,is dead on!!!! what is EXCELLENT health worth..and time spent with the kids!!!!! PRICELESS!!!

 

[olyman]

Where I live we have NG 0.43 cents a gallon 16 miles away it is $1.19 a gallon whats wrong with this picture

ripoff???? why,, it couldn't be ANY gas or oil co!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[1project2many]

Yes, professionals may be paid... but amateurs may also. The label, or title, of "professional" may also be a way of crediting/describing someone's background, training, experience, education, and whatnot. In an over-simplification... an "amateur" knows just enough to screw something up and can easily get-in-over-his-head, a "professional" knows just enough so he won't screw it up and is experienced enough to know when to quit before gettin'-in-over-his-head.
I gave up drinkin' (and a few other things) in my early 20's, spent 7 weeks in a rehab center... didn't touch a single drop for 18 years. Before that I screwed-up a lot of things in my life (and others lives), all of it attributable to my substance abuse. There's a big difference between me back then, and me now. Back then I was a "pretty competent(?) amateur"... now I'm a "professional".
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I don't believe that's a sufficient way to separate the two groups. I've spent many an hour repairing vehicles fixed incorrectly by other professionals. For many years it was a big part of my job. There were plenty of times they did their best and tried, but just didn't understand the whole problem. I don't think it would be fair to say they weren't professionals because they didn't know enough to stop. These are guys that did everything they could to fix a customer's problem but just didn't see it they way I did.

I've also been extremely impressed by maintenance and repairs performed by amateurs. There are guys out there that go above and beyond in ensuring tools and equipment receive all the care that's required and more. They know what they can do, they know what they shouldn't do, and they know who they trust when they can't do a job. But these guys aren't doing this for paycheck or profit. All they receive is satisfaction. I don't believe it would be right to call them professionals.

In my opinion the professional has an obligation to watch his bottom line while an amateur can dedicate all the time needed to produce a desired outcome. If you look at a competitive field and try to associate "professional" with "all the time needed to do an excellent job" you'll only find disappointment. I came into the business of vehicle repair as an amateur who enjoyed doing the job as well as could be done. It took many years to reconcile that with what it takes in the industry to be profitable and take home a reasonable paycheck. It takes maturity and integrity for a professional to sacrifice the bottom line when a job requires more time than profitable. It takes a level of financial security for that professional to continuously spend additional time on jobs in order to maintain a reputation. And it takes customers who understand the sacrifice and respond with true appreciation, and with payment when required, in order to keep that professional in the industry long enough to become the guy you're describing.

 

[Whitespider]

Oh man 1project2many, the whole being a "professional" beer drinker thing was tongue-in-cheek... I sure weren't lookin' to go round 'n' round 'bout what constitutes one
Heck, I'd much rather argue 'bout bias ply vs radial tires
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[1project2many]

Oh man 1project2many, the whole being a "professional" beer drinker thing was tongue-in-cheek... I sure weren't lookin' to go round 'n' round 'bout what constitutes one
Heck, I'd much rather argue 'bout bias ply vs radial tires
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Ohboy... @Whitespider, You're fairly "biased"about that subject. I'm not going to risk getting "belted" in a public forum.

Maybe it's just me but the house is far more comfortable when there is a fire going in the wood stove. It's something deeper than the heat that I can't put into words just now. I love ending the day out here in the light of the Christmas tree and the warm glow of the fire as the rest of my family sleeps. No tv, the only sound is the occasional crackling of the fire. After the stresses of the day what kind of $$$ value would you put on this?

That sums it up for me.

 

[Rickochet]

I do just because I love to cut wood. Plus my wife loves the warmth of the wood stove. A happy wife is priceless!!!!

 

[firebrick43]

Oh man 1project2many, , I'd much rather argue 'bout bias ply vs radial tires
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Reminds me Spidey. Wife's car needs new tires. What should I get? Only got 90,000 miles out of the Michelins that were on it. What junk huh!!!

 

[Whitespider]

Well, I put radials on my wife's car... it never leaves the road, and she refuses to drive in bad weather.
Ain't no sense givin' her more than she can appreciate
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[mn woodcutter]

Bias ply tires suck unless you are driving off road.

 

[Overclock]

Mary Christmas you SOB's. lol

 

[.404]

Dang it was 80+ degrees today. When is this wood heat going to start paying off again?

 

[bert the turtle]

I'm a physician in my day job so if I price my wood heat on a lost-wages basis I'm losing a fortune

I price it based on enjoyment of working the wood up and enjoyment of burning it. I'm 47 and hand split all of it, elm and sweet gum included so there is a health/ exercise benefit. My wife like what swinging the maul or sledge does for my body, so that factors in. Best of all is the relaxation and psychological benefits. Calculating that way, I am far ahead.

 

[svk]

I'm a physician in my day job so if I price my wood heat on a lost-wages basis I'm losing a fortune

I price it based on enjoyment of working the wood up and enjoyment of burning it. I'm 47 and hand split all of it, elm and sweet gum included so there is a health/ exercise benefit. My wife like what swinging the maul or sledge does for my body, so that factors in. Best of all is the relaxation and psychological benefits. Calculating that way, I am far ahead.

I hear you loud and clear. Love my day job and it pays well but nothing like putting up a couple cords of wood.

 

[tla100]

Have not read all posts, just first page, but my homeowners did not go up any with a wood stove in the basement.

 

[olyman]

I'm a physician in my day job so if I price my wood heat on a lost-wages basis I'm losing a fortune

I price it based on enjoyment of working the wood up and enjoyment of burning it. I'm 47 and hand split all of it, elm and sweet gum included so there is a health/ exercise benefit. My wife like what swinging the maul or sledge does for my body, so that factors in. Best of all is the relaxation and psychological benefits. Calculating that way, I am far ahead.

bring some of your ........."sized" patients over,,for a bit of training!!!

 

[ashy larry]

Hello guys. I installed a dreaded hotblast this year in my carport because in my area of NC it seems everybody is ditching wood in leiu of natural gas or propane. With my little 950 sqft farm house the hotblast could keep it 100 if I wanted. But really I just enjoy the fire and cutting wood. Ive had no trouble scrounging for wood, although storage has become an issue. You always sleep a little better after a day of working wood.

 

[pro94lt]

Where I live their is no natural gas, only electric heat, which works fine in a newer well insulated home, my home is not new it's old heat was turned on only 3 or 5 times this year and that was only because of 40 degree temperature swings this spring. My home would be miserable without a wood stove. I love having to leave doors open when the highs are below freezing...