Most people that comment on what you should do, don’t have any good sense. You are very handy, smart, logical, etc. That is proven with your channel content. Please don’t waste your time or ours with viewers’ silly comments. We watch this channel for your content, and love it! If there are comments worth speaking to, then do. Otherwise, smile and shake your head and let it be like water off a duck’s back. God bless you and yours!!!
@@digdrivediy odd question for you…at about the 51 second mark when you’re suiting up, there’s some slip on boots in the background. What brand are they? I’ve been shopping for a pair of slip on boots….some call them Chelsea boots….just today and saw those.
@@waltermitty7452 They are OBOZ brand. I wear OBOZ for everyday wear (lace up ones too). Unfortunately I think the slip ones are no longer available as I haven't been able to find a new pair.
When you said, “we waited and waited” to have kids, I knew EXACTLY how that felt. Wife and I just had our first baby girl after 7 years of waiting. God bless you and your family my friend.
Great video, thank you very much, you and your family are great. In Russia, in regions where in winter the temperature drops below -10C (14F), a second row of windows is installed. This creates an air gap as a heat insulator. A regular frame with windows that cannot be opened.
I am going to nominate you for entertainer of the year. If you can cut firewood, dig holes, and spread gravel all the while offering up really sound advice and hold my rapt attention you MUST be the entertainer of the year. Stumbled onto your channel yesterday and have binge watched you during a snowstorm. You and your family have restored my hope for humanity. Keep up the good work.
My wife and I enjoy your channel very much. We are both 80 years old, live in Brown County, Indiana, on 80 wooded acres and have heated primarily with wood for the past 55 years. It was interesting to hear your speculation about whether or not you will continue with wood heat into the future. I enjoy the process of harvesting firewood and we both enjoy having a stove in the living room and fiddling with it to keep the temperature in a desirable range. This was easier to do once we both retired and can tend the stoves all day. We have a propane forced air furnace as a backup and use that on those days in the spring and fall when temperatures swing up into the 50's but require a little heat at night. Most of our wood is harvested from fallen storm damaged trees, so we never have to cut down a live tree. I stay 3 years ahead on harvesting so the wood is always well seasoned. This is also a little bit of insurance for when the day comes that I can no longer keep up with it, but I don't "plan" to ever give up harvesting firewood. When that day comes, we will probably purchase firewood even if it doesn't save us any money. (using John Deere Gator, Stihl chainsaws, and a "box store" hydraulic splitter)
This is great to hear! I hope I can be as able bodied when I'm in my 80's. Ideally I'll keep up with firewood as long as I can. The question is more related to how much we travel. I can envision a day when we want to hang around here less in the winter as our goal is to one day travel a bit more, especially in the winter. I enjoy the activities of it all though for now and hope I still feel that way for many years to come.
I know exactly how you feel about things you did and why. I regret not putting in a steel beam in my garage ceiling to support the room above. I have been living with a Lally column in the middle of the garage for 38 years all because I did not want to spend $1,700. At the time interest for a mortgage was 10%.
The kids always helping out is one of my favorite parts of this channel. My kids have to help with one chore per day. Sometimes they just take the trash out and other times we stack wood for a couple hours.
You have the equipment to process large amounts of wood, I'ld say you made the right choice everyday. Nothing beats wood heat, especially after being outside in the cold all day once you hit that warmth from a wood stove it almost puts you to sleep. As someone who has a Woodstove I am jealous of your wood furnace setup. Plus the amount of propane it would cost to heat the house, garage, shop and everything would be a second mortgage. Plus can run out of propane in the middle of a holiday weekend or loose power. Woodstove needs to power. Rule of thumb warm basement warm house . The blown in insulation from outside helps but over time it settles and has voids, if you could get into your attic and add insulation that would help a lot. Heat rises. I think the brick house did alot to break the wind as much as bushes . Vinyl siding is easy to remove and save , add a layer of foam board insulation and put the siding back on. You have a beautiful home and property. And an even more beautiful family.
I don't see how anyone can knock what you have done and what you are doing. You did what was right at the time and it's easy to use hindsight to find things to do differently, but, if it works then it can't be wrong. Besides which, it is all part of life, part of living, and you have a life that others surely envy and one that will give you loads of memories. What you did got you to where you are now and made you all who you are, it's all a part of you. Nothing is perfect and even if you did it all, as you now think you should have, you'd still be here today thinking of the things you would like to have done differently. One thing I did notice though, all that hard work on the pond and nobody out there swimming! 🤣 Keep up with the very excellent videos, we love the insight into your lives that you bring to us and are only a little bit jealous... Andy, (England)
3 words everybody uses sir, woulda, coulda, shoulda. If we knew everything, world would be a dull place due to us all being the same. Family, health then everything else makes us better people. Thank you for bringing us not your life, truly enjoy it. Retired old fart from Michigan that regrets not doing things right but am happy. ❤
My parents supplemented heat with a wood stove in the basement (also had oil heat)... One of my fondest memories as a child is sitting on top of the big vent at the bottom of the stairs on the ground floor... I'd wrap up in a big fluffy towel after getting out of the tub and just sit there... 😊😊😊
The wood stove option is a big time money saver especially if you get the wood for free. My dad finally quit burning wood after 25 years now cause he just can't keep up with the labor of it. That being said. 25 years time probably 2 grand a winter is 50 thousand dollars saved.
Neil you hit the nail on the head, "when heating with wood and leaving a door or window open it doesn't hurt you very much". Compared to a heat source you have to buy. Heating with wood is by far the best feeling to experience.
Planting the windbreak/trees are never too late. I finally planted some trees in my yard a couple years ago & really regret not doing it sooner. I’m in southeastern Indiana, primarily heat with electric heat pump, but have a wood stove in the basement for the colder periods. Love not NEEDING to heat with wood (I did that in the past), but do enjoy being able to keep the furnace from running when the temp is 10* outside.
Another great video. Your practicality, smarts and family values is what makes the videos enjoyable but it’s your humility that keeps me coming back. May God continue to bless you and your family.
My wife and I are regular viewers and wish to thank you for your honest assessment of things and inviting us to share in your family. So, we trust you to sort through people's silliness and woulda, shoulda, and coulda junk.
If you open the walls from the inside, you can use a product like Siga Majrex on the inside of the exterior walls, to help control condensation and airflow through the wall. And there is little point to "could a, woulda, shoulda" except to learn. Don't beat yourself up, and don't let all the keyboard warriors tell you how to live your life. Love the content, keep it up!
Neil I never miss your videos, My wife of 51 years and I watch every sunday morning My take on things I would change is very small as I am happy with where we are in our lives and I wonder if any change in the past would have altered where we are now and I wouldn,t change this for the world Keep up the good work and enjoy each step along the way and we will keep watching!!
With the well that you use to fill the pond. If you're worried about water freezing down the pipe you can shove a tube down inside of it and blast it with air and it will blow out the top. If you have like 15 ft of tube down inside of it it will blow quite a ways down and it should be fine for your area
My primary heat was fuel oil base board but 15 yrs ago I put a pellet stove insert in the fireplace. It was supposed to be for aesthetics but it works so well, it's now the primary heat and saves thousands.
I agree about cutting firewood being a fun-ish family event! For some reason we always did it in the worst weather. That's also how I learned to drive; in a Ford highboy with one brake. It had narrow snow tires, chained up on all 4 corners, and there was a 3/4 thick 4x8 steel plate on the floor of the box. If the ground was frozen you could literally go anywhere.
Ha! When we first moved here I hauled all the wood we used with my '76 Highboy. What a great 'ole beater. That plate of steel you mentioned would have come in handy for a few of the situations I put myself in while driving that truck!
Neil! Wood is better. Because with the economy today your family are still INDEPENTANT of outside sources to keep your home warm + you have saved 100s if not 1000s today. research is saying today "A tight home is not a healthy home". See ya on the next one neighbor !!! Great family !
So, you did it right from the beginning. You found a great partner and created a beautiful family. On that foundation, you can build and rebuild anything.
A propane boiler setup to carry that load would probably be close to 750,000 btu’s and cost a fortune to run. I would just add a thermal mass tank( good size) to help carry the load. Wood is a lot of work but I enjoy the process and it beats paying the saudis to heat my house.
Neil, it’s not too late to start growing a wind break Under the best conditions, a Leland Cypress tree can reach heights of 150 feet in 20 years time On an average, they can grow 2 to 3 feet a year. Just thought might be something you’d be interested in
I would like to comment about something I see in this video and in your house. I noticed that you have either flimsy curtains or no curtains on the windows. Several years ago, I visited my cousin and she had the same thing in her house. You could feel the cold draft by any of her windows. My mom, by comparison, always put up thermal drapes on all the windows. She would keep them completely closed at night and on exceptionally cold days. The result was that we never had the drafts that were common without them. Today, I still follow that example. I have thermal drapes and keep them closed as much as possible, especially in rooms that are not used that much. The result is that my oil bill has dropped quite a bit. (Normally, in January I use ¾’s of a tank of oil but this month it is only a hair below ½ of a tank) Granted, you do need to keep some lights on but that is far cheaper than fuel oil overall. Perhaps you may want to consider this as the result is that I have no drafts anywhere in my house.
Good video Neil. Enjoyed seeing what you have to do to get ready for winter. Like the way you include your family in your activities. We're in Eastern NC and it gets cold at times but thankfully it doesn't that cold and we usually don't get much snow.
Just found your channel today and watched a few videos. Very similar story and stage of life. Went through the same decisions in 2009 when we built. Decided on wood because we don't have natural gas where we live. It was a financial thing for me but it was also a matter of knowing that we would probably always live in this house and I didn't want my future expenses to be dictated and dependent on utility rates, government opinion, etc. In the last 5 years I've gone with residential solar to eliminate my electric bill, and the wood is a low cost solution for heat. I'm thinking about living costs in the future and trying to pay future expenses today when I have income and ability.
I would add insulation on the outside, continuous, move windows out, and try to seal all the points where air could leak in/out of the house... and then enjoy the fire!:) The work could be done on one wall face at a time.
I came because of the boiler and the more i see people complain about a wood stove or a boiler the more jazzed i get and the more my internal fire for firewood gets forged... Neil i love the channel and absolutely love the changes in content. Thank you for the video again - wd
When I found out I was going to be a father I changed gears. I became a cdl dad. I did what I needed to be financially responsible. Seeing your vids I know you’re someone whom I could look up to. I want that work life. It builds character. I applaud you.
One of my biggest regrets is that i had a house built that allows my 14 year old son stroll round in shorts indoors in January swiping from gadget to gadget. Will only show enthusiasm when lightning a firepit with his friends in September. We need to teach our kids to respect and contribute to household maintenance from the earliest age. Well done sir👍
Neil, I feel like I’m watching an episode of my upbringing and totally get where you’re coming from. In 1998 my wife and I were engaged, we were only 22, high school sweethearts and started building our house in the woods that my grandfather had on our own with lots of help from family, I know the pinch you talk about, burn wood in an outside boiler, farm, do excavation, and 6 kids later wouldn’t change it for the world! Hard work makes who you are, I feel the cold here to in north central ohio, anyways love watching your channel grow, keep the firewood coming!
When you think of how most people just go in the house to stay warm and that's pretty much it. All the work you have to do must seem like a nightmare to them (us). But it's so satisfying watching this. Knowing what you can and have to do and going about getting it done. All the planning and preparation coming to fruition. It's just great. There's four people and a bunch of cats that I'm not worried about freezing.
Neil, I also remember my Dad was 86 years old and we was still helping him plant trees. He said I might not be able to enjoy them but someone else might. That still helps me to plant trees at age 68.
I had all my windows replaced in 2018 and couldn’t figure out why my heating and cooling bill was still really high. One day my wife had a candle on the kitchen table and noticed the flame flickering due to a draft. I pulled the inside trim and started checking and long story short, the company who installed them did not spray foam around them. There were 2 to 3 inch gaps around the top and sides of all 14 windows in my house. I could see the outside light from the inside. I fixed this myself and it made a huge difference. In my cost.
We do a lot of things when we are young that we would change when we are older. I have found that most of the time, it was due to being ignorant or broke at the time. That's what life is all about, learning lessons along the way and making improvements as we learn. That's called wisdom. I also feel that it's our duty to pass along to our children what we've learned in order to maybe make their lives a little easier (if they will listen). Thanks for sharing brother.
As an Englishman I love watching your videos. Your home and life style looks very idyllic. I live near farms in England and they have the same approach to heating as you and some of them are a few hundred years old. As for ideas for making improvements to your home efficiency I’d put an extra woolly jumper on!
Neil, you know EVERYONE watching this wants to see the updates!!! I was lucky enough to take down a family barn from 1855 a few years back. Have kept all of the lumber and siding in my current barn and my family has been able use it on projects around our houses. Means so much to everyone to have that wood! Love your channel.
Neil… I too grew up with wood heat. In fact both homes we lived in were wood only heat… and no air conditioning. Once I moved out, my apartments and our first home were heated with natural gas. I missed the joy of cutting firewood as much as I missed having a heat source to back up to when I came in from the cold! Once we started looking for our ‘Forever Home’ we set our sights on one with wood heat. And we found the perfect answer. Thirty five years ago, we bought a three bedroom ranch home on three acres. And, we bought Sassafras Valley… it had seven acres of hardwood timber on it. The two properties are adjoined on their north to south boundaries. The house was set up with an electric heat pump for heat and air. It is ducted through the floor in the crawl space below. That is the absolute worst heating system I’ve ever lived around. The air always felt cold and it cost a fortune to use! Two years ago, we replaced it with a high efficiency propane gas heat and electric air unit. It is a bit cheaper and much more pleasant solution. AND… the home had a fireplace that was ducted through the attic to every room of the house. The fireplace was not air tight… but, if I could keep enough wood cut… it put out excellent heat. We could comfortably heat the house with outside temps down to -12f. Over the years, we too replaced our windows, added on a small utility room, insulated the attic with 24” of blown-in fiberglass and… totally replaced the fireplace. We are fortunate to have a local Fireplace manufacturer (New Air). I had known the owners for years. When I was ready to replace the unit, they came over and recommended we make changes in our plans. He suggested we upgrade to an airtight unit with dual doors. The doors in the living room have glass windows in the doors. The other doors are solid steel and open into the garage. He also recommended a higher volume fan system to circulate more air. That worked out great! The amount of wood burnt was decreased by a fourth. The fire is fed through the garage… and I never get in trouble for spilling sawdust and wood debris on the floor of the house. The fan upgrade has done wonders to even out air flow to the far end of the house. But, the biggest surprise was that the steel doors provide radiant heat to keep Gabby the dog and Flora the cat comfy in the garage. After 10 years of using this fireplace, I wouldn’t change a thing. As I type this, the outside temperature is -2f. Inside here it is 76f… I am sitting on the hearth of the fireplace and don’t feel one bit guilty for wearing a short sleeved t-shirt and shorts. Well sir, that’s enough. I need to go throw another couple of sticks on the fire. Neil… I hope the joys of wood cutting and heating hold up for you… I plan on sticking with it for as long as I can manage to do so. PS… I posted a video about some pop guns that I made… I was wondering if you grew up playing with them too?
Just found this comment 2 weeks later! I like hearing stories of the evolution of getting to the right solution. I wish I had known then what I know now, but I'm learning that almost everyone goes through the same bit of growing, er learning pains. Our energy consumption is certainly high but we are also heating a lot of square footage. The nice part is I never worried about it too much until I started posting to RUclips. We can work on ways to make it better, just as you have done over the years, and I don't mind continuing to cut wood as long as I'm able. I think it has most definitely saved us a good bit of money! Thanks for sharing about your evolution to the right solution! The fill side in the garage sounds wonderful! We didn't play with pop guns too much as a kid but there was one or two at an Aunt & Uncles house that got fired every time we were there. Sounds like a fun project though! Did I ever tell you that you inspired us to make bird houses with the kids? Grandpa made a "kit" for each Grandkid and we put them together over Christmas time. I can't remember if I put clips in a video or not but it was a good time! Thanks Dave!
@@digdrivediy Yep, I have let a few comments slip by me too. It happens. Thanks for getting back with me. I’m glad you still enjoy wood heat… it is a built in heating and fitness program. How wonderful… building birdhouses is a terrific craft bonding project. I hope you get them filled this spring. In our area…, late February is time to clean old and hang new bluebird houses. That reminds me… I’m overdue to post the shotgun pop-gun video….
I live in Oceanside CA. My windows are so old they are single pane from 1974, and they rattle when Camp Pendleton does training excercises. I get such a laugh when friends come over and they say "You should replace your windows"! I always reply with "Wow, never thought of that! What a great idea! If you want to help me pay for it, I will do it"! Amazing how fast they shut up when I say that! You guys are doing great! Keep up the awesome work!
We got married in 1978 and Ditto on almost everything you have done and how your decisions were made. We added solar panels a few years ago and that same feeling of having a full wood shed on a cold day with a roaring fire comes with solar panels on a bright sunny day as you are making your own power.
Heating the house and shop with firewood and using the old Rubbermaid cart… brings back the memories. I did the same for over 19 years and saved a lot of money in the process and enjoyed great heat during the cold winters. Lol, still have the Rubbermaid cart. Great video!
Oh my goodness! My husband was watching your pond process this morning and I was hooked. We sat on our couch for almost 2 hrs saying, “well we gotta watch to the end of the project.” ( Saturday mornings are lazy for us) So I signed up! These are so much better than watching TV and all the junk that is on it nowadays. We are also Ohioians, central part and also believers!
My wife and I rehabed a 1929 Montgomery ward kit house in Schenectady NY 20 years ago. It was the first redo the house had had and insulation was the worst. Even after it was done it was still cold in the NE winters. Still we made it work and I appreciate what you have done and don’t let the naysayers tell you what to do. Live your truth and make it better down the road. Stay warm and look for the spring!
Really nice video…… well, they’ve all been great this year. Grew up on a farm in the UK, and now live in southern France on the edge of a mountain, but winter and cutting wood, and keeping warm, is the same everywhere…..and developing the houses in a parallel timeframe, with technological progress and financial progress being what it is, you’ll get no criticisms from us, just empathy. And hey, seasons are great for making memories aren’t they. P.S. our well has been empty for 2 years, apparently it’s always had water for the previous 60 years, but now can only fill it from the bore hole. For me that’s an indicator that things are changing, so we’re gonna need to adapt.
I would have done what you did… lived and learned and did the best I could manage at the time with the knowledge I had at that time. It’s easy for others to knit pick but there is nothing wrong with the approach you took. My wife and I made some mistakes as well along the way but the mistakes are part of the journey. Wish you all the best, we are also getting ready for the deep freeze up here in Michigan!
That's a awesome house, garage and shop setup. As my grandfather used to say a house that breathes is a healthy house that'll last a lifetime. The multiple heating systems is a perfect setup for anyone who lives in the rural areas.
Thanks for sharing your videos. Reminds me of my childhood growing up in Rural Iowa. Almost exactly the same farmhouse, ect. Dad put a wood stove in the basement which was connected to the propane furnace. Many a winter was spent hauling wood to the cellar. And the shower was in the basement, so you learned real quick to stoke the furnace be your shower to get it good and warm by the time you were done. I’d imagine that any negative comments you might receive from your videos are from folks who have no idea the lifestyle you have in rural America. Your doing good my friend. Keep it up! We grew up in what many would call poverty or poor in Iowa, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I still have the old Farmall tractors we used, the lathe, mill, and most of my dads tools. Looking forward to handing them down to my boys. Keep the videos coming. You inspired me with the pond videos. I live in Oklahoma now and a pond like that would go well with our clay soil. Thanks for sharing your videos!
Our home was built in 1951. We drilled the holes between the studs at the top of the exterior walls ouourselves and had the insulation blown in. We installed new windows ourselves and switched from gas heat to a new central heat and air unit. Huge difference and saving thousands every year. You have time to get everything sorted before you retire. A little each year. Love the constant DIY progress!
I personally only myself insulated my 200m2 or 2150 ft2 roof with 2 layers of rockwood 15+5 cm or 7,8in thick . IT took me one year all I did myself after work. Finally efect is superb when lasy week outaide temp was like -7f or -22c on my not jesteś attic temp. Inside was 43F or +6C. When outside temp is like 32f or 0c inside temp is like 50F or +10C. My home was build DIY in 1992 by my parents.We made the blanks for the walls ourselves. Cheers from Poland.
I wish I could still burn wood. Not only is it the best heat it heats you multiple times. Collecting it, splitting it, stacking it, using it. Also your home is beautiful. I think you made a lot of good choices to get where you are today.
You do the best you can with the resources available. I would say you are doing better than most, and you are a good example of how to get things done. 👍👍
I think you are well suited to surviving if any or most of your means of staying warm don't pan out . Like if a EMP or a storm or a supplier got shut off from your homestead for what ever reason you would be very well protected. Congratulations on a successful family enviroment and a great place to grow a family. I'm very impressed and envious. Stay warm.
Hi Neil I just discovered your channel today, and absolutely love your content, have binged hours, well done with your channel and thanks for all the info you provide. Cheers Nate from down under.
I don’t think you should have done anything differently! The decision you shared and the priceless memories that those decisions have provided are to me much more important than a few more conveniences. Shared goals and hard work develop a bond you can’t get in any other way. Y’all have done great and are richer in way most people would envy. Keep following your mutual goals.
I look forward to your videos each week, great job as always. Don't worry about what others say, work with what you have, and always learn from the past. I have great memories of gathering wood, splitting by hand all of the wood, and stacking it for our family and other people that my father thought needed help. The windblock would help.
The best time to plant a tree is 10 years ago; the second best time is today. Plant those arborvitae. :) Think hard about the rocks in the landscaping, no pun intended. Rocks absorb a lot of heat, which is hard on the plants. Once the weeds start to grow up through the rocks, they're hard to get rid of.
We've thought about it. Worried about the heat too. We have all boxwoods so wondered how they would do with the potential added heat stress but fortunately have lots of good shade coverage around the house through the day. We're just tired of the constant mulch mess and difficulty keeping it clean of leaves and debris.
Sometimes the cure is worse than the problem. Old houses are not easily updated to new technology. In the process of fixing one problem you may inadvertently create another. Proceed with caution. 👍
We have a similar basketball hoop and we added sand instead of water to it. It's nearly impossible to move, but we don't have to worry about it freezing in the winter and it is one less thing to winterize each year.
I think your house is awesome! Multiple ways to heat is fine i would actually prefer it. If something goes out ul still be warm! You have a beautiful piece of property. Very well taken care of and appreciate the kind of tour of it lol.
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
Love the vidéos Neil and Wife and your Girls .
Some people will always tell you not to burn wood or raise a garden or hunt or build stuff yourself etc, don't listen to those kind. Good luck.
Most people that comment on what you should do, don’t have any good sense. You are very handy, smart, logical, etc. That is proven with your channel content. Please don’t waste your time or ours with viewers’ silly comments. We watch this channel for your content, and love it! If there are comments worth speaking to, then do. Otherwise, smile and shake your head and let it be like water off a duck’s back. God bless you and yours!!!
Pretty much agree with Mr Wilcox
Well I try :)
💯
@@digdrivediy odd question for you…at about the 51 second mark when you’re suiting up, there’s some slip on boots in the background. What brand are they? I’ve been shopping for a pair of slip on boots….some call them Chelsea boots….just today and saw those.
@@waltermitty7452 They are OBOZ brand. I wear OBOZ for everyday wear (lace up ones too). Unfortunately I think the slip ones are no longer available as I haven't been able to find a new pair.
Wtf… negative 20° is crazy. I'm from Brazil; when it starts to get cold, it's about 20°c or 68°F. Big love from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil!
When you said, “we waited and waited” to have kids, I knew EXACTLY how that felt. Wife and I just had our first baby girl after 7 years of waiting. God bless you and your family my friend.
We tried for 8 years before we had ours.
Great video, thank you very much, you and your family are great.
In Russia, in regions where in winter the temperature drops below -10C (14F), a second row of windows is installed. This creates an air gap as a heat insulator. A regular frame with windows that cannot be opened.
I am going to nominate you for entertainer of the year. If you can cut firewood, dig holes, and spread gravel all the while offering up really sound advice and hold my rapt attention you MUST be the entertainer of the year. Stumbled onto your channel yesterday and have binge watched you during a snowstorm. You and your family have restored my hope for humanity. Keep up the good work.
That's very kind of you! Thanks so much for checking out a bunch of the videos!
My wife and I enjoy your channel very much. We are both 80 years old, live in Brown County, Indiana, on 80 wooded acres and have heated primarily with wood for the past 55 years. It was interesting to hear your speculation about whether or not you will continue with wood heat into the future. I enjoy the process of harvesting firewood and we both enjoy having a stove in the living room and fiddling with it to keep the temperature in a desirable range. This was easier to do once we both retired and can tend the stoves all day. We have a propane forced air furnace as a backup and use that on those days in the spring and fall when temperatures swing up into the 50's but require a little heat at night. Most of our wood is harvested from fallen storm damaged trees, so we never have to cut down a live tree. I stay 3 years ahead on harvesting so the wood is always well seasoned. This is also a little bit of insurance for when the day comes that I can no longer keep up with it, but I don't "plan" to ever give up harvesting firewood. When that day comes, we will probably purchase firewood even if it doesn't save us any money. (using John Deere Gator, Stihl chainsaws, and a "box store" hydraulic splitter)
Wow, 80 and still tending the fire. There is something about fire that is hard to put into words. May your heart and hearths, always be warm. Thanks!
This is great to hear! I hope I can be as able bodied when I'm in my 80's. Ideally I'll keep up with firewood as long as I can. The question is more related to how much we travel. I can envision a day when we want to hang around here less in the winter as our goal is to one day travel a bit more, especially in the winter. I enjoy the activities of it all though for now and hope I still feel that way for many years to come.
I know exactly how you feel about things you did and why.
I regret not putting in a steel beam in my garage ceiling to support the room above. I have been living with a Lally column in the middle of the garage for 38 years all because I did not want to spend $1,700. At the time interest for a mortgage was 10%.
It's so nice that your girls pitch in with the chores . So many kid have their eyes glued to a smart phone or computer screen .
The kids always helping out is one of my favorite parts of this channel. My kids have to help with one chore per day. Sometimes they just take the trash out and other times we stack wood for a couple hours.
You have the equipment to process large amounts of wood, I'ld say you made the right choice everyday. Nothing beats wood heat, especially after being outside in the cold all day once you hit that warmth from a wood stove it almost puts you to sleep. As someone who has a Woodstove I am jealous of your wood furnace setup. Plus the amount of propane it would cost to heat the house, garage, shop and everything would be a second mortgage. Plus can run out of propane in the middle of a holiday weekend or loose power. Woodstove needs to power. Rule of thumb warm basement warm house . The blown in insulation from outside helps but over time it settles and has voids, if you could get into your attic and add insulation that would help a lot. Heat rises. I think the brick house did alot to break the wind as much as bushes . Vinyl siding is easy to remove and save , add a layer of foam board insulation and put the siding back on. You have a beautiful home and property. And an even more beautiful family.
Loved this video... I think this one was more for us ladies! 😅 Have a great 2024 and keep warm up in the northern hemisphere! 💪💛🇿🇦
I think your spot on the way u live. I think I would stack my wood from the back so your oldest is always up front
My wife and I have been "remodeling " our house for 15 years😂😂. I do the man i wish i would've done this or that all the time. Nice video!👍👍
Hopefully a new generation will learn from your experience and they will benefit from the wisdom.
I don't see how anyone can knock what you have done and what you are doing. You did what was right at the time and it's easy to use hindsight to find things to do differently, but, if it works then it can't be wrong. Besides which, it is all part of life, part of living, and you have a life that others surely envy and one that will give you loads of memories.
What you did got you to where you are now and made you all who you are, it's all a part of you. Nothing is perfect and even if you did it all, as you now think you should have, you'd still be here today thinking of the things you would like to have done differently.
One thing I did notice though, all that hard work on the pond and nobody out there swimming! 🤣
Keep up with the very excellent videos, we love the insight into your lives that you bring to us and are only a little bit jealous...
Andy, (England)
Really appreciate it Andy!
I thoroughly enjoy this channel. It feels like home. Comfortable, informative, wholesome, and entertaining.
Wow, thank you!
@@digdrivediy thank you
3 words everybody uses sir, woulda, coulda, shoulda. If we knew everything, world would be a dull place due to us all being the same. Family, health then everything else makes us better people. Thank you for bringing us not your life, truly enjoy it. Retired old fart from Michigan that regrets not doing things right but am happy. ❤
My parents supplemented heat with a wood stove in the basement (also had oil heat)... One of my fondest memories as a child is sitting on top of the big vent at the bottom of the stairs on the ground floor... I'd wrap up in a big fluffy towel after getting out of the tub and just sit there... 😊😊😊
Bells on the door and a dog that knows how use them ! That was a great idea.
Impressive. Great tour video. MOST impressive is how your family works together.❤
The wood stove option is a big time money saver especially if you get the wood for free. My dad finally quit burning wood after 25 years now cause he just can't keep up with the labor of it. That being said. 25 years time probably 2 grand a winter is 50 thousand dollars saved.
Exactly!
Thanks for the tip for using the pipe to put in the driveway markers!
Thanks for sharing. Winter ❄️ seems like here in Quebec Canada 🇨🇦. Lot of preps with old houses in cold times to make sure bust nothing. 🇨🇦❄️❄️🇨🇦👋🏼🔥
Neil you hit the nail on the head, "when heating with wood and leaving a door or window open it doesn't hurt you very much". Compared to a heat source you have to buy. Heating with wood is by far the best feeling to experience.
Planting the windbreak/trees are never too late. I finally planted some trees in my yard a couple years ago & really regret not doing it sooner. I’m in southeastern Indiana, primarily heat with electric heat pump, but have a wood stove in the basement for the colder periods. Love not NEEDING to heat with wood (I did that in the past), but do enjoy being able to keep the furnace from running when the temp is 10* outside.
👍 Thanks for sharing.
Another great video. Your practicality, smarts and family values is what makes the videos enjoyable but it’s your humility that keeps me coming back. May God continue to bless you and your family.
Thanks!
My wife and I are regular viewers and wish to thank you for your honest assessment of things and inviting us to share in your family. So, we trust you to sort through people's silliness and woulda, shoulda, and coulda junk.
Thanks so much for watching!
Great video, such a sweet family! Enjoy every minute of it!
Thanks KOL!
If you open the walls from the inside, you can use a product like Siga Majrex on the inside of the exterior walls, to help control condensation and airflow through the wall.
And there is little point to "could a, woulda, shoulda" except to learn. Don't beat yourself up, and don't let all the keyboard warriors tell you how to live your life. Love the content, keep it up!
I'm in Southeast indiana and we own thirty apartments could you imagine... Responsibility you have to love it
Best part of your channel is your relationship with your family!
Great family! Great video! Great job! I look forward to your next post
Neil I never miss your videos, My wife of 51 years and I watch every sunday morning My take on things I would change is very small as I am happy with where we are in our lives and I wonder if any change in the past would have altered where we are now and I wouldn,t change this for the world Keep up the good work and enjoy each step along the way and we will keep watching!!
Thanks for that. I'm grateful to have you folks watching!
🎉 best thing is you have a nice home that's all that matters who cares for people say you can always fly from the inside and remodel on the inside
With the well that you use to fill the pond. If you're worried about water freezing down the pipe you can shove a tube down inside of it and blast it with air and it will blow out the top. If you have like 15 ft of tube down inside of it it will blow quite a ways down and it should be fine for your area
My primary heat was fuel oil base board but 15 yrs ago I put a pellet stove insert in the fireplace. It was supposed to be for aesthetics but it works so well, it's now the primary heat and saves thousands.
I agree about cutting firewood being a fun-ish family event! For some reason we always did it in the worst weather. That's also how I learned to drive; in a Ford highboy with one brake. It had narrow snow tires, chained up on all 4 corners, and there was a 3/4 thick 4x8 steel plate on the floor of the box. If the ground was frozen you could literally go anywhere.
Ha! When we first moved here I hauled all the wood we used with my '76 Highboy. What a great 'ole beater. That plate of steel you mentioned would have come in handy for a few of the situations I put myself in while driving that truck!
You're making more memories by how you live. Most children these days have no clue compared to your girls. Kudos !!!!
Neil! Wood is better. Because with the economy today your family are still INDEPENTANT of outside sources to keep your home warm + you have saved 100s if not 1000s today. research is saying today "A tight home is not a healthy home". See ya on the next one neighbor !!! Great family !
So, you did it right from the beginning. You found a great partner and created a beautiful family. On that foundation, you can build and rebuild anything.
That’s nice that you have help with the firewood.
A propane boiler setup to carry that load would probably be close to 750,000 btu’s and cost a fortune to run. I would just add a thermal mass tank( good size) to help carry the load. Wood is a lot of work but I enjoy the process and it beats paying the saudis to heat my house.
Such a great video, I can totally relate as my husband and I live in an 1870s farmhouse .
Putting out our driveway markers I drill a hole with a battery dewalt and a long old drill bit and drop them in, easy!
Loved this video. Shows daily life in the cold of winter we never experience here in Australia.
Neil, it’s not too late to start growing a wind break
Under the best conditions, a Leland Cypress tree can reach heights of 150 feet in 20 years time
On an average, they can grow 2 to 3 feet a year. Just thought might be something you’d be interested in
Neil, im from the Uk. A small village. Your videos and your calm outlook on things are an absolute inspiration to me. Thank you so much sir.
Wow, thank you
We have all been there and had to start somewhere. Love what you did. That was a lot to take on as a new couple starting out.
I would like to comment about something I see in this video and in your house. I noticed that you have either flimsy curtains or no curtains on the windows. Several years ago, I visited my cousin and she had the same thing in her house. You could feel the cold draft by any of her windows. My mom, by comparison, always put up thermal drapes on all the windows. She would keep them completely closed at night and on exceptionally cold days. The result was that we never had the drafts that were common without them. Today, I still follow that example. I have thermal drapes and keep them closed as much as possible, especially in rooms that are not used that much. The result is that my oil bill has dropped quite a bit. (Normally, in January I use ¾’s of a tank of oil but this month it is only a hair below ½ of a tank) Granted, you do need to keep some lights on but that is far cheaper than fuel oil overall. Perhaps you may want to consider this as the result is that I have no drafts anywhere in my house.
We have discussed installing window quilts.
Love the videos Neil. I’m sure you’ve heard this a bunch, but you sound just like Kevin Costner.
Yes, quite often!
You can do anything with a big enough budget. You guys are smart. You don’t need any advice. Keep on truckin! Peace!
Good video Neil. Enjoyed seeing what you have to do to get ready for winter. Like the way you include your family in your activities. We're in Eastern NC and it gets cold at times but thankfully it doesn't that cold and we usually don't get much snow.
Just found your channel today and watched a few videos. Very similar story and stage of life. Went through the same decisions in 2009 when we built. Decided on wood because we don't have natural gas where we live. It was a financial thing for me but it was also a matter of knowing that we would probably always live in this house and I didn't want my future expenses to be dictated and dependent on utility rates, government opinion, etc. In the last 5 years I've gone with residential solar to eliminate my electric bill, and the wood is a low cost solution for heat. I'm thinking about living costs in the future and trying to pay future expenses today when I have income and ability.
I would add insulation on the outside, continuous, move windows out, and try to seal all the points where air could leak in/out of the house... and then enjoy the fire!:) The work could be done on one wall face at a time.
I liked one of your final comments “it’s a lot of work but it builds character “. So true.
I enjoy it when you include your family in the videos. stay warm....
I love that your daughters help you with chores.
Great video Neil. Brings back memories of using a coal furnace to heat the old farm house. The good old days.
We used a wood boiler in an old farmhouse- keep going! Yeah- we were cold a lot. LOL. Love your videos.
I came because of the boiler and the more i see people complain about a wood stove or a boiler the more jazzed i get and the more my internal fire for firewood gets forged... Neil i love the channel and absolutely love the changes in content. Thank you for the video again - wd
When I found out I was going to be a father I changed gears. I became a cdl dad. I did what I needed to be financially responsible. Seeing your vids I know you’re someone whom I could look up to. I want that work life. It builds character. I applaud you.
Thanks man!
One of my biggest regrets is that i had a house built that allows my 14 year old son stroll round in shorts indoors in January swiping from gadget to gadget. Will only show enthusiasm when lightning a firepit with his friends in September. We need to teach our kids to respect and contribute to household maintenance from the earliest age. Well done sir👍
Neil, I feel like I’m watching an episode of my upbringing and totally get where you’re coming from. In 1998 my wife and I were engaged, we were only 22, high school sweethearts and started building our house in the woods that my grandfather had on our own with lots of help from family, I know the pinch you talk about, burn wood in an outside boiler, farm, do excavation, and 6 kids later wouldn’t change it for the world! Hard work makes who you are, I feel the cold here to in north central ohio, anyways love watching your channel grow, keep the firewood coming!
When you think of how most people just go in the house to stay warm and that's pretty much it. All the work you have to do must seem like a nightmare to them (us). But it's so satisfying watching this. Knowing what you can and have to do and going about getting it done. All the planning and preparation coming to fruition. It's just great. There's four people and a bunch of cats that I'm not worried about freezing.
Neil, I also remember my Dad was 86 years old and we was still helping him plant trees. He said I might not be able to enjoy them but someone else might. That still helps me to plant trees at age 68.
Very true. My father-in-law plants a lot of trees on their property.
I had all my windows replaced in 2018 and couldn’t figure out why my heating and cooling bill was still really high. One day my wife had a candle on the kitchen table and noticed the flame flickering due to a draft. I pulled the inside trim and started checking and long story short, the company who installed them did not spray foam around them. There were 2 to 3 inch gaps around the top and sides of all 14 windows in my house. I could see the outside light from the inside. I fixed this myself and it made a huge difference. In my cost.
You made the right choices at the moment. No looking back. Keep up the hard work. You’re a good man. Good family. Blessed.
We do a lot of things when we are young that we would change when we are older. I have found that most of the time, it was due to being ignorant or broke at the time. That's what life is all about, learning lessons along the way and making improvements as we learn. That's called wisdom. I also feel that it's our duty to pass along to our children what we've learned in order to maybe make their lives a little easier (if they will listen).
Thanks for sharing brother.
As an Englishman I love watching your videos. Your home and life style looks very idyllic. I live near farms in England and they have the same approach to heating as you and some of them are a few hundred years old. As for ideas for making improvements to your home efficiency I’d put an extra woolly jumper on!
Neil, you know EVERYONE watching this wants to see the updates!!! I was lucky enough to take down a family barn from 1855 a few years back. Have kept all of the lumber and siding in my current barn and my family has been able use it on projects around our houses. Means so much to everyone to have that wood! Love your channel.
Neil… I too grew up with wood heat. In fact both homes we lived in were wood only heat… and no air conditioning.
Once I moved out, my apartments and our first home were heated with natural gas.
I missed the joy of cutting firewood as much as I missed having a heat source to back up to when I came in from the cold!
Once we started looking for our ‘Forever Home’ we set our sights on one with wood heat. And we found the perfect answer.
Thirty five years ago, we bought a three bedroom ranch home on three acres. And, we bought Sassafras Valley… it had seven acres of hardwood timber on it. The two properties are adjoined on their north to south boundaries.
The house was set up with an electric heat pump for heat and air. It is ducted through the floor in the crawl space below. That is the absolute worst heating system I’ve ever lived around. The air always felt cold and it cost a fortune to use!
Two years ago, we replaced it with a high efficiency propane gas heat and electric air unit. It is a bit cheaper and much more pleasant solution.
AND… the home had a fireplace that was ducted through the attic to every room of the house. The fireplace was not air tight… but, if I could keep enough wood cut… it put out excellent heat. We could comfortably heat the house with outside temps down to -12f.
Over the years, we too replaced our windows, added on a small utility room, insulated the attic with 24” of blown-in fiberglass and… totally replaced the fireplace.
We are fortunate to have a local Fireplace manufacturer (New Air). I had known the owners for years. When I was ready to replace the unit, they came over and recommended we make changes in our plans.
He suggested we upgrade to an airtight unit with dual doors. The doors in the living room have glass windows in the doors. The other doors are solid steel and open into the garage. He also recommended a higher volume fan system to circulate more air.
That worked out great! The amount of wood burnt was decreased by a fourth. The fire is fed through the garage… and I never get in trouble for spilling sawdust and wood debris on the floor of the house. The fan upgrade has done wonders to even out air flow to the far end of the house. But, the biggest surprise was that the steel doors provide radiant heat to keep Gabby the dog and Flora the cat comfy in the garage.
After 10 years of using this fireplace, I wouldn’t change a thing. As I type this, the outside temperature is -2f. Inside here it is 76f… I am sitting on the hearth of the fireplace and don’t feel one bit guilty for wearing a short sleeved t-shirt and shorts.
Well sir, that’s enough. I need to go throw another couple of sticks on the fire.
Neil… I hope the joys of wood cutting and heating hold up for you… I plan on sticking with it for as long as I can manage to do so.
PS… I posted a video about some pop guns that I made… I was wondering if you grew up playing with them too?
Just found this comment 2 weeks later!
I like hearing stories of the evolution of getting to the right solution. I wish I had known then what I know now, but I'm learning that almost everyone goes through the same bit of growing, er learning pains. Our energy consumption is certainly high but we are also heating a lot of square footage. The nice part is I never worried about it too much until I started posting to RUclips. We can work on ways to make it better, just as you have done over the years, and I don't mind continuing to cut wood as long as I'm able. I think it has most definitely saved us a good bit of money! Thanks for sharing about your evolution to the right solution! The fill side in the garage sounds wonderful!
We didn't play with pop guns too much as a kid but there was one or two at an Aunt & Uncles house that got fired every time we were there. Sounds like a fun project though!
Did I ever tell you that you inspired us to make bird houses with the kids? Grandpa made a "kit" for each Grandkid and we put them together over Christmas time. I can't remember if I put clips in a video or not but it was a good time!
Thanks Dave!
@@digdrivediy Yep, I have let a few comments slip by me too. It happens.
Thanks for getting back with me. I’m glad you still enjoy wood heat… it is a built in heating and fitness program.
How wonderful… building birdhouses is a terrific craft bonding project. I hope you get them filled this spring. In our area…, late February is time to clean old and hang new bluebird houses.
That reminds me… I’m overdue to post the shotgun pop-gun video….
I live in Oceanside CA. My windows are so old they are single pane from 1974, and they rattle when Camp Pendleton does training excercises. I get such a laugh when friends come over and they say "You should replace your windows"! I always reply with "Wow, never thought of that! What a great idea! If you want to help me pay for it, I will do it"! Amazing how fast they shut up when I say that! You guys are doing great! Keep up the awesome work!
Great remodel! Real nice house and a wonderful home!
We got married in 1978 and Ditto on almost everything you have done and how your decisions were made. We added solar panels a few years ago and that same feeling of having a full wood shed on a cold day with a roaring fire comes with solar panels on a bright sunny day as you are making your own power.
Heating the house and shop with firewood and using the old Rubbermaid cart… brings back the memories. I did the same for over 19 years and saved a lot of money in the process and enjoyed great heat during the cold winters. Lol, still have the Rubbermaid cart. Great video!
Oh my goodness! My husband was watching your pond process this morning and I was hooked. We sat on our couch for almost 2 hrs saying, “well we gotta watch to the end of the project.” ( Saturday mornings are lazy for us) So I signed up! These are so much better than watching TV and all the junk that is on it nowadays. We are also Ohioians, central part and also believers!
Thanks for sharing your Sunday with us!
My wife and I rehabed a 1929 Montgomery ward kit house in Schenectady NY 20 years ago. It was the first redo the house had had and insulation was the worst. Even after it was done it was still cold in the NE winters. Still we made it work and I appreciate what you have done and don’t let the naysayers tell you what to do. Live your truth and make it better down the road. Stay warm and look for the spring!
Really nice video…… well, they’ve all been great this year.
Grew up on a farm in the UK, and now live in southern France on the edge of a mountain, but winter and cutting wood, and keeping warm, is the same everywhere…..and developing the houses in a parallel timeframe, with technological progress and financial progress being what it is, you’ll get no criticisms from us, just empathy.
And hey, seasons are great for making memories aren’t they.
P.S. our well has been empty for 2 years, apparently it’s always had water for the previous 60 years, but now can only fill it from the bore hole. For me that’s an indicator that things are changing, so we’re gonna need to adapt.
Very well said! Thanks!
I would have done what you did… lived and learned and did the best I could manage at the time with the knowledge I had at that time. It’s easy for others to knit pick but there is nothing wrong with the approach you took. My wife and I made some mistakes as well along the way but the mistakes are part of the journey.
Wish you all the best, we are also getting ready for the deep freeze up here in Michigan!
Those Wood Stove top Sterling engine fans that run using the heat of the stove really help circulate the air inside the house
Always awesome to see you and your family working as a team 😮😊❤
That's a awesome house, garage and shop setup.
As my grandfather used to say a house that breathes is a healthy house that'll last a lifetime. The multiple heating systems is a perfect setup for anyone who lives in the rural areas.
That wood burner isn't the only thing that is smokin hot! Congrats on the beautiful bride. :)
High five!
Thanks for sharing your videos. Reminds me of my childhood growing up in Rural Iowa.
Almost exactly the same farmhouse, ect.
Dad put a wood stove in the basement which was connected to the propane furnace.
Many a winter was spent hauling wood to the cellar.
And the shower was in the basement, so you learned real quick to stoke the furnace be your shower to get it good and warm by the time you were done.
I’d imagine that any negative comments you might receive from your videos are from folks who have no idea the lifestyle you have in rural America.
Your doing good my friend. Keep it up!
We grew up in what many would call poverty or poor in Iowa, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
I still have the old Farmall tractors we used, the lathe, mill, and most of my dads tools.
Looking forward to handing them down to my boys.
Keep the videos coming. You inspired me with the pond videos. I live in Oklahoma now and a pond like that would go well with our clay soil.
Thanks for sharing your videos!
Our home was built in 1951. We drilled the holes between the studs at the top of the exterior walls ouourselves and had the insulation blown in. We installed new windows ourselves and switched from gas heat to a new central heat and air unit. Huge difference and saving thousands every year. You have time to get everything sorted before you retire. A little each year. Love the constant DIY progress!
I personally only myself insulated my 200m2 or 2150 ft2 roof with 2 layers of rockwood 15+5 cm or 7,8in thick . IT took me one year all I did myself after work. Finally efect is superb when lasy week outaide temp was like -7f or -22c on my not jesteś attic temp. Inside was 43F or +6C. When outside temp is like 32f or 0c inside temp is like 50F or +10C. My home was build DIY in 1992 by my parents.We made the blanks for the walls ourselves. Cheers from Poland.
I wish I could still burn wood. Not only is it the best heat it heats you multiple times. Collecting it, splitting it, stacking it, using it.
Also your home is beautiful. I think you made a lot of good choices to get where you are today.
You do the best you can with the resources available. I would say you are doing better than most, and you are a good example of how to get things done. 👍👍
I think you are well suited to surviving if any or most of your means of staying warm don't pan out . Like if a EMP or a storm or a supplier got shut off from your homestead for what ever reason you would be very well protected. Congratulations on a successful family enviroment and a great place to grow a family. I'm very impressed and envious. Stay warm.
Hi Neil I just discovered your channel today, and absolutely love your content, have binged hours, well done with your channel and thanks for all the info you provide. Cheers Nate from down under.
Thanks so much Nate!
I don’t think you should have done anything differently! The decision you shared and the priceless memories that those decisions have provided are to me much more important than a few more conveniences. Shared goals and hard work develop a bond you can’t get in any other way. Y’all have done great and are richer in way most people would envy. Keep following your mutual goals.
Hot chocolate with the family on a cold day is always fun. Great video.
For sure!
love your videos, hope you and your family stay nice and warm
I look forward to your videos each week, great job as always. Don't worry about what others say, work with what you have, and always learn from the past. I have great memories of gathering wood, splitting by hand all of the wood, and stacking it for our family and other people that my father thought needed help. The windblock would help.
Thank you so much!
The best time to plant a tree is 10 years ago; the second best time is today. Plant those arborvitae. :)
Think hard about the rocks in the landscaping, no pun intended. Rocks absorb a lot of heat, which is hard on the plants. Once the weeds start to grow up through the rocks, they're hard to get rid of.
We've thought about it. Worried about the heat too. We have all boxwoods so wondered how they would do with the potential added heat stress but fortunately have lots of good shade coverage around the house through the day. We're just tired of the constant mulch mess and difficulty keeping it clean of leaves and debris.
Sometimes the cure is worse than the problem. Old houses are not easily updated to new technology. In the process of fixing one problem you may inadvertently create another. Proceed with caution. 👍
We have a similar basketball hoop and we added sand instead of water to it. It's nearly impossible to move, but we don't have to worry about it freezing in the winter and it is one less thing to winterize each year.
I think your house is awesome! Multiple ways to heat is fine i would actually prefer it. If something goes out ul still be warm! You have a beautiful piece of property. Very well taken care of and appreciate the kind of tour of it lol.
Good job Neil. Love your videos.