Out of firewood (Bangor: 2014, houses, heat pump)

[AngelBy]

Compare the fuel brick with the firewood, do you think it's better, cleaner, easy to access & cost the same ?

[Maineac]

I put up a little more wood last year than the prior couple for some reason. I use my wheeler with a skid cone and can move tree length off the back 40 (no, not with this much snow) into the back field. I try to get it done by June and leisurely buck/split into October. Good therapy. Last year we burned less than 2 cords. This year we've gone through 2.5 already, but I gave away a truckload of split wood to someone who was running out in December and wasn't capable of cutting their own. I think we're good for the season, and next year there'll be more than this year. We managed to burn about 30 gallons of oil, though, when it was below zero some mornings. Sometimes that little dial on the wall is nice to bring it up from 62 degrees first thing while the old Ashley tokes up. We're heating a 3 bedroom house, and one thing I've discovered is keeping the firebox clear and ash free will keep the house heated and make the stove thermostat work well and avoid having to burn any oil. The Ashley holds a fire the 8 hours we're gone during the day, keeps the house above 62 (where we set the oil thermostat) and fires right up with a twitch of the woodstove thermostat when we get home. Very comfortable winter. Now if I could just stop those friggin' ice dams before they happen. Looks like a steel roof going on this summer. Glad I didn't go with pellets, and I understand the usefulness, but I've always contended it could be a problem at some point. Besides, with 50ac of firewood, it wouldn't make sense for us.

[MattieJensen]

We normally burn 8 cords during the winter. So far this year - with three months of winter left - that pile is GONE. We discovered we could burn coal in our two stoves. Best part - it's cheaper than wood and just as available.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by AngelBy

Compare the fuel brick with the firewood, do you think it's better, cleaner, easy to access & cost the same ?

A quick google shows that retailers say one ton of bio-mass fuel bricks roughly equals a cord of seasoned firewood.

I just checked with Tractor Supply in Bangor, one ton of their RedStoneâ„¢ Ecobrick is $335

RedStoneâ„¢ Ecobrick, Pack of 6 - Tractor Supply Co.


Going by that, fuel bricks run about twice of the price of firewood.

[AustinB]

Originally Posted by Submariner

A quick google shows that retailers say one ton of bio-mass fuel bricks roughly equals a cord of seasoned firewood.

I just checked with Tractor Supply in Bangor, one ton of their RedStoneâ„¢ Ecobrick is $335

RedStoneâ„¢ Ecobrick, Pack of 6 - Tractor Supply Co.


Going by that, fuel bricks run about twice of the price of firewood.

It depends on how you buy your wood. Ours is cut and split, $250.- a cord. truck length is much cheaper, but you get to do a lot of sweat equity for it.

the bricks are more expensive, but are very easy to store. Just make sure to keep them dry. It is nothing more than compressed sawdust after all.

[Coaster]

If you absolutely must buy firewood now, try to get ash. It runs generally drier than other hardwoods even when fresh cut. My neighbor went through the last of his wood pile almost a month ago and has been buying in ash by the truckload to keep his propane bill low.

In the past we also supplemented our fuel mix with coal. It really requires a grate to burn properly, but we would throw a handful of coal into the firebox along with a load of wood and it worked quite well. Our firebox was lined with fire brick, so we didn't have to worry about the coal burning through the side of the stove. The coal came from a "Free for the Taking" ad I saw in Uncle Henry's. A young couple had bought a home in Jefferson, and it came with over a ton of loose coal in the basement. They were horrified. I was only too happy to take it off their hands.

One point: If you do mix coal into the wood fire, do not use the ash in the garden.

[AngelBy]

Originally Posted by Submariner

A quick google shows that retailers say one ton of bio-mass fuel bricks roughly equals a cord of seasoned firewood.

I just checked with Tractor Supply in Bangor, one ton of their RedStone™ Ecobrick is $335

RedStone™ Ecobrick, Pack of 6 - Tractor Supply Co.


Going by that, fuel bricks run about twice of the price of firewood.

Thanks Submariner for prompt reply,

If one ton of fuel brick equals to 1 chord of good firewood but the price is double, I don't think I like to buy them.

[AngelBy]

Originally Posted by Coaster

If you absolutely must buy firewood now, try to get ash. It runs generally drier than other hardwoods even when fresh cut. My neighbor went through the last of his wood pile almost a month ago and has been buying in ash by the truckload to keep his propane bill low.

In the past we also supplemented our fuel mix with coal. It really requires a grate to burn properly, but we would throw a handful of coal into the firebox along with a load of wood and it worked quite well. Our firebox was lined with fire brick, so we didn't have to worry about the coal burning through the side of the stove. The coal came from a "Free for the Taking" ad I saw in Uncle Henry's. A young couple had bought a home in Jefferson, and it came with over a ton of loose coal in the basement. They were horrified. I was only too happy to take it off their hands.

One point: If you do mix coal into the wood fire, do not use the ash in the garden.

Can you explain more? Even if we leave the ash outside for 5-6 months, it still harms the soil/garden ... etc ?

[Coaster]

Originally Posted by AngelBy

Can you explain more? Even if we leave the ash outside for 5-6 months, it still harms the soil/garden ... etc ?

I've always been told that coal ash has heavy metals in it. IIRC it also is disallowed for organic grower certification for that reason.

[Maine Writer]

Originally Posted by slyfox2

Why don't people buy the wood they need in May of each year? This is when its available.

July here.

We started winter with extra wood. Think about how much earlier winter arrived, how early it got very cold, and how long that cold lasted. It's going to be very cold again in a week. We're supplementing now so that we have enough wood to get us through the end of the season. I'm upping the order from five cords to eight this year.