Heating Bill Eliminated !

Last years keresene ( blast furnace) bill is non-existent this year  for our home here in the fridgid Rochester New York area. Today my thermometer read 16 degrees outside while inside it was 77. I installed an ” Add-on wood burning Englander brand Furnace”- . We actually didn’t know what to expect but so far so good ! Presently it is only vented through 1 vent from the basement to a hallway between the bathroom and a spare room which are facing the west. All cold wind blows violently from the west in this region and it just happens to be the biggest part of the house with 3 stories and an attic all being insulated some 50 or so years ago.  14 different rooms with 27 windows make up this 3000 square foot 1903 Colonial. Last year’s heating bill ($2700.00) inspired me to either insulate my house($36,000.00 with siding) or just put in a less costly heating source. I cut split and stack  wood to heat part of my house already but the big problem was the west side of the house. The west wind howls pretty much the entire months of January through March and we are normally clothed in long-johns and sweats to just lounge around on our days off. This house was built in times where there was either a fireplace or a coal stove in at least 3 rooms. I asked a heating professional for his opinion of add-on furnaces and he told me that it should NOT replace the original furnace I already had. I simply called the fuel company, had the tank filled and told them to stop deliveries. The entire setup with the double walled 20 foot Selkirk chimney All installed by myself over the summer totaled about $2200.00. With twice as much wood needed to supply my add-on furnace is the question of “How I get my wood for free”? I have access to 70 acres of old growth hard woods surrounded by a rural cornfield/dairy farm setting. Now not everyone reading this will be able to do what I did but I must tell you that city dwellers with their own home and some space in the yard can !  Most homes will not need the amount of wood mine does and even at $65.00 a face cord it’s still cheaper to heat with wood and an efficient stove. More later, TomCollinsRocks