In the current economy, everyone is looking for ways to save money. That old fireplace or wood stove may be a great place to start.
Firewood is easy to find, it’s local, and it’s renewable. The question is, Just how much can you really save?
Now before I tell you it’s the cheapest option and anyone can burn firewood, let’s look at some points to consider.
1. Firewood can save you a lot of money if you are willing to put in the sweat equity. It’s free to cut your own trees, and for the price of a chain saw and splitting maul, you’ll be able to cut your own wood for years.
However, it is hard work that not everyone can physically handle. You have to plan early so the wood has time to dry and don’t expect to just go cut wood today to keep you warm tonight. You can check out our intentionality blog post to see why that's a bad idea!
FIREWOOD LINGO
A cord versus a rick:
A lot of people use cord and rick interchangeably thinking they mean the same thing. Some people will tell you that a rick of firewood is a half or a cord. Others will stare at you in stunned silence without a clue what you're talking about.
A cord of wood is an “official” measure that dates back to the time of lumberjacks in red plaid shirts and loggers from yesteryear.
It is a stack of wood 4 ft wide by 8 ft long, and 4 ft high.
A rick of wood (or a cord face) is a stack 8 ft long and 4 ft high. However, the logs are only 16-18 in long. It’s not as uniform as a cord since the log lengths can vary a lot.
That is important to note when you look at the national average for wood prices. A cord is somewhere around $300, and a rick of wood is around $160 at the time of this writing. Do your homework and make sure you're not paying for a cord and getting a rick.
Efficiency
All new wood stoves and inserts have EPA guidelines that insure that they burn longer and cleaner, with the most recent guidelines taking effect in 2020. Older units don’t have the same efficiency standards and performance can vary greatly.
Your open fireplace will produce less heat than an insert. So if your fireplace isn’t warming your home the way you expected, you're not alone. Consider an insert as an option to increase efficiency.
Finding an insert to place in an existing fireplace can sometimes be a headache. If you are needing assistance, reach out to your local chimney expert for direction on what to buy for your home.
If you do not have an existing fireplace but want to decrease the usage of your heating bills this year, finding a free-standing wood stove is an excellent option as well. The one listed above is a nice option and full disclosure we do receive a very small commission if you purchase this particular unit. However, it is one that I recommend looking into for your needs.
Pellet stoves
If you don’t own acres of standing timber that you can cut there are other options.
A great option to consider is pellet stoves. The one listed to the left is a typical option of pellet stoves available today and a great option if you are in the market for one.
Wood pellets are cleaner and more readily available. They can be purchased at your local hardware store or in bulk online. They aren’t as cheap as firewood, but still offer big savings over gas, and huge savings over electric.
Make sure it's clean!
Before you burn, however, it’s a great idea to have your fireplace or wood stove inspected and cleaned by a chimney professional. It’s much better to find out if you have any issues with your fireplace or chimney before you’ve invested money and time in buying firewood for the season.
Comments