I Wood If I Could
The great experiment is on: I turned off the heat pump this morning and am now heating the house only with wood, both in the fireplace on the first floor and in the basement stove. So far, so good. My goal is to stay below 70°F and above 60°F at night. Right now the air temperature is 71 (and rising) on the main floor. The basement, connected by air passages through the floor, is running about 80.
I'm still fighting a cold house. My Galileo thermometer sitting on the fireplace mantel next to the stone chimney indicates a temperature of less than 66°F. And, that's probably right. It will probably be week's end before the chimney stabilizes at 70°F, or so. It's a large thermal mass and slow to change.
The trick, I'm learning is managing the stove in the basement. How much to shut the damper and how long before the stove needs a fresh charge of wood. I'll know when I've got it right because the fire in the stove will make it through the night.
I'm still fighting a cold house. My Galileo thermometer sitting on the fireplace mantel next to the stone chimney indicates a temperature of less than 66°F. And, that's probably right. It will probably be week's end before the chimney stabilizes at 70°F, or so. It's a large thermal mass and slow to change.
The trick, I'm learning is managing the stove in the basement. How much to shut the damper and how long before the stove needs a fresh charge of wood. I'll know when I've got it right because the fire in the stove will make it through the night.
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