Two Fire Night

Although we have an oil-fired hot water system that supplies the bulk of our home heating, we have always supplemented the oil by burning wood. That was accomplished for years with an old fashioned box stove that had been salvaged from a less than desirable storage situation. It worked, albeit with moderate efficiency. Since it was in the basement and warm air tends to rise, it did help limit the number of times the oilman had to show up.

Then a few years ago we replaced the old timer with a new air-tight model figuring that less wood would be required and it seemed a bit safer in that you could only see the fire through the glass door. The new, safer stove however had a shortcoming. The firebox capacity did not allow for the same amount of heat the old one did and the only really warm spot was in the basement in front of the stove. There has to be a better way.

A second stove in the form of a fireplace insert proved to be a good solution. We still buy some oil and appreciate the fact that going away for a day or two is not the problem it would be if wood was our only fuel. Our winters generally have been warmer the last few years and the stove in the basement rarely gets used. Tonight is different. The Polar Vortex, a term that had no meaning for me for seventy years is misbehaving and the temperature is supposed to be bitterly cold tonight and tomorrow. Tonight and the next couple nights as well will be two stove nights as we deal with this new, at least to me, creature called the Polar Vortex.

I am so grateful to have access to firewood and will plan to get a little more stacked up next year in case the situation repeats. Thinking that old  saw, "Money doesn't grow on trees."  should be revised. Thanks for reading and hoping you are warm wherever you may be.