Author Topic: Another heating thread: lowering fuel costs (Read 10618 times)

cfabe · « **Reply #25 on:** September 16, 2005, 11:57:23 AM »

A little more on the wood burning front. I've found another couple possible sources of free, dry firewood. I've also found that there are a few companies manufacturing plate steel woodburners in china that are very reasonably priced. They are tested to UL spec and some are airtight and EPA certified. Just called the insurance lady to see what their requirements would be for installing a wood stove and if it would increase the premiums; she's getting back to me with all the details. So this may still be an option for me. I really like the idea of heating with wood, I love having a fire going in the winter.

280plus · « **Reply #26 on:** September 16, 2005, 03:32:45 PM »

cfabe check this link, this is the worlds most perfect wood stove. It is made of soapstone which holds the heat much better than an all steel. Very efficient. Very attractive too.

http://www.vermontwoodstove.com/

Actually, if you do a search on "soapstone wood stoves" more styles and dealers of different brands will come up. I just happen to be familiar with the VT one.

Blackburn. to replace and existing furnace in CT anyhow shouldn't go more than $3000 - $4000 depending on what you go with, but that's a ballpark so don't quote me..

K Frame · « **Reply #27 on:** September 16, 2005, 07:53:15 PM »

Depends on the furnace, Blackburn, and how much associated work is required with it.

Your best bet? Get a bunch of quotes, but make sure that they all quote to the same specifications.

The soapstone stoves are nice, but they're not cheap at all.

CFABE,

Be sure to include the cost of a chimney liner or stove stack in your estimate. Many areas require that, if you vent a freestanding woodstove into a chimney flue, that you line it with a smaller diameter pipe. This can add several hundred dollars to the overall cost.

Even if your zoning requirements don't call for this step, it is an EXTREMELY prudent thing to do.

280plus · « **Reply #28 on:** September 17, 2005, 12:14:41 AM »

Quote

This can add several hundred dollars to the overall cost.

or more...

Quote

Even if your zoning requirements don't call for this step, it is an EXTREMELY prudent thing to do.

+1

Mike, I said those stoves were GOOD not CHEAP! Wink

K Frame · « **Reply #29 on:** September 17, 2005, 04:44:49 AM »

CFABE seems to be worrying about finances as much as the the cost of natural gas, so I'm not so certain that a $1,500 stove would be up his alley.

280plus · « **Reply #30 on:** September 17, 2005, 08:37:40 AM »

I'm just trying to show him what's out there. He can decide for himself. One of those would probably pay for the extra cost in just a few years. If I was in the market for a wood stove I wouldn't consider anything else.

Guest · « **Reply #31 on:** September 17, 2005, 02:58:58 PM »

I am madly in love with that stove. It makes me want to bake bread.

This house I eventually build will be exceptionally warm, but I won't be able to afford a refrigerator by the time I get done with the heating.

280plus · « **Reply #32 on:** September 17, 2005, 04:58:17 PM »

That's funny, it makes me want to EAT bread...

Wink

K Frame · « **Reply #33 on:** September 17, 2005, 06:04:54 PM »

That's funny, I have a loaf of sourdough oatmeal in the breadmachine right now...

Guest · « **Reply #34 on:** September 18, 2005, 02:05:12 AM »

I'm eating toast but its not really the same. Cheesy

cfabe · « **Reply #35 on:** September 18, 2005, 07:47:51 PM »

Yea, a $1500 stove probably wouldn't fly. Waiting to hear back from the insurance people, then I'll call the city and see what they require as far as installation / flue liner, etc.

280plus · « **Reply #36 on:** September 19, 2005, 12:35:31 AM »

Quote

Yea, a $1500 stove probably wouldn't fly.

You're not supposed to fly them...

Tongue

Brad Johnson · « **Reply #37 on:** September 19, 2005, 06:25:10 AM »

Quote

Yea, a $1500 stove probably wouldn't fly.

You're not supposed to fly them...

Well, given enough headwind, horsepower, and wing surface...
cheesy

Brad

cfabe · « **Reply #38 on:** September 19, 2005, 06:51:29 AM »

You know I'm really kind of wondering how much heat I can get out of the normal fireplace with the heat exchanger that's in there now. it has glass doors which are probably pretty leaky but I wonder if I put in some sort of weatherstripping if it could get anywhere close to airtight enough to be somewhat efficient.

280plus · « **Reply #39 on:** September 19, 2005, 10:23:06 AM »

Can you post pictures of it? Let's see what youve got. If you haven't been using the fireplace it's a good idea to have the chimney guys come out and look at and/or clean it. You don't want to burn the house down. Looks bad on the resume. Wink

Oh, I'll be needing to know where to forwrd the bill(s) for the consultation...

shocked

cfabe · « **Reply #40 on:** September 19, 2005, 10:41:05 AM »

Yeah, I can snap some pictures when I get home tonight. The heat exchanger is home-made, I built it after a friend's unit. I do need to have the chimney cleaned, but I think I'm just going to order the brush and do it myself.

280plus · « **Reply #41 on:** September 19, 2005, 11:56:06 AM »

You have to make sure the mortar between the flue tiles is intact so no fire sneaks through and into the framework of the house.

K Frame · « **Reply #42 on:** September 19, 2005, 12:00:00 PM »

I'll second that.

It's a good idea to have the chimney visually inspected every few years if it's seeing moderate use.

Friends use their fireplace fairly regularly, but finally decided to have someone come in to give them an estimate to remortar some loose bricks at the top.

He did a visual and discovered that a HUGE chunk of liner had, at some point in the past, broken out.

It was a catastrophic house fire waiting to happen.

cfabe · « **Reply #43 on:** September 19, 2005, 12:12:07 PM »

How would a chimney sweep inspect the chimney? Mirror on a pole and a flashlight?

K Frame · « **Reply #44 on:** September 19, 2005, 03:18:54 PM »

That's one way. Another way is to drop a camera on a cable down the chimney. More sweeps are using that approach because it's fast and it's accurate.

280plus · « **Reply #45 on:** September 19, 2005, 03:41:57 PM »

yup, in the "old days" it was mirrors, now the camera is taking over. Much better approac. Less chance of missing things.

K Frame · « **Reply #46 on:** September 19, 2005, 03:47:35 PM »

I always thought a midget on a string would be a good way of doing it, too.

Azrael256 · « **Reply #47 on:** September 20, 2005, 05:20:19 AM »

Quote

I always thought a midget on a string would be a good way of doing it, too.

Didn't somebody (Britain?) have to pass a law forbidding the use of small children as chimney sweeps because they were just the right size, but the job was awfully hazardous?

280plus · « **Reply #48 on:** September 20, 2005, 07:43:10 AM »

Quote

I always thought a midget on a string would be a good way of doing it, too.

Sure, you could get you midget all covered in soot and then afterward go to a midget tossing contest and he/she would leave a definitive mark of exactly where the landing was. Probably eliminate a lot of arguing. shocked

K Frame · « **Reply #49 on:** September 20, 2005, 09:42:36 AM »

I worked right out of college for a company that did restaurant maintenance, including cleaning and servicing the ventilator hoods and shafts

The traditional method of cleaning caked on grease from the sides of the ventilator shafts was with scrapers on poles.

We had a midget. We would lower him down in and he would scrape the shafts. It was faster and provided much better results.

We showed up on a job one day at a new client and the manager (they had just had a fire in one of their hoods, and decided it was time to get the other 4 serviced before the place burned down) asked us how we were going to clean everything (long ventilator shafts).

Ron told him we had a midget. The manager started to laugh, then Frank, the midget, hopped out of the back of the truck with his bio suit, gloves, and mask on.

The look on the manager's face was absolutely hysterical.

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Author Topic: Another heating thread: lowering fuel costs (Read 10618 times)

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