Enjoying the crackle of a good fire...

[TuxedoPk]

Yesterday I started lighting up the fireplaces around the house- partly to get the slight nip out of the air, partly just because I like fires. There's something about sitting around a roaring fire that I just love- the heat, the smell, the sound.

It must be nice to be able to boat all year round, but I don't think I'd be willing to give up all the benefits of the autumn season up north.

[Cuda]

It's 86 degrees right now. We'll get plenty of opportunity to light the fireplace later.

[TuxedoPk]

It was down in the mid 40s this morning, mid 60s this afternoon, and about 75 degrees now.

OK, it's the smell and crackle that I'm addicted to :)

[slapshot11]

I love the smell of a nice fire as well, but it really, really hurt to put the 22 in storage today. Really hurt.

[gold-n-rod]

Yesterday I started lighting up the fireplaces around the house- partly to get the slight nip out of the air, partly just because I like fires. There's something about sitting around a roaring fire that I just love- the heat, the smell, the sound.

It must be nice to be able to boat all year round, but I don't think I'd be willing to give up all the benefits of the autumn season up north.

That must be some castle you live in, Tux, with multiple fireplaces!

We are trying something different here this winter, a corn burning stove. Supposedly, by burning shelled corn, we can heat our place for a buck a day. Hope that turns out to be true. This has been a great year for corn yields (not so good on price for the farmer) so it should be an interesting experiment.

[TuxedoPk]

Just an average house around here.. but then there are a few nice castles :)

Currently 6 fireplaces: entry foyer, living room, dining room, kitchen, parlor, and master bedroom. I've found 4 additional places where wood stoves were once used when the house was built in 1886.

When I had a total pipe freeze two years ago all the radiators also cracked. Since I decided to put central air in the house I opted for hot water coils on each of the 3 blowers rather than spending an addition $20k+ for replacing the radiators. (Radiators were so much better for heating an old house like this though)

I started looking into a supplemental wood or pellet furnace earlier today- the cost to heat this place is rediculous. I'm only planning on being here for less than two years so I'm concerned about payback.. but I thought I'd flip the house in 6 months back in 2000 when I bought this place. What corn burning stove did you purchase? Is it your only or supplemental heat?

Now I feel sorry for my neighbors who have to heat these places. Sorrow is the same thing as envy, right? :rolleyes: (My house is not of this caliber!)

That must be some castle you live in, Tux, with multiple fireplaces!

We are trying something different here this winter, a corn burning stove. Supposedly, by burning shelled corn, we can heat our place for a buck a day. Hope that turns out to be true. This has been a great year for corn yields (not so good on price for the farmer) so it should be an interesting experiment.

[Cuda]

I like the smell of a fire too, but only from the end of January to the end of February.

[gcarter]

When we built this house 11 years, we opted for no fireplace. It would just be for esthetics anyway. The few nights a year it gets below 40* is enjoyable, we turn off the airconditioner and open the windows. ;)
I like the DVD's you can buy that show a nice crackling fire with all the sound effects, then you just light a few scented candles.

[pmreed]

I've got two big fireplaces that will accept 4' logs. One's unusable because the big screen sits in front of it. I've put about 4 boxes of those fake logs through the other one in 5 years. When the mood moved me last winter, I turned the AC on high and burned a couple of logs...atmosphere dont'cha know :D

Phil

[txtaz]

Rich, We have a really nice fireplace screen saver we use on those nights when we think there's a chill in the air. We are really cooling off here. Went from 109 the other day to 98 yesterday... Brrrrrrr.
Wes

[mattyboy]

burning corn????
all I can picture is cheech and choong
hey man do u smell popcorn???
man Igot the munchies some popcorn would be awesome right about now"
no man that ain't popcorn the neighbor is trying to keep warm man

get a pellet or wood burning( air tight so coal might be an option) fire place insert with a fan this way all the heat the fire generates can be put back into the house choose a fireplace that is centrally located in the living areas of the house

I have a contact in Monroe NY who sells them let me know if you want his number

I have a small wood burning stove that heats my modest 2 story home all winter we walk around in shorts

[TuxedoPk]

burning corn????


Yes- more BTUs in corn than wood pellets.

I'm figuring buttered in the fall and then switching over to white cheddar during the really cold months :jestera:

[gold-n-rod]

What corn burning stove did you purchase? Is it your only or supplemental heat?

I bought a Magnum Baby Countryside. It's supplemental, although I suspect it will be our primary heat source this winter if I can really heat the place for a buck a day. We'll see.......

Go to <http://www.magnumheat.com>

They also have furnace add-ons.

[Lenny]

Yes- more BTUs in corn than wood pellets.

I'm figuring buttered in the fall and then switching over to white cheddar during the really cold months :jestera:

Try Particle Board and MDF, :eek: if BTU's are what you are after, Unfortunately, it is sooo hot that the 1/4" plate on the top of an Airtight stove, will glow red and expand and "ting" far more than you would want. Now I just use my offcuts (3/4" x 1" by 14") strips to get a fire "going" There is NOTHING that will not burn in there after starting with that, period.

(P.S.), I have a lined flue and am on my 3rd Stove in 15 years. :rolleyes: