So February didn't end up being that bad. A couple warm days (where warm is > 40° highs) and I was able to keep the burn to the minimum (midnight to 8am) instead of starting earlier. Even better, last night I didn't run it at all, though a chill has already descended upon the basement.
This is a good thing, as my reserve stock is down to its last couple of bags. I'd like to pick up a few more bags just to carry on, but the situation for purchase is not that great: home depot has been chronically out of pellets, and is rationing those small amounts that it does get in to 10 bags per customer, and to add insult to injury its raised its prices by over a dollar ($4.11/bag); mavrick has raised its prices from $3.50 to $4, and now $5/bag and to make matters worse, all its stock has been sitting outside where it got rained on last week, and pretty much nobody else has any at all. Maybe I'll keep upstairs warm with the wood stove and go back to wearing three layers of clothes in the basement.
Here's the usage to date:
| November | 1,200 | |
| December | 1,720 | |
| January | 2,000 | |
| February | 1,280 | |
| March | ... | depends on supply |
So, three tons and counting. Wonder if I could strike up a deal with the plant in showlow to ship me four pallets direct for next year.
Update: Walmart has just realized that people in flagstaff use pellets, and after days of trucks arriving loaded high with them, they've managed to fill their entire garden center with pallets of pellets. Only $3.77/bag, so at least they're not being mercenary about it. Better head over there tomorrow and grab me some.
