Coal stove in basement

Thanks, I will take a look at that.

Calculated my heat loss today and came up with around 35k btu/hr with an inside temp of 76 and outside of 15, the wl110 should cover that with no problem and plenty of room to spare.

Well as much as I want to get the WL110, my wife does not want another payment, so taking a loan out is a no go. I found a used harman mark 3 stove on craiglists, was sandblasted, repainted, polished, new gaskets, new fire bricks and a new blower, asking 1300 obo for it, good deal? There is also a harman magnum stoker new paint and new glass, asking 1000 for it. There is also a harman SF160 for 2200.

As much as I didnt want to to go a the stove route, I want to switch to coal this year. I am going to have to save up money to pay for the boiler in the future, but for now I want something.

Gotta keep the peace, I guess. It's ironic, though, because for many people the savings from getting a stoker boiler would be bigger than the loan payments. Put another way, adding the loan payment might well lead to lower total monthly expenses.

Mike

The savings defiantly would pay for the loan amount, but I can't get her to see that, she just sees it as another payment every month. Every year we will spend at least $2000 on heating oil, by the third year the boiler could be payed for already. I have a car that I'm trying to get rid of, she said if I can sell that I can get the boiler.

xandrew245x wrote:The savings defiantly would pay for the loan amount, but I can't get her to see that, she just sees it as another payment every month. Every year we will spend at least $2000 on heating oil, by the third year the boiler could be payed for already. I have a car that I'm trying to get rid of, she said if I can sell that I can get the boiler.

Pacowy wrote:Gotta keep the peace, I guess. It's ironic, though, because for many people the savings from getting a stoker boiler would be bigger than the loan payments. Put another way, adding the loan payment might well lead to lower total monthly expenses.

Mike

My $10,000.00 boiler project,thats' everything including laboer and 1st yr. of coal is now 3/4 payed for and only my 3rd yr with the boiler.I'm saving $2500.00 a year from switching to coal fron oil. But you must live with your decission and wife.Even getting a radiant stove will help reduce the cost of the heating bill and begin to start saving for a boiler if needed.

I know where I stand on this issue. When it came to issues of the cars, house, or lets just say "infrastructure" there might be a debate, but it would be short and one sided. We have worked well for 22 years with that system. I do not tell her financial things as she is an accountant, but she would understand the long term savings anyways. Marriage is a set of negotiations and you are working towards a common goal. Saving money is one of them.
Just my .02 worth.

Kevin

I'm about to just go take the loan out in my name and just go through with it, sure she might be mad for a while but I can then prove to her how much money we would be saving, and how cozy warm our house can stay, and UNLIMITED hot water, a problem we have no because she uses a lot of hot water a day, and ends up running out.

Careful!!! I don't want to take fire for breaking up a coal burning forum mate! Everyone works out the relationship differently and I am sure several old girlfriends would have kicked me to the curb long ago! Seriously though, the savings are there and it is hard to get people to realize something is to good to be true. They grew up with a thermostat and that is the way it is. My wife was like that, still thinks if I worked harder or smarter(better job, less freedom) I could just turn up the thermostat and send money to the Arabs. The art of negotiation = good marriage. Usually.


Kevin

xandrew245x wrote:I'm about to just go take the loan out in my name and just go through with it, sure she might be mad for a while but I can then prove to her how much money we would be saving

good luck with that!! logic & spouses don't always meet where you would like...

could be better to go at this in steps....get a used stoker this year, you already mentioned seeing a few at a good price....get her used to the nice warm house and then step up to the boiler....you will be able to sell the stoker for about what you paid, maybe $100 or so more if you get a good deal on one and are patient in selling it. then you are recognized for the genius that you are....if only for fifteen minutes or so!

KLook wrote:Careful!!! I don't want to take fire for breaking up a coal burning forum mate! Everyone works out the relationship differently and I am sure several old girlfriends would have kicked me to the curb long ago! Seriously though, the savings are there and it is hard to get people to realize something is to good to be true. They grew up with a thermostat and that is the way it is. My wife was like that, still thinks if I worked harder or smarter(better job, less freedom) I could just turn up the thermostat and send money to the Arabs. The art of negotiation = good marriage. Usually.


Kevin

Shes the kind of person that is stubborn about everything. It usually works out better if I just go out and do something and then I get the phrase "you were right".

She must be in a good mood today because I am talking to her about it and I said well I can just get a used handfed stove for now and then try to save for the boiler I want, and she said no, I think you should just get the boiler, I showed her the price we would be paying, the amount we would save every year, how warm we would be able to keep our house, and the important one, she would have unlimited hot water, i know she liked that one.

I think I am breaking her down, but it may take a while still.

Mine is very similar Andrew, she's very intelligent so I have to use the same strategy she uses on me. It's that old steer them towards the direction you want and let them think it was their idea or they had equal input and then agree. Not so easy with Kim but she is smart enough to know that if I explain something in detail (that she's not interested in) I can finally wear her down (Read: bore to death) and it can happen. It's a bit like her wanting plates or pottery or some decorating thing.

in our house all i'd start the conversation this way.....

well i could get a hand fed and if we run low on coal and the house gets cold i could always start using those 500 or so oak l-berger baskets you got hanging around to keep us warm....

or.....

i could get a stoker/ boiler and i wouldn't be able to use those baskets for fuel cause they would clog up the feeder....

hmmmmmm

SteveZee wrote:Mine is very similar Andrew, she's very intelligent so I have to use the same strategy she uses on me. It's that old steer them towards the direction you want and let them think it was their idea or they had equal input and then agree. Not so easy with Kim but she is smart enough to know that if I explain something in detail (that she's not interested in) I can finally wear her down (Read: bore to death) and it can happen. It's a bit like her wanting plates or pottery or some decorating thing.

Maybe tell her it's just like her wanting to buy plates, if the plates reduced your monthly expenses and made the house warmer? Or that she can buy a bunch of plates with the savings from the coal unit?

Mike

Haha, I love the advice guys. She actually collects old cameras, so I could tell her no more cameras unless they keep us warm and start saving us money. She said I could get a used handfed unit and save up money for the boiler, or even just save some money for a year and borrow the rest of the money next year and then buy it. I tried explaining to her though that year that we waited we could have put 2K towards that boiler that we spend on heating oil! *sigh*