The first frost has wiped out all but the hardiest plants in the gardens. Leaves are as bright a color as you can imagine and there is a cool Canadian smell to the air. Not only that, there is a definite zip to your step nowadays.
It’s fall for sure and winter is heading our way. You can count on it.
That means we seriously start working on all the things that have to be done before winter with all of its elements arrive. Things like securing the woodpile against rain if you’ve got a wood-burning stove in the house. If you are a serious wood burner you already have a two-year pile so that this years’ supply is a year old and well cured. Greenwood, as it is called, causes creosote to build up in the smokestack and it doesn’t give out as much heat as cured wood. It also causes flu fires that burn houses down; that’s a no-no.
Next is to clean out the stove pipe. You probably cleaned it out last spring. That’s normal, but now’s the time to do it again. Sometimes birds nest in the flu cap and if you haven’t cleaned that out you’ve got a house full of smoke, and that’s a no-no. While you’re on the roof it’s a good time to check the wires that hold the flu on the roof. Winter winds get up there and you don’t want to have to go on the roof fixing a chimney pipe in a winter storm.
A chimney pipe cleaner is a small bristly thing that is made to fit in your flue pipe. You can get rods that link together. When you secured the rods to the cleaner you just shove it up and down the flue pipe until it's clean. Whatever creosote you have in the pipe goes down into the woodstove. You burn it there. Some people use weights and a rope instead of rods. That works too. Just tie the weights to the brush and have a long rope so that you can pull the brush up and let it fall down until the flue pipe is as clean as you want it.
Checking out your wood stove in the house is a must. A small fire will be enough to test for smoke leaks. You want the stove to be air-tight. You don’t want to be breathing smoke in the house; it stinks up the house. New gaskets will fix air leaks. Do it now.
If you have a catalytic converter, check it out. Most of the time they just need cleaning. They last for many years. The converters give you extra heat by burning smoke before it goes up the flue.
Most of the newer wood stoves are built to accommodate an outside source of air. If you don’t have one installed check out your stove to see if it will take one. The idea is to bring outside air directly into your stove. The results are very good. You don’t burn pre-heated house air; you have fewer drafts in the house and you burn up much less wood to heat your house. Pays for itself in many ways.
Outside in the yard, you need to check out the dog house. See to it that there’s enough straw, hay, or other insulation materials in the dog house. Check out the water hoses. Empty the water out and roll them up. Put the freeze caps on the water outlets now. Why wait until it’s freezing out to do it?
Yes, and the leaves need raking. If you have a leaf-blower, reverse it to break up the leaves; into the compost pile, it goes.
All the machines you use in the summer need attention now or they may not start next spring when you need them. I empty all the gas out and run them until they stop. That way the carborator will not be clogged with sludge next spring. I also check out my chain saw and sharpen chains in anticipation of cutting wood again this winter. Usually, all the saw needs is a new spark plug. I’ll start the wood splitter too, just to make sure it will run when I need it this winter. If you have a snowblower it needs checking now too.
Oh yes, the chickens need attention. I’ve got a heating light that fits over the water pan. The bulb may need replacement. The corn barrels need to be cleaned out. I keep a winter’s supply of corn in three 50-gallon barrels. I fill the barrels every fall. I trade the use of my wood splitter to my neighbor for corn. A hand grinder breaks the corn down as fine as I want it for chicken feed when I need it. Oh yes, I’ve got to get three bales of hay for the chickens. I use some on the floor so their feet won’t freeze. They eat some too.
Time to rototill the garden and get rid of all the plant residue: in the compost pile it goes. Also, I’ve got tomato trellises that have to be stacked away in the chicken yard. Chickens won’t go out in the snow anyway.
In the house, it’s time to replace the filter in the forced-air furnace. I got a replacement furnace a few years ago. It’s really efficient. It uses an outside air source. I cover the air condition unit outside with a cover that was made for it. I don’t know that it really matters but it looks like I’m taking care of it.
I use the furnace as a backup. My wood burner is the main source of heat in the winter. Occasionally the furnace will go on before I get up in the morning but only on the coldest days. Before I go to bed at night, I load up the stove and put it on low. If I leave for a few days in the winter, the furnace keeps it as warm as I set the thermostat.
In our part of the country, it makes sense to have alternative heat. Normally I would be paying about $2,500 a year for LP fuel for the furnace. Wood heat costs me about $550 a year amortized over a ten-year period. That includes my stove, installation, cost of the woodshed, chain saw, wood splitter, and gas to run them. I donate the labor.
The EPA has adopted new standards to go into effect in 2022. The new wood stoves, even multi-fueled stoves are designed to comply with SIA standards. I’m guessing that this coming winter’s costs are going to be significantly higher because of all of the economic turmoil.
If you are down in Texas, you can expect higher costs to run your heat pumps because electric costs are going up as well as LP fuel costs; that is if your electric system doesn’t break again. I was there last winter. Check out THE TEXAS WINTER FROM HELL. You can find it on the podcast NO JUNK MAIL.
I’m helping Larry Meese put his new SIA Eco-design stove in as soon as they deliver it. He’s had it on order since last summer.
Last summer we put supports in Larry’s basement directly under the stove to hold up the added weight. The stove will weigh over 500 pounds. We also built the platform the stove sits on, laid a concrete board then brick surface up the wall behind the stove. Finally, we put the double-walled stove pipe up through the roof. All we have to do now is place the stove on the pad and connect the stove pipe. It is supposed to be in next week. He’s got his wood in a covered pile. It’s ready for winter too.
The wood around here is easy to get. Come spring or summer storm, trees go down. You show up with a chain saw and wood is free.
This is the sixth installation I’ve been involved in. When two or three neighbors help each other the work goes quickly and is enjoyable. You learn a lot with each installation.
Lots of things happening in town too. Hunting time will be on us soon. Thanksgiving is coming up and of course, Christmas and all the festivities tied to the celebration will follow.
Fall is a unique time with its beauty, special chores, and wonder. One of the things you wonder about is how I’m going to get all this done.
So, that’s it for now.
From where the corn grows tall and pigs fly
With all my love
Grampa Jim