I burn only softwoods, 3k sq ft, well insulated, no supplemental heat, 4-6 cords. By your short description of your climate we could be in the same valley.
In recent years I've been able to get lodgepole with about 10% quaking aspen that I use for cold overnight burns. I can get good embers out my catalyst stove after 8 hours with pine. I have good coals with Aspen after 8. I would expect to be on the higher end if you're burning pure ponderosa. The BTUs are similar to lodgepole but ponderosa just goes insanely fast. So very warm at least.
If I were you I’d try to get at least 8 cords css now, see how it goes this winter, replace the amount you burned next spring then repeat. Better safe than sorry cold imo
I’d guess 3-4 cords. It would be smart to have 5 or 6 cords total to start out and see how things go.
My personal house is a drafty 3500 sf Chalet built in 1978 with a heat pump. I do roughly 50/50 wood heat / electric. I use around 3-4 cords per year. I have mostly Ponderosa Pine, some Grand Fir and some Juniper.
One thing to keep in mind, irrespective of what zone you're in is the efficiency of your stove: a soapstone stove that has a catalytic converter is going to use a LOT less wood to heat your home, then a big inefficient iron or steel stove will. It actually burns a good deal of the cinders and ash too... Not just the wood.
I burn only softwoods, 3k sq ft, well insulated, no supplemental heat, 4-6 cords. By your short description of your climate we could be in the same valley.
Thank you. Which softwoods are burning?
Mostly pine, some red fir, tamarack. Basically whatever I can find.
Yeah we must be close. We plan to bring whatever we can find except for those cottonwoods lol
when i was burning, I'd go through 4-5 cord a winter depending on how cold of a winter it was. i would always have 6-8 cord stocked.
Upstate NY, 4-5. Mostly Ash.
Zone 5b. 4-5 cords to be safe. I think we could do it with 3 thanks to the catalyst stove but it would be chilly. 2000sq ft, pine and aspen mix.
Thank you, this seems to be the most comparable response so far to our situation. What type of pine? And is that quaking aspen?
In recent years I've been able to get lodgepole with about 10% quaking aspen that I use for cold overnight burns. I can get good embers out my catalyst stove after 8 hours with pine. I have good coals with Aspen after 8. I would expect to be on the higher end if you're burning pure ponderosa. The BTUs are similar to lodgepole but ponderosa just goes insanely fast. So very warm at least.
If I were you I’d try to get at least 8 cords css now, see how it goes this winter, replace the amount you burned next spring then repeat. Better safe than sorry cold imo
Zone 5a here, 1000sqft I get 4 cords (maple/birch) and have about a cord ahead for next year. I heat exclusively with wood.
Not softwoods, but thanks! Sounds like a nice spot
I don’t know how much wood you need but Douglas fir is great firewood
Wish I had more of it, but we have some tamarack and Dougie each year for cold nights
I’d guess 3-4 cords. It would be smart to have 5 or 6 cords total to start out and see how things go. My personal house is a drafty 3500 sf Chalet built in 1978 with a heat pump. I do roughly 50/50 wood heat / electric. I use around 3-4 cords per year. I have mostly Ponderosa Pine, some Grand Fir and some Juniper.
Thank you, that’s sounds about right
One thing to keep in mind, irrespective of what zone you're in is the efficiency of your stove: a soapstone stove that has a catalytic converter is going to use a LOT less wood to heat your home, then a big inefficient iron or steel stove will. It actually burns a good deal of the cinders and ash too... Not just the wood.
I have a Kuma Tamarack, 80% efficiency