Heat

[Lori]

I don't even want to THINK about another oil bill. We've always heated with mostly wood in the past but bought this house a couple of years ago and it's heated entirely with oil -- and only ONE thermostat!

So... we're installing our woodstove this summer and already have 3 cords of wood in.

Do many of you heat with wood too? What other winterizing tips do you have to cut down on fuel costs?

[Audrey]

Our heat is gas. I also have a small portable electric heater we can move from room to room.

[rachael24]

Wood has to be the best way to heat your home nowadays...I may look into switching

[WorkAtHomeSpace]

Double glazed windows, sealed doors with no drafts, throw on an extra sweater or blanket and leave the thermostat 5 degrees lower than normal, turn down the thermostat when not at home and when sleeping.

[eapoosmama]

yeah baby!

in a Vermont Castings Intrepid II.

so love my wood heat, forced air gas is just NO comparison.

Missing my woodsplitter!

[MaryAnn]

We heated with wood for 7 years and I had a love/hate relationship with it. I loved the wood stove but hated the soot all over the place. My walls and ceilings got so dirty from it. I hated stacking and lugging wood all winter through the snow.

We now have a very small house that my father built and I grew up in. We have a gas-on-gas stove that cooks/bakes and heats the house. We do not heat the bedrooms - I grew up that way, with no electric blankets! When it gets really cold, we use a small space radiator.

I worry about my sister this year. She lives in an house built in 1850. It is large and old and she heats with oil. She can't afford to upgrade the old windows and doors and yet she can't afford not too - KWIM?

[Nani]

Now that it's winter, I am much more motivated to talk about saving on heat bills! Maybe I'm nuts, but I HATE spending money for heat!! We turn the heat down to 50 at night and any time we leave the house, and only up to 60 first thing in the morning. We bring in as much sun as possible from outside, wear long johns, and drink hot cider or coffee to get warmed up when necessary. I'd much rather spend that money we save on anything other than heat!!

[eapoosmama]

Have the woodburner burning right now.

Has only been out for 2 full days since November 10th.

My late husband used to manage and split the wood.
I used to burn and keep the woodburner maintained.

This is the first year in 5 years I have had to become friends the the chainsaws. :)

but the quality of the heat is worth it.:)

[valg]

Ours is both a heat pump and a wood stove (we can choose). Wood is SO expensive to buy anymore, that sometimes I really wondering if it's a toss up with electric heat pump.

[jenn624]

We are residents in a 100 year old farmhouse. On a hill. In northern Missouri.

We use one of those infrared heaters, and an electric space heater for upstairs and another space heater in our bedroom.
We also use the oven when it gets super cold (and leave the oven door open after baking, etc), and we ran the dryer vent inside so every time we dry our clothes it pumps the house full of heat and humidity (and maybe a little lint, but its worth it).
We stay warm enough, but I'd like a wood stove instead of all these electric heaters. We've been talking about putting one in. Maybe someday...