February 2025 Disco/Obs Thread

[NW_of_GYX]

1 hour ago, CT Rain said:

I got a new heat pump/nat gas furnace 18 months ago and it's great. Only a 1300 sqft house and I think my electric was $190 this month and my gas bill was $130. Having a/c in the summer is great too. 

My house is same size with a colder climate and my electric was similar last month . Heat pump and woodstove work great for me. That’s the combo everyone uses in QC although electric historically has been a lot cheaper there. I burn about 3 cord a season. I do run the oil boiler cold mornings below zero to get the house up to temp 

[DavisStraight]

47 minutes ago, WinterWolf said:

Lol…the people in northern Aroostook call that area SNE.   All kidding aside, congratulations on your move, it sounds real nice.  Next year that area will get fringed, and SNE will get buried. 

Don't jinx me buddy. Actually, they average more than where I am, and they usually cash in on coastals and the occasional Norlund. My sister sends me pictures all the time and they have better retention too.

[UnitedWx]

8 hours ago, powderfreak said:

I don’t snowmobile recreationally to know what it’s like (I’ve only done some limited snowmobiling at the resort for getting from point A to B), but to travel 140 miles in a deep winter environment sounds intriguing.  Thats covering some ground.

 

On our week long trip to Canada we used to do, a 300 mile day was the norm on a couple of the days. Some of the route was just at the edge of some sleds fuel capacity during those days. Quite invigorating 

[UnitedWx]

8 hours ago, DavisStraight said:

Agree, I want the pellet stove too when we have a cold spell. It' a little colder in Maine than it is here.

Pellet stoves are great to supplement heat but don't expect to use one as any source of primary heat. A couple of my friends tried doing that and found they went through tons of pellets and still had to run the oil to keep up. Cost them more in the end instead of using it as a supplement. We have one and use it during the super cold spells. We keep it set low so it still allows the gas heat to cycle,  just less and helps circulate the stove heat around the house. That seems to be our sweet spot where we're not just spending extra money 

[CoastalWx]

Man we could be napin’ next week. 

[UnitedWx]

7 hours ago, CT Rain said:

I got a new heat pump/nat gas furnace 18 months ago and it's great. Only a 1300 sqft house and I think my electric was $190 this month and my gas bill was $130. Having a/c in the summer is great too. 

Here in Westfield we have our own gas and electric grid. Cheaper than you know who. 2000 sq.ft. Our electricity last month was $135, but nat. gas was $300. Not bad at all compared to our neighbors, but still expensive compared to a couple years ago. Summer electric isn't bad even with A/C. We have to A/C because of our Chinchillas... great pet to get if you love to keep the house cool! 

[UnitedWx]

2 minutes ago, CoastalWx said:

Man we could be napin’ next week. 

Starting to look like that. I've felt the first vestiges of it the last two days in the truck. 

[CoastalWx]

Let it go, Kevin, let it go.

[dendrite]

28 minutes ago, UnitedWx said:

Pellet stoves are great to supplement heat but don't expect to use one as any source of primary heat. A couple of my friends tried doing that and found they went through tons of pellets and still had to run the oil to keep up. Cost them more in the end instead of using it as a supplement. We have one and use it during the super cold spells. We keep it set low so it still allows the gas heat to cycle,  just less and helps circulate the stove heat around the house. That seems to be our sweet spot where we're not just spending extra money 

We use only pellets with no problem. I found a brand that burns so much hotter and cleaner in my stove than others. I had it run for 2 weeks straight with no signs of clinkers…most of the others would start building and clogging up after 2-3 days. We had -10s a few mornings and the living room was 75-77 and the opposite side of the house was still 65-67. They renewed my faith in the stove.

[UnitedWx]

14 minutes ago, dendrite said:

We use only pellets with no problem. I found a brand that burns so much hotter and cleaner in my stove than others. I had it run for 2 weeks straight with no signs of clinkers…most of the others would start building and clogging up after 2-3 days. We had -10s a few mornings and the living room was 75-77 and the opposite side of the house was still 65-67. They renewed my faith in the stove.

What brand? Several years ago we tried burning strictly pellets but it was just impossible. We ended up spending more money in pellets than we would have in gas. It is an old house and we've been slowly improving the insulation I'm sure that has quite a bit to do with it.

[Johnno]

45 minutes ago, CoastalWx said:

Man we could be napin’ next week. 

We can only hope

[BrianW]

9 hours ago, tunafish said:

 

Glad I went the heat pump route.  

Installed solar and heat pumps in December.  Have paid <$100 in electric in total since.  Even with solar minimum it's covering 90% of my electric costs WITH heat pumps.

No better way than heating your house all day for free directly from the sun with zero work, combustion, or carbon emissions. 

Here are my 2 high efficiency mini splits running  non-stop all day yesterday while being powered directly from the sun.

 

 

 

[dendrite]

23 minutes ago, CoastalWx said:

Let it go, Kevin, let it go.

What does he have for a pack? A crusty 2-3”? What is he hanging on for? We’re ending Feb seasonably warm and then we’re onto March. He was ready to install in March last year. 

[dendrite]

4 minutes ago, UnitedWx said:

What brand? Several years ago we tried burning strictly pellets but it was just impossible. We ended up spending more money in pellets than we would have in gas. It is an old house and we've been slowly improving the insulation I'm sure that has quite a bit to do with it.

Wood & Sons out of Maine. My stove recommends hardwood, but these are soft (pine).

[Ginx snewx]

9 hours ago, DavisStraight said:

We use ours to get a little heat in the fall when some nights get cold but its oil now. I have a wood stove too but haven't used it since I need a shoulder replacement and couldn't get a good wood supply this year. Our new house will have mini splits with baseboard propane and I'll have a pellet stove in the basement.

Had my shoulder replaced in July then again in September after the first one failed. The surgery was less painful than my rotator Labrum surgery. 

[Damage In Tolland]

14 minutes ago, dendrite said:

What does he have for a pack? A crusty 2-3”? What is he hanging on for? We’re ending Feb seasonably warm and then we’re onto March. He was ready to install in March last year. 

About 5-6”. Last year winter never started so I didn’t care. This year we had a decent winter so I’d rather keep it. A couple days in the low 40’s and cold nights will slowly melt in sunny spots. Then we’ve got the storm late next week . Morch doesn’t look warm 

[Ginx snewx]

35 minutes ago, dendrite said:

We use only pellets with no problem. I found a brand that burns so much hotter and cleaner in my stove than others. I had it run for 2 weeks straight with no signs of clinkers…most of the others would start building and clogging up after 2-3 days. We had -10s a few mornings and the living room was 75-77 and the opposite side of the house was still 65-67. They renewed my faith in the stove.

Love my pellet stove heats the entire lower floors and the back upstairs 2 bedrooms while a propane fireplace heats the living room, kitchen , bathrooms. About 2k a year

[Ginx snewx]

4 minutes ago, Damage In Tolland said:

About 5-6”. Last year winter never started so I didn’t care. This year we had a decent winter so I’d rather keep it. A couple days in the low 40’s and cold nights will slowly melt in sunny spots. Then we’ve got the storm late next week . Morch doesn’t look warm 

March start looks pretty bitter hopefully we can stir up a March 13 storm 

[UnitedWx]

5 minutes ago, Ginx snewx said:

Had my shoulder replaced in July then again in September after the first one failed. The surgery was less painful than my rotator Labrum surgery. 

Ouch! Yeah I've had both rotators done...NOT a fun recovery! I'm going in for a check after 10 years because we think my bone spurs are coming back. Need to nip those before they cut again

[UnitedWx]

1 minute ago, Ginx snewx said:

March start looks pretty bitter hopefully we can stir up a March 13 storm 

I mentioned how I can feel the sun the last couple days, but I really don't think the winter WX is over yet. If any March in recent years has a chance at anything I believe this is it... but probably not next week

[Ginx snewx]

3 minutes ago, UnitedWx said:

I mentioned how I can feel the sun the last couple days, but I really don't think the winter WX is over yet. If any March in recent years has a chance at anything I believe this is it... but probably not next week

Remember all the talk about Feb sun melting the pack. The amount of ice still around is crazy. One of the colder winters we have had in years.

[Ginx snewx]

4 minutes ago, Ginx snewx said:

Remember all the talk about Feb sun melting the pack. The amount of ice still around is crazy. One of the colder winters we have had in years.

 

[Ginx snewx]

What sucks is every year with similar temps since 1990 were massive snow years here

[WinterWolf]

11 minutes ago, Ginx snewx said:

Remember all the talk about Feb sun melting the pack. The amount of ice still around is crazy. One of the colder winters we have had in years.

I said this on Wednesday…the snow and ice are hanging tough. It’s been cold. A few days of warmer temps will obviously start melting it quick, but then it’s back to the freezer. 

[WinterWolf]

6 minutes ago, Ginx snewx said:

What sucks is every year with similar temps since 1990 were massive snow years here

Welcome to the 80’s…they’re back. 

[40/70 Benchmark]

53 minutes ago, dendrite said:

What does he have for a pack? A crusty 2-3”? What is he hanging on for? We’re ending Feb seasonably warm and then we’re onto March. He was ready to install in March last year. 

I actually do have 14" of concerte that it sucks to lose, but I feel like this season has run its course....at least we know we're still capable of colder winters...at least by modern standards.

[40/70 Benchmark]

16 minutes ago, Ginx snewx said:

What sucks is every year with similar temps since 1990 were massive snow years here

2003-2004 sucked for snow in my hood. I know it was better for you, but massive??

[CoastalWx]

41 minutes ago, Damage In Tolland said:

About 5-6”. Last year winter never started so I didn’t care. This year we had a decent winter so I’d rather keep it. A couple days in the low 40’s and cold nights will slowly melt in sunny spots. Then we’ve got the storm late next week . Morch doesn’t look warm 

Can I already see the EPO breaking down. First week of March might be below normal but after that, I think we warm up. Next week we make big damage in the pack. It’s about over.

[40/70 Benchmark]

21 minutes ago, Ginx snewx said:

 

It just takes a perfect pattern to cold winters in our modern climate......that's why its seemingly only one oasis on a sea of warmth every season these days. This year it was finaly our turn again, but the rest of the globe is warm.

[40/70 Benchmark]

2 minutes ago, CoastalWx said:

Can I already see the EPO breaking down. First week of March might be below normal but after that, I think we warm up. Next week we make big damage in the pack. It’s about over.

The first two weeks of March of fair game for big snows, but the second half gets dicey in terms of climo around here....so that may be an ideal sequence. Once we get into latter March a "cold" pattern isn't as redeeming.