Appropriate Weather Temps for Burning

My esteemed coal burning addicts:

I'm asking a really ridiculous question, because I think I have an idea what the answer is from reading everyone's wisdom, but since I 'm still relatively new to the coal burning world, I"m going to ask outright so I will know for sure:

Is it OK to have the stove running if it's 55-56 degrees outside? I don't know about any of you, but here in Lancaster PA, our weather has been really inconsistent. By Wednesday, we're expecting daytime temps in the high 40's to low 50's and the low 30's at night for about three days. Then it's supposed to get up to 54-55 for one day, then go back down again in the lower 40's, then another day of almost 60 degrees. Is it worth it to fire up the FB or just wait it out for another week or so. This weather stuff is driving me nuts! I get all excited and ready to light up, and then I look at the weather report and just shake my head. From reading ya'll's posts, it sounds like you shouldn't really be burning when it's much over 50-55 degrees outside.

Weigh in on your opinion, friends!

Many thanks to all of you for the wealth of information, advice, and entertainment!!

If you're cold, fire it up!

I can idle my Mk I down pretty low so if I turn the fan off, a 50-55 degree day is fine. Like today. If it hits 60 for some reason, I'll just crack a window or two.

Same as jpete said. If you can have your stove burning at a low heat output, go for it. Now my 2 stoves are running at low burning rate and all is perfect.

If you have a night temp. of 35 and a daytime temp of 55 that is 35 plus 55 equals 90 divided by 2 for an average of 45. Subtract that from 65 and you get 20 degree days. If your house burns 1 gallon of oil for every 10 degree days you would burn 2 gallons of oil that day. You need heat anytime the average is below 65.

Gradually lower the thermostat setting to get a feel how low you can go.
I have been burning since late Sept. and at times the smoke pipe has been cold to the touch. With a metal chimney that is really not too good for the chimney, but experiment to find the range of the stove with your particular installation.

Yeah basically depends on how cold you are, how much oil your burning ( $$$$), and how good your draft is in the warmer temps.

I let mine go out on the 7th, because of the 70° forecast - I couldn't waste coal like that when the cash situation is pretty dire here. The past few days we've been freezing in here. Was 57° inside this morning ... and the only reason it didn't get colder was because the boiler t-stat was set at 58°! But the forecast for the next few days will be the upper 60's ... so I see no point in lighting up now.

I'll be creating the 47th match club of 2011 soon ....

It all depends on if you can "stand the heat" and how well the chimney drafts.

I can idle pretty low so if I'm cold - I fire up the stove. I've been running steady since Halloween, a bit before. Heck, we had a foot of snow before Halloween! A bit ago, I had the fire so low at one point, I thought it had gone out. But I'm still in the one match club so far for the 2011-2012 winter... Now, this coming week I have to travel for work most of the week so I'll see if the lady of the house blows that...

dj

I am most encouraged by your responses, friends.

I will certainly plan to light my stove this Wednesday evening, which will hopefully be the start to some more cold weather.

Yeah, my oil furnace is running usually once at night, and then a few times during the day, but I'm fortunate that I have a relatively good furnace which doesn't eat oil real fast. Still, money is money, and I hate whenever it turns on.

By the way, I'm assuming that the match club is based on how many matches you have to use to get your fire going?? Someone educate me on this...

The "one match club" is a group of people that only light there stove once during the entire season, hence the "one" match.

markviii wrote:The "one match club" is a group of people that only light there stove once during the entire season, hence the "one" match.

I did not make that club this season. My stove has been off and on since the Friday before the Goosey Night Snow Storm.

I'm contemplating shutting-down again tonight. It's supposed to possibly hit 70* by me today and tomorrow. WTH? Last season I was fired up officially the first week of October. This year I waited till mid October. Now, its the middle of November and my stove is jumping from 180* - 350* almost every other day. One day it's 40*, the next its 60*, the following day its 20* and snowing then the day after my neighbor is in her bikini opening her pool again....ridiculous.

markviii wrote:The "one match club" is a group of people that only light there stove once during the entire season, hence the "one" match.

Goofy me....I should have figured that one out. I'm not in that club this year, unfortunately. I hoping to make it to the 2 match club this year!

I'm On Fire wrote:

markviii wrote:The "one match club" is a group of people that only light there stove once during the entire season, hence the "one" match.

I did not make that club this season. My stove has been off and on since the Friday before the Goosey Night Snow Storm.

I'm contemplating shutting-down again tonight. It's supposed to possibly hit 70* by me today and tomorrow. WTH? Last season I was fired up officially the first week of October. This year I waited till mid October. Now, its the middle of November and my stove is jumping from 180* - 350* almost every other day. One day it's 40*, the next its 60*, the following day its 20* and snowing then the day after my neighbor is in her bikini opening her pool again....ridiculous.

One doesn't know if he's coming or going with this weather. I have a local friend who told me that he pretty much doesn't lite up until Thanksgiving. I suppose now I know why. But still, I'm just a little anxious to get burning again. After reading most of the replies to my post here, I'm smiling and thinking to myself, "Good, I'm lighting up on Wednesday, and I'll just maitain it on a low setting if it gets too warm. I've only had to shut down once and that was enough times for me!

I started in mid September, too, and have shut down/restarted a couple of times. Crazy weather, but it's sort of like this every year.

Attached is a graph of my usage since initial start up. Pink/purple line is average temp, black line is pounds of coal used. From 10/12 to 10/20 it never came off idle. The graph goes into the negatives in anticipation of January/February temps.

My dad used to fire his Hitzer up on Pearl Harbor Day. It was a big stove, and if he started it earlier than that they ended up overheating the house on certain days.

Horace wrote:I started in mid September, too, and have shut down/restarted a couple of times. Crazy weather, but it's sort of like this every year.

Attached is a graph of my usage since initial start up. Pink/purple line is average temp, black line is pounds of coal used. From 10/12 to 10/20 it never came off idle. The graph goes into the negatives in anticipation of January/February temps.

Hey! Impressive chart you have there. I have great respect for your technological expertise. I have no idea how to do that on my computer. From what I can read, you are doing pretty well with your coal consumption, eh?