tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post3931211642643054913..comments2024-03-25T11:19:35.199-04:00Comments on The Small Hold - Will Not Go Down Without a Fight: Let's Try This Again - Not Sustainable Part IIPioneerPreppyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09269878017447335944noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-57679136565188994282014-02-09T07:04:21.735-05:002014-02-09T07:04:21.735-05:00And I apologise for the typos!And I apologise for the typos!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-37709745984717975662014-02-09T07:00:44.056-05:002014-02-09T07:00:44.056-05:00No we don't have a blog, my brothers and I did...No we don't have a blog, my brothers and I did discuss doing one but a lot of what we do is controversial. For example we use deer hunting as a way to control the rampant population. No big deal in the US but hunting here is not only a class issue but will also guarantee a visit from the eco loons. We also have been visited several times by the RSPCA as we use pigs to naturally ckear Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-28474241766194343732014-02-08T19:01:58.698-05:002014-02-08T19:01:58.698-05:00MASR - I didn't really consider it a blog figh...MASR - I didn't really consider it a blog fight lol. If someone else did then well that's their problem I guess I have much thicker skin than that. Burning a stove or a furnace is as much about the region you are in as anything else which is why I always include that in any advice I give. It so happens you were burning some wood I had some experience with had you been using Aspen or a lotPioneerPreppyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09269878017447335944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-43692673001484255272014-02-07T23:56:16.459-05:002014-02-07T23:56:16.459-05:00Pioneer I didn't want to get invoved in any bl...Pioneer I didn't want to get invoved in any blog fight. I just wanted to say that you really helped me a lot when I started using my wood stove and I was worried about you working on grabbing a couple of hours sleep to feed the furnace/beast. We live and learn if we are lucky! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-77952279720670636572014-02-07T18:23:57.929-05:002014-02-07T18:23:57.929-05:00Anon - I hope you come back and read this. Do you ...Anon - I hope you come back and read this. Do you have a blog yourself? If so I would love to read about your adventures and your place.<br /><br />So what is stopping you from just building an extension behind the house to put a stove in? Do you really think a semi-permanent structure would incur their wrath?<br /> PioneerPreppyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09269878017447335944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-78135525357714825372014-02-07T18:20:58.846-05:002014-02-07T18:20:58.846-05:00WOW. I had no idea the Brit government went so far...WOW. I had no idea the Brit government went so far as to try and tax foraged firewood, especially fallen deadwood. That's even more greedy than our government around here. One thing I can say is the taxes and 99% of the progressive rules have no gotten out this far yet but the EPA keeps hoping.<br /><br />I understand your choice my friend. Keeping the old ancestral farm is a very important PioneerPreppyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09269878017447335944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-79989186482365060192014-02-07T16:56:08.234-05:002014-02-07T16:56:08.234-05:00I would rather not deal with them either, unfortun...I would rather not deal with them either, unfortunately or fortunately depending how you look at it, my house is part of a family trust and part of the trusts stipulations is that all building regulations and covenants be adherred to. We have managed to keep the house, farm and woods for so long it would be a shame to find having broke the conditions of the trust that we become liable for Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-23868587513761453622014-02-07T15:41:04.479-05:002014-02-07T15:41:04.479-05:00SF - I would say you are prolly 100% correct. When...SF - I would say you are prolly 100% correct. When the temps were relatively mild the less time needed to screw around with the logs and being able to cut them in 24" lengths with half the splitting made a huge difference.<br /><br />Under these extreme cold conditions since the furnace must remain outside and all the decreased prep and cutting time didn't help.<br /><br />As we have PioneerPreppyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09269878017447335944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-51641588931353687642014-02-07T14:16:31.207-05:002014-02-07T14:16:31.207-05:00I have come to the conclusion that the word furnac...I have come to the conclusion that the word furnace applies to the old world, the world of lots of cheap energy be it oil gas or wood or coal. It is a concept that assumes the whole house gets heated and everyone walks around happy and warm. This whole outlook only came about in the early 20th century. The only "open concept" buildings were train stations as people had small Sunnybrook Farmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18135224259672444423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-17787032089222951712014-02-07T14:14:22.965-05:002014-02-07T14:14:22.965-05:00Anon - I know what you are trying to say. I am not...Anon - I know what you are trying to say. I am not upset at anyone, at least anyone who didn't try and shoot an insult my way simply because I told them their comment was irrelevant to the discussion.<br /><br />This is not about insulating and never has been. <br /><br />It is about keeping the blower going on the outside furnace. No amount of insulation is going to effect that to be honest.PioneerPreppyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09269878017447335944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-44998103694605288972014-02-07T13:59:23.084-05:002014-02-07T13:59:23.084-05:00Anon - Believe me I know what your saying. I canno...Anon - Believe me I know what your saying. I cannot wait to dump this old house myself. I really really thought about going with a water heating system at one time but I got too good a deal on the furnace I have.<br /><br />Sorry you have to deal with all those regulations. I refuse to ask permission from the government just to do what I feel is best on my own property.<br />PioneerPreppyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09269878017447335944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-87861236871015818472014-02-07T13:43:28.670-05:002014-02-07T13:43:28.670-05:00Pioneer Preppy, I think the problem some of us are...Pioneer Preppy, I think the problem some of us are trying to address with you regards your approach to finding a "sustainable" method of heating your home. Heating is not a "sustainable" endeavor by nature. Nobody I know can easily get access to 22 cords of wood per winter.<br /><br />And, think about it, who cares about the experiment if it is costing too much money and youAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-14902724149016492632014-02-07T06:45:13.430-05:002014-02-07T06:45:13.430-05:00Ah the constraints of the whims of gods and of cou...Ah the constraints of the whims of gods and of course that higher power, our wives! <br />My house is very old and what they call grade 1 listed. Essentially It means I actually have to get permission to do pretty much anything that affects the look of the outside and certain interior work. We have managed to fit triple glazing in timber frames which was extortionate as most of the windows are Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-6575159842094986182014-02-07T03:54:51.226-05:002014-02-07T03:54:51.226-05:00Anon - That sounds like a neat idea but I'm af...Anon - That sounds like a neat idea but I'm afraid the choice of what is going to be built is entirely out of my control. The wife has had one particular house picked out for years and she is dead set on getting it. However any advice on extras and such are always welcomed if they can be incorporated into the design :)<br />PioneerPreppyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09269878017447335944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-15832172085828024262014-02-07T03:24:36.455-05:002014-02-07T03:24:36.455-05:00I don't know whether you have started your new...I don't know whether you have started your new house yet but you might want to look at some of the scandinavian kit log homes produced in sweden. They are designed to be heated of just one woodburning stove and amongst other things feature triple glazed windows as well as passive solar etc etc. They are quite cheap too but I don't know about importing them in the states. They really have Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-50522307799258970102014-02-06T22:52:35.060-05:002014-02-06T22:52:35.060-05:00B - Well I shut off all backup heat. Also I am not...B - Well I shut off all backup heat. Also I am not sure if you are familiar with the furnace type I am using. It will take a complete wheel barrow load of wood at one time and doesn't allow the type of operator control an indoor stove does. The wind can really hurt the internal thermostat as well. 22 cords is about double or a bit more than I usually go through but that is since October too PioneerPreppyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09269878017447335944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-82501456782005793402014-02-06T22:42:57.747-05:002014-02-06T22:42:57.747-05:00I still say that you have other issues. 22 cords i...I still say that you have other issues. 22 cords is WAY too much. <br /><br />Either the stove is bad, or the ductwork is bad or something.<br /><br />We have been 30 degrees F below normal here all winter, and while our wood use is higher than normal, it ain't 22 cords worth either. <br /><br />1970's house..2x4 walls, 6" blown in insulation in attic and still have single pane glassB https://www.blogger.com/profile/10586046436233366155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-8596643573440858522014-02-06T22:32:24.385-05:002014-02-06T22:32:24.385-05:00Griz - LOL I hear ya. That was the entire point o...Griz - LOL I hear ya. That was the entire point of this experiment. I produced a few loads using hand tools to get a baseline then switched back to chainsaws and splitter but looked at the numbers per cord. My last figures showed there was NO WAY one man could do it in workable hours. It really has little to nothing to do with insulation but overall burn times and the amount of BTU needed to setPioneerPreppyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09269878017447335944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-43173805568233235622014-02-06T22:27:17.364-05:002014-02-06T22:27:17.364-05:00Dan - Where did you get the impression the attic i...Dan - Where did you get the impression the attic is not insulated? I have room to add more of course until I fill it to the peak and block the vents if I so desired but achieving a balance when we are getting temps 30 degrees colder than normal causes some serious issues. Which is why I am saying attempting to run an outside wood furnace right now is not sustainable.<br /><br /><br />PioneerPreppyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09269878017447335944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-32795940199570237962014-02-06T22:09:56.426-05:002014-02-06T22:09:56.426-05:00Shoot, if I can't get gas for my saw for the 4...Shoot, if I can't get gas for my saw for the 4-6 cord I use to heat my small cabin in North Idaho I've already decided I'm finished, and I've got easily felled trees everywhere. I'm just betting on having enough wood to get me through a 2-3 year gas shortage. I cannot survive up here without gas. If I have to cut wood with a crosscut saw, I'm following the path of the Grizzly Adamsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-56305975068073771532014-02-06T22:03:03.314-05:002014-02-06T22:03:03.314-05:00The key is Infiltration and insulation in that ord...The key is Infiltration and insulation in that order. If you want to keep the inside temperature warmer than outside;the energy you put in the inside is only half of it, the other half is the rate at which that energy flows through the roof and walls to the outside. If 22 ricks isn't sustainable, add insulation until you arrive at a wood requirement that is. The first 80% reduction should be Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-84037956897597271932014-02-06T21:21:46.185-05:002014-02-06T21:21:46.185-05:00Also sounds like that was one of the old air tight...Also sounds like that was one of the old air tight models that could be regulated by the operator. If they had firebricks inside they are in my opinion actually the most efficient stoves ever made.<br />PioneerPreppyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09269878017447335944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-71352967308193042752014-02-06T21:19:58.355-05:002014-02-06T21:19:58.355-05:00Stephen - The two to three hour shifts are more to...Stephen - The two to three hour shifts are more to run the heater in the basement. My first sign that the experiment had failed was when I had to resort to backup heat. The last two years the residual heat from the furnace was more than enough to keep the basement above freezing. Not so this year. <br /><br />I would say overnight is the one place where the wood furnace really shines as I can PioneerPreppyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09269878017447335944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-40509810004100661932014-02-06T21:14:35.897-05:002014-02-06T21:14:35.897-05:00I should note this was in Western Washington Stat...I should note this was in Western Washington State...cold enough to snap trees, freeze the earth four foot deep kinda cold.Stephenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09752401490789789451noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8788289492661192400.post-37446948570550522582014-02-06T21:13:26.465-05:002014-02-06T21:13:26.465-05:00Many, many years way back when, I owned a Papa Bea...Many, many years way back when, I owned a Papa Bear wood heater. I could load that sucker and suck down the dampers and heat our two-story Victorian all night long. Sucker was heavy steel of beautiful construction. Not sure if the company is still around but I'd check. They had the Papa Bear, Mama Bear...so on. If you sleep shifts are set at three hours, I totally agree with you.Stephenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09752401490789789451noreply@blogger.com