does anyone else still heat with wood?

Question

or am i the last hill billy alive?

Answer 1

I heat with wood and am pretty darn good with a chain saw for an older woman!

Answer 2

When it is available and if cost is not an issue passive design solar energy is the most healthy, easy to use and convenient source of energy. This would imply a well designed passive solar home. In such a home heating, ventilation and air conditioning would be entirely natural with no user input. Thermal mass and phase change materials would buffer exterior temperatures and supply natural radiant heating. Sufficient insulation would exist to isolate the environment but not hinder ventilation. This assumes cost is not an issue and so we have to assume the purchase of property with the right kind of location and design. Passive solar is the "best" when cost is no object because the heating system is then built into the design and no further attention is required. Active systems that depend upon controls, motors and pumps will require maintenance and eventually break down. For fuel choices we usually need to know things like: availability, cost, cost of necessary equipment, convenience and ease of use. Availability is always the primary consideration. You can't use something that is not available in your location. Coal, gas, wood or electricity is not possible where it is not available. Trying to use electricity for heat in a house that has sufficient wiring for a light bulb is also a question of availability until the proper equipment is installed. We could further assume that if cost were no problem more or most choices would be available. Even though at any cost solar energy is not available at night money can buy extra collection capacity and storage. When you remove availability and cost as considerations than waste and ease of use are the only remaining issues. If cost is not a consideration then efficiency may not be a cost issue but the inefficiency will be a concern if it involves undesirable by products. Convenience and ease of use would have to include things like necessary permits, safety and automatic controls and equipment. It is for these reasons we presently don't use nuclear power in our homes although we might use electricity derived from it. Early coal for heating had to be manually shoveled into a burner. Automatic equipment was coming on to the scene as it was being supplanted by gas and oil for heating. But sometimes we want to build in the "wrong" location and a passive system would be unreasonably massive for heating or cooling. If it is available electric is the next most convenient and easy to use source of home heating. It is not surprising it is often used as a backup for passive solar homes and for active solar systems. There are many ways electricity can be applied and distributed. Active solar, central electric resistance heating, radiant and heat pumps are all options to the classic baseboard resistance heating. Burning fuels will necessarily add more pollution to the local environment. Depending upon the ventilation system this may become concentrated in the home. This has especially been the case with relatively tight, well insulated homes. Some people may be more sensitive to this than others. In every case, comfort will also be highly dependent upon the surrounding environment and maintaining proper levels of humidity and ventilation. The type of heating distribution system can be even more important than the type of fuel. The type of construction will also play a significant factor. In a passive solar home the construction is the heating system. A masonry home that sucks up ground water in a wet environment will benefit from interior heating that drys the air. An adobe home in a desert will remain cooler but would melt in the Pacific northwest.

Answer 3

Given the opportunity, once I have a house of my own again, I'll be using wood. Wood is plentiful around here, so a good supply should be easy to get. Newspaper, properly treated, also makes a good "wood" for the stove. That "how to" is to soak newspaper in soapy water. Dawn makes a good soap for this. After the paper is soaked, tightly roll it up on a dowel that is about 3/4 inch to 1 inch diameter, secure the paper with steel wire, and let it completely dry. The resulting "log" will burn like any other piece of wood from a tree. I have used it, and it works great.

Answer 4

I am in the hills of East Tennessee and I am a hillbilly by golly bum! Our house has electric heat with kerosene heaters for back up in case in the cold months we loose power. I have used wood, coal and I remember one year someone gave us pallets that we had to break up and burn because my Mom's good for nothing second husband was too lazy to get the chainsaw out to the woods. That was also the year that my Gramps taught me to use the chainsaw myself.....scared Momma half to death....but I got wood! My father in law lives up in VA and he uses coal to heat with....that leaves a film over everything....talk about some cleaning....So, no Sugar you are not the last hillbilly out there and if I had to swing the ax or pick up the chainsaw tomorrow I could.
Peace.

Answer 5

Yes I still heat with wood and no you are not the last hill billy alive Greetings from WVa

Answer 6

well, my parents do. we have a fireplace near the TV so when we watch TV, we will probably start using wood near the winter. my parents are old fashioned but im cool with it. its better than turning on the heater and paying so much money. but, i dont think you're a hill billy! a lot of people heat their homes with wood. it saves money.

Answer 7

No, brother you are not the last Hillbilly.
We burn with wood, we can not afford to run the heater. They nickle and dime you and arm and leg you too out in California.
I love the wood stove, especially on a super cold day.

Answer 8

well if you do it with your household heating unit combined then you are losing money nut if you just us wood you save big buck that makes you smart not a hill billy

Answer 9

haha.. we have a black metal wood stove, had to use it last winter. but my man is installing the heating system right NOW..thank goodness. Also my parents use wood in the stove, they live way out there. I live in Alaska by the way. A place where almost everybody uses normal heating.

Answer 10

Yes, we have a wood stove in our family room, and it saves a lot of money.

As well, people in the north, for the most part heat with wood stoves.

Answer 11

my parents have a wood stove outside that they fill up everyday to heat their house. it works a lot better than anything else (northern wisconsin)! it is always cozy warm there! i am not saying that doesnt make them a hill billy though...my dad is a lumberjack.