We updated our fireplace with a wood stove, we love the efficiency and reduction of our heat pump. One of our local arborists sells the wood from trees that he cuts down. This load was $600 delivered and had between 8-10 cords of red oak and maple cut to fireplace length.

As soon as the weather turned cool we started splitting wood, we considered it good great way to be outside and productive at the same time.

Wish I could get a deal like that ! I love splitting fire wood.

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Originally posted by PASig:

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Originally posted by David Lee:
Keystoker is right in Pennsylvania. They sell Obadiah built coal inserts. Pea, nut and stove coals. Last I knew coal is 1/3rd the price of oil. That coal insert is self feeding and runs 48 hours per fill. Great heat.

Good point! I hadn't even thought about coal

You can probably dig it up in the back yard!

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Originally posted by Genorogers:
Wish I could get a deal like that ! I love splitting fire wood.

"He Who Chops His Own Wood Is Twice Warmed"

You guys remind me of when I was young.... I could cut and split wood all day long... now 20-30 minutes is just about my max.... my only point being that heating with 'cheap' wood is a young man's game... nothing wrong with it.... but as you get older it is not nearly as much fun.

We moved here in 1985, 4.3 acre "yard" with lots of standing hardwood trees. We started burning wood a couple of years after we moved here, buying the first couple of loads from an independent tree service. Decided that there had to be a better way, so I bought a chainsaw, installed a fireplace insert and got started. Our place is nicely warmed in the winter, have not bought wood since about 1987. I would estimate that 90% of our heat comes from that insert. The insert has a blower which we can regulate and cycles a lot of warm/hot air thru the house. And it is a fairly large house, too. Our "whole house" heat is electric. The insert does a pretty good job of keeping the house warm without the electric heat.

We burn 80% wood. We are lucky to live on 17 acres of woods. This county is 47% national forest which is another option for wood. You can get a permit to cut up fallen trees from the forest service. Around here there are all kinds of down hardwood along side the forest service roads.

I have 2 pellet Stoves and a fireplace. Pellet stoves are using 1 bag a day each and a ton of pellets is $300 where I live. Must be cleaned once a week and it is a dirty job. I would choose gas or wood if I had the option. Good luck.

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Originally posted by florida boy:
You can get a permit to cut up fallen trees from the forest service. Around here there are all kinds of down hardwood along side the forest service roads.

That is a win-win for everyone except the utility companies.

I had a great gas insert years ago. It had a fan in the back, which spun as the fireplace heated up. It worked very well, and saved me a lot of money once the kids moved out cause all we really heated (until just before bedtime) was the living room.

You get more BTUs with Coal than any other fuel source. However, your flu must be rated for the heat that coal will put out. I assume the modern coal stoves/inserts are much more efficient than they use to be decades ago.

That is smallest 8 cords I have ever seen, let alone 10

I burn about three and a half cords a year in my shop. Pretty much keep a fire going all the time. I done it for decades. So I know firewood.