What's it costin' ya'?

[Whitespider]

Lots of threads on how much is saved by burning wood for heat, but how 'bout one on what it costs?

Let's see, I cut all winter to keep the stove fed, what did I spend? Hmmmmm?

Didn't keep track of expenditures but, from memory...

• GAS - for the saw, splitter, truck and tractor, maybe 100-gallons? (And I cut all my wood on my own small piece of ground) At an average of, say $3.40 equals $340.oo.
• OIL - 4-gallons bar oil, 6-pack of mix oil, changed oil in the splitter twice, once in the tractor and pickup, let's just say... $125.oo.
• TOOLS - (other than gas power tools) let's see, I broke two log chains and lost half of one, replaced some plastic wedges, bought a skidding tong, replaced a maul handle, bought a winch for the tractor, broke the cable on the new winch, gloves, miscellaneous hooks, pins and whatnot, guessing $350.oo.
• CHAIN SAW - didn't buy one, but... bought 3 new chains, one sprocket, one air filter, spark plug, files, etc., say... $130.oo.
• SPLITTER - replaced the head gasket, spark plug, new carb kit, $50.oo.
• STOVE - new flue pipe and door gasket, $100.oo.
• BODY - aspirin, Tylenol, bandages, running the heating pad, ice packs, emergency room visit (hooked my knee with the saw which also ruined a pair of jeans), antibiotics (knee), beer and whiskey... conservatively $800.oo.
• DEPRECIATION - to be %100 fair you have to figure this in, every time you use any of the above you take some of its life away... get that much closer to replacement time... even like tires and such, soooo....... I'll say $1200.00.
  
• GRAND TOTAL - $2630.oo

Good thing I haven't caught CAD... yet!

 

[Ironworker]

$600-load of logs
$20-new chain
$40-gas
And what ever bar oil cost, I don't buy it that often.

 

[Circle B MN]

I'm burning all the end cuts, y's, knots, and junk wood from the firewood I cut and sell and year long. So in theory I'm getting paid to burn..$$$

I enjoy cutting wood, processing it, and hanging out with you guys on the interwebs...PRICELESS


:cool2:

 

[Streblerm]

It has occurred to me that I probably spend as much, if not more on firewood than I would have spent on fuel for my furnace.

But I enjoy firewood. Not so much paying the man for fuel. The other thing to consider is that every dollar you don't pay for fuel is really more like $1.50 in your pocket. You would have to earn $750 from your job to pay a $500 electric bill.

I think of firewood more as a hobby that pays for itself in some ways. I like chainsaws. The first saw that I bought would cut 90% of everything I need to cut, but the firewood helped justify bigger and more entertaining saws. I just bought a new splitter and immediately split 6 cords with it. I consider it paid for now.

If I didn't enjoy cutting wood, I might as well pay for fuel.

 

[Streblerm]

Let's look at some of the positives from cutting wood besides saving on heat.

Gym memberships are expensive, don't need one if you are processing wood in all your spare time.

I haven't bought any mulch for years due to all the splitter trash and sawdust. Green mulch and sawdust helps keep the weeds down better.

If you weren't cutting firewood what would you be doing? any hobby costs money.

I have sweat equity in all my equipment. I didn't buy a new 395 at $1200. I bought a basket case and some parts for $400. The same goes with my truck. All my firewood tools are paid for and worth close to what I have in them if they ever needed to be liquidated.

The quality of "warmth" is much higher in my home with the stove burning than with the heat pump. That quality opens the door to discussions of purchasing all kinds of cool stuff. Tractors, quads, bobcat...

Did I mention I enjoy firewood?

 

[Dalmatian90]

$30/cord is what I reckon my costs to be.

Used saws, hand split, cheap stove. So I don't have much invested.

I don't count my truck or mortgage/taxes since I'd still own the truck and land even if I didn't burn.

I *should* increase that $30 to account for damage to the truck due to trees exercising the right of self defense...have a passenger side mirror and tailgate that need replacement.

I *will* be increasing that $30 later this year when I buy a used EPA stove, but it'll offset the total annual cost by cutting my firewood need in half.

 

[tomsteve]

this year it cost me way more than expected, due to me getting my fiances truck stuck in a wicked mud hole while out gatherin firewood.
one of the great things about burning firewood is that any money spent on the wood itself is money that the gas company doesnt get. plus, i am buying american, and supporting an american worker.

 

[flyboy553]

Trucks,skidsteers, saws, splitters, PPE, tow chains, and axes are capitol investments, and will last more than one season. Their cost needs to be averaged out over their respective lifetimes. If I replace my splitter this season, I surely won't have to next season, etc. How long each of these things last is always open to discussion. Too many variables to have an exact number.
A truck's expense should only be considered during the time it is involved in wood cutting. Same with the skidsteers. This brings down the actual cost of making firewood considerably. If you are loading dirt with your bobcat, or going to your buddy's for a beer in your truck, your putting time on said machine that is not related to firewood so that time can't be counted. I spent $125.00 purchasing a back up saw this season, so that is my only new capitol expense.

Gas and oil, files, maintenance items(filters,files, etc) are not appreciated out over time. I figure I spent close to 1000 bucks on these items.

The wood stove I have was built in 1987, so it isn't a new cost and doesn't cost me anything, unless I count the electricity the blower uses.

Now, all that being said, I cut and burn firewood because I enjoy it! I mentioned in an earlier thread that people spend thousands of dollars on a late model dirt track race car with zero hope of recovering their investment in their hobby.
On the other hand, not only do I get to heat my home, my hobby helps pay for itself by selling some 50 to 60 cords per season. Plus, I am now selling bundled firewood. This is the first season so I dont know how that is going to work out, but I do have a contract for 3,000 bundles to one campground so it is looking good!

I will take that trade-off every day of the week!
Ted

 

[Stihl Rules]

Trucks,skidsteers, saws, splitters, PPE, tow chains, and axes are capitol investments, and will last more than one season. Their cost needs to be averaged out over their respective lifetimes. If I replace my splitter this season, I surely won't have to next season, etc. How long each of these things last is always open to discussion. Too many variables to have an exact number.
A truck's expense should only be considered during the time it is involved in wood cutting. Same with the skidsteers. This brings down the actual cost of making firewood considerably. If you are loading dirt with your bobcat, or going to your buddy's for a beer in your truck, your putting time on said machine that is not related to firewood so that time can't be counted. I spent $125.00 purchasing a back up saw this season, so that is my only new capitol expense.

Gas and oil, files, maintenance items(filters,files, etc) are not appreciated out over time. I figure I spent close to 1000 bucks on these items.

The wood stove I have was built in 1987, so it isn't a new cost and doesn't cost me anything, unless I count the electricity the blower uses.

Now, all that being said, I cut and burn firewood because I enjoy it! I mentioned in an earlier thread that people spend thousands of dollars on a late model dirt track race car with zero hope of recovering their investment in their hobby.
On the other hand, not only do I get to heat my home, my hobby helps pay for itself by selling some 50 to 60 cords per season. Plus, I am now selling bundled firewood. This is the first season so I dont know how that is going to work out, but I do have a contract for 3,000 bundles to one campground so it is looking good!

I will take that trade-off every day of the week!
Ted

Agree completely the heat is so much warmer and all the big stuff can be used for many years so they depreciate over the whole life of the item.

 

[iowa]

I don't know what propain cost is right now. I haven't bought any for 2 yrs. But I do know on average I would use 1500 gal a yr on a normal winter. 2000gal on a bad winter.

So 1500 gal. X $1.68 gal. is $2520.00

I recon all of my firewood equipment cost me roughly $5-6000.

I've been burning for 3 yrs now. So I'm well past the break even point. Right now it's just gas, time, and wear and tear.

 

[TMFARM 2009]

its good to keep track of expenditures..
my expenses are replacements this year.. well over what i would have incurred if just using utilities...but my last good saw lasted 15 years... we will be purchasing more equip. this year. cs680p and splitter, tractor, newer trailer...
so far we spent about $2000.00 but have sold almost a $1000.00 of saws this year so far..l&g and some farm equipment is being replaced also... some just being liquidated...when all said and done i should break even and have new equipment to use for the woods..

 

[arlen]

Propane Cost

I don't know what propain cost is right now. I haven't bought any for 2 yrs. But I do know on average I would use 1500 gal a yr on a normal winter. 2000gal on a bad winter.

So 1500 gal. X $1.68 gal. is $2520.00

I recon all of my firewood equipment cost me roughly $5-6000.

I've been burning for 3 yrs now. So I'm well past the break even point. Right now it's just gas, time, and wear and tear.

My last propane bill from Ferrellgas was 3.28 a gallon so 2000 gallons times current prices is $6,560 a year:msp_ohmy:

 

[Bigrod]

Hadn't purchased propane in over 7 years. Always cut and spit my own by hand until this year had to break down and by a splitter then the other day came across this bargain and had to have it. Do I need an 880, no but sure is nice to have 1 so I don't think I saved myself much this year but hey that happens from time to time. It fits right in with the others.

 

[rmount]

I don't think there is any "cost" to me burning firewood. Some years I may save a little more or less than the year before, but every year I come out ahead over paying for propane. All of the equipment I use for firewood I would own even if I didn't heat with wood. The time I spend doing firewood would be spent doing something else, fishing, drinking, golf, whatever and any of these would probably cost as much or more than cutting wood. I guess if I actually had a written down budget the extra costs of fuel, chains, maul handles etc. should go under the "Entertainment" category.

 

[mizzou]

I don't think there is any "cost" to me burning firewood. Some years I may save a little more or less than the year before, but every year I come out ahead over paying for propane. All of the equipment I use for firewood I would own even if I didn't heat with wood. The time I spend doing firewood would be spent doing something else, fishing, drinking, golf, whatever and any of these would probably cost as much or more than cutting wood. I guess if I actually had a written down budget the extra costs of fuel, chains, maul handles etc. should go under the "Entertainment" category.

+1. That is almost exactly how I look at it. I buy propane on contract and always get a summer fill, so the highest price I paid for propane was $1.79/gal. I guess that is cheap, at least compared to california. Like the wood heat much better.

 

[yooper]

I spend around 600-800 a year to heat the house. I have natural gas.

 

[moose5180]

I don't think i save any money burning wood vs. using our furnace.
But the heat is so much different and better than natural gas.

I work outdoors year round and in the winter time in Wyoming it can be hell. High winds and sub zero for months. There is no comparison to coming home to a wood stove burning than a furnace. Wood heat "soaks" into you. Heats you to the core. Furnace heat takes the chill off but seems to leave cold spots throughout the house.

People always comment when they come over and the stove is burning. How cozy and nice the heat is.

Between gas to the mountain to cut wood, chain saws, splitter, trailer, etc. There probably is no money actually saved in my case.

 

[CrappieKeith]

I spend $600-$700 for 6-7 cords of oak per year. No liquid fuel but a little electrical back up heat. If I used the liquid fuel I could blow through 500$ a month for 6-7 months.
I have to admit I keep my house to about 75 degrees here in north central Mn. It's snowing right now.

I should point out that although some here burn wood and claim not much savings...a more efficient wood burner could drastically cut down on the wood you burn ..maybe in half.
Others are heating with a stove that only heats part of the home.
A furnace can heat the entire home.
Some units maybe not giving the owners long enough burn times either...more efficient or properly sized furnaces/stoves should stop the back up from coming on at all.

A cord of well seasoned hardwood can make up to or almost the same heat 200 gallons of #2 fuel oil or 250 gallons of propane gas.
With today's pricing being what it is per gallon there should be no reason with an efficient properly sized wood burner that the pay back is substantial.

The average price of #2 fuel oil for home delivery on March 25, 2011 was
$3.70 - $3.86 per gallon.

The average price of L.P. gas for home delivery on March 25, 2011 was $2.40 - $2.87 per gallon.

 

[avalancher]

Can you save/earn money with firewood?Sure, as long as you keep track of your expenses, dont go crazy with the equipement, and watch the pennies.

Every dime I spend comes out of my wood account.Bars, chains, fuel, files, you name it.I started out cheap with a maul and a husky 455.Total investment was $600.After working hard all summer, I put that 600 back in, and my account grew to $4100 by the end of that winter.Sure, it was a lot of work splitting all that by hand and delivering it in a pickup,but it was worth it.I then upgraded to a 16ft trailer,a winch to pull the wood in, a bigger saw.Then a few more saws.Next winter I retired the 455 to back up duty and saw exclusively with the 357 and two 372's. then I invested in a powered splitter to speed the operation up.

All told, I heat my home, my 24X60 workshop, and every spring I upgrade something in the fleet.This year it was a nice 372xp before the old style was no longer available, and a new 200T, the only Stihl in my fleet.
With 6k left in my account, i paid for christmas presents, eating out money, pocket money,and the occasional repairs to truck,trailer, and saws. My goal is to next spring to walk into the Dodge dealer,plunk down $15K in cash and finance the rest for a new 3500 and will be counting on spring and summer sales to make the payments to boot.
Yep, you can save/earn money with firewood, but you have to watch the pennies, be satisfied with running equipement until they drop from old age, and above all maintain the things to get the maximum life out of everything.I spend a good bit on oil changes, grease, filters, etc but I have never been left along the road from a breakdown(okay, I lied.I did blow a tire on the trailer and had to be rescued by road service once)and have never had to leave a cutting site because of a saw going down.

 

[danrclem]

I have all of my equipment and have it all paid for. I already had enough oil to cut for several seasons and I know that I couldn't have spent over $50.00 on gas last year. My splitter can split a lot of wood on a couple gallons of gas. Even if I had added some bar oil and premix oil I still wouldn't have spent very much.

My 372 is kinda thirsty but it also cuts a lot of wood. I bought my last saw, a 346 almost 3 years ago. I get 95% of my wood within a few miles of my house. I cut more than enough wood for one season last year so I'm getting by cheap.

I haven't ever spent as much on equipment in one year as what my fuel bill would have cost me in that same year. The way I look at it I'm way ahead of the game and I love wood heat. I burned less than 4 cords last year but in cold winters I'll burn 4 or maybe a little more.