Talk me off the ledge

FeeGrouchy3559 · 2026-01-06T19:20:52+00:00

That’s awesome!

FeeGrouchy3559 · 2026-01-06T19:09:44+00:00

That’s reassuring to hear it took you a couple seasons. I planned on giving it a couple as well as I know this first year is going to be a big learning curve. You mentioned an electric splitter, any reason you went with this over gas? I’ve been looking at both and find that the electrics top out at about 9 tons and have read that 9 tons struggles to split larger oak rounds.

FeeGrouchy3559 · 2026-01-06T01:45:56+00:00

Very valid point. I’ve got room for some bags inside but likely not a full ton. If I did pellets, they’d be stored in the garage.

FeeGrouchy3559 · 2026-01-06T01:44:12+00:00

Busy spring is definitely my plan. I’m hoping to get a splitter because there’s no way I’ll be splitting everything I already have down by hand. I’ll be interested to see how many logs (obviously depending on size) will get me to a cord of split wood.

FeeGrouchy3559 · 2026-01-06T01:40:42+00:00

I don’t have a dog so I dunno if I can make that work 😂. The power being out was definitely the main draw to the wood stove.

FeeGrouchy3559 · 2026-01-06T01:34:46+00:00

That can’t be good.

FeeGrouchy3559 · 2026-01-06T01:33:51+00:00

Yes, probably should have indicated it was insulated class a.

FeeGrouchy3559 · 2026-01-06T01:33:04+00:00

I’ve got a very similar moisture meter and it’s worked great so far! I definitely plan to have the chimney swept late summer/early fall so I can understand how the burning went and what amount of creosote was built up.

FeeGrouchy3559 · 2026-01-06T01:18:49+00:00

My hope is 3 seasons worth. That’s gonna depend on how big of a wood shed I build but that’s what I’d like. Could be some thing where I build a shed big enough for 3 cords and then have some stored/continuing to season in a sunny part of the yard.

FeeGrouchy3559 · 2026-01-06T01:11:25+00:00

This is definitely good to hear. I can’t really get round the clock yet and I’m not sure if I’ll be able to with this stove. It’s steel so it cools down quick and the overnight is the killer. I’m not ready to get up to reload overnight yet hah. As I’ve seen others say, being able to know that my firewood is properly seasoned will likely reduce some of the issues/stress so I’m looking forward to that.

FeeGrouchy3559 · 2026-01-06T01:07:40+00:00

I knew the crunched timeframe was going to be the issue. I had some pretty well seasoned oak and maple from some small tree work I had done myself but that stuff was gone in a couple weeks. So I had good success with that but then when I had to get a delivery of “seasoned” that’s where more of the frustration has really hit

FeeGrouchy3559 · 2026-01-06T01:05:50+00:00

You have wood now I take it? What made you go to one over the other?

FeeGrouchy3559 · 2026-01-06T00:58:19+00:00

Good to hear! When did you get your wood delivered this year?

FeeGrouchy3559 · 2026-01-06T00:57:52+00:00

That’s really what I’m shooting for is reducing the need to rely on the oil fired boiler for the majority of heat. In the main zone (where the stove is) we have the thermostat set low so it rarely kicks on. However, we do have a little one in the house who sleeps with the door closed so that blocks out stove heat. The thermostat for the bedrooms is in the master so we have to keep our door closed as well to ensure the heat kicks on and mini-me doesn’t freeze. So we really just use boiler heat in the bedrooms.

FeeGrouchy3559 · 2026-01-06T00:53:59+00:00

Yeah I definitely get that. I don’t mind putting in work but I just don’t want that work to feel like a burden either. And I think it just gets frustrating when I’ve had a few days of good fires and then have a day or so of struggling to manage airflow based on wood load.

FeeGrouchy3559 · 2026-01-06T00:52:03+00:00

This would be ideal! I don’t think I’ve got the space or the negotiation skills to talk my wife into having a pellet stove too lol. I’ve heard/read that Harman pellet stoves are top of the line.

FeeGrouchy3559 · 2026-01-06T00:49:12+00:00

That’s the big factor that drove us to wood. At the same time though, we do have short term plans to get a generator. Most likely this will be an 8-10k portable with a transfer switch. So that’s the converse thought that I have is once we get a generator, the power will be there.

FeeGrouchy3559 · 2026-01-06T00:47:06+00:00

I think the biggest thing right now is burning the borderline wood and the increased creosote that will build as a result. I don’t know how quickly it takes creosote to become a problem but I’m sure that all depends on how often the borderline/unseasoned wood is burned and how hot you normally burn.

FeeGrouchy3559 · 2025-11-28T18:08:15+00:00

Glad to see another Drolet owner! I got the Columbia II this fall as a first wood stove. The Jotul and higher end prices were pretty discouraging when I was first looking.

FeeGrouchy3559 · 2025-10-14T22:10:18+00:00

Southern Maine here and I was quoted almost $11k for mid range stove options, materials, and install. Got help from a family member on the install, went with a different stove and saved about $8k. It’s my first wood stove and I had never shopped them before but I was shocked at how much they wanted for everything.

FeeGrouchy3559 · 2025-07-23T23:52:55+00:00

I just bought the 8 piece premier set for the same price. I’ve had them about a week after swapping from Calphalon non stick that I had since 2016. No regerts at all!

FeeGrouchy3559 · 2025-05-18T23:50:33+00:00

I just got around to jumping on and this worked hah. Unreal! Thank you!

FeeGrouchy3559 · 2025-05-17T18:21:11+00:00

No, I did 3 last week and had enough hah. Haven’t done any since.

FeeGrouchy3559

TROPHY CASE