Buying a turf plot

slystallone

Has anyone ever bought one of these with no experience of cutting turf. I would be tempted as have moved rural but have zero experience where to start. How much do they cost? Are they different sizes?

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122822735#Comment_122822735

There is no maintenance required. My system will have paid for itself in 3 more years.

hoodie6029

They are usually inherited or tied to landowners nearby with turbary rights.

Spend your money on some solar panels and insulation. Turf? Who’d bring that hardship on themselves in 2024?

slystallone

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122575558#Comment_122575558

How much are solar panels and insulation?

jamesd

8K ish after a grant.

slystallone

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122589457#Comment_122589457

Do you have to have a 'smart' meter or can they run in conjunction with the normal one?

gossamerfabric

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058367117/buying-a-turf-plot

Invest in grant supported insulation instead. Then maybe a few solar panels or buy in what will be a much smaller volume of fuel after insulating your home. Rural dwellers are moving away from Turf not on the basis of environmental concerns but because it is highly labour intensive.

coylemj

My experience as a youngster was the that owner of that section of the bog cut the individual sods, laid them out in a rectangle on an adjacent plot of land and this was sold as a 'spread' of turf. The buyer then had the job of completing the drying process and transporting the loose turf from the bog to his house.

I don't recall anyone ever suggesting the option of cutting the sods yourself. It involves a specialised tool called a slane and the task was probably not one for 'learning as you go'.

jamesd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122768394#Comment_122768394

Can run with the normal one.

slystallone

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122768437#Comment_122768437

Wouldn't most houses be insulated anyway?

User567363

Why are people recommending insulating and solar, both will save money (eventually) , but neither will heat a house

May as well tell op to eat less and spend the savings on bags of coal

Accidentally

Most turf is now cut by machine into sausages. You then foot(stack) it yourself when its part dry. I haven't seen anyone use a slane in years, it's way too much hard work.

If you want to do it, ask around your neighbour's. I'm sure someone will be more than happy to cut it, and let you foot and draw it yourself. No idea what they'll charge you.

I was driving down south Kerry this summer and saw some guys cutting with a slane. A very skilled job which judging by their age profile they'd been doing decades.

A local contractor I know takes turf off his bogs said they were flooded this summer and he couldn't get machinery in.

slystallone

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122801447#Comment_122801447

Is solar no good for heating?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122807572#Comment_122807572

No. It generates electricity to save you using the grid. When you need heat it winter , solar is at its lowest point

slystallone

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122807576#Comment_122807576

Those heat pumps any good?

jj880

I see Electric Ireland have cut the rates for selling back to the grid from solar. What a kick in the balls for those who invested in such systems.

Just a note on some points above.

There was 1 man who would cut by hand in our bog. He passed a few years back.

Crazy amount of work compared to the sausage machine.

On flooding. Get yourself a bank that gently slopes. Facing into the sun as much as possible. You dont even have to foot them. Turn with a rake then throw onto a trailer or stack and cover at the road to be taken home later.

Yes theres work involved but it's nowhere near a deal breaker for us to start using oil, coal, solar.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122807599#Comment_122807599

If your house is sealed but you have the cost of installing and running it in winter

slystallone

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122807689#Comment_122807689

What you mean 'sealed'?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122807944#Comment_122807944

Air tight

slystallone

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122808096#Comment_122808096

Wouldn't all houses be air tight for the most part?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122808229#Comment_122808229

Depends on the age of the house.

, windows , doors, insulation

slystallone

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122575558#Comment_122575558

What about wood? Is there a cheaper way to get it besides buying bags of it in shops.

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122807658#Comment_122807658

I'm not sure why you think those of us who invested in solar got a kick in the balls by that increase. To start with they also reduced the rates for customers buying electricity so it wasn't that big of a hit, a few % difference I think now. I installed solar nearly 3 years ago and with the government handouts and my generation from it I haven't had to pay a bill since March 22 and have enough credit to do 2 more years of no bills as it stands now.

A lot of members here also buy at night rates of 5 odd cent and sell back at over 20 cents due to big batteries they have so again well worth the investment. I'm sure some people might not be clued in to how to make the most of what they invested in with solar but there is invaluable threads on this site to educate them if need be. With dynamic Tarrifs on the way next year it remains to be seen how that fairs out.

https://www.boards.ie/categories/renewable-energies

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122822246#Comment_122822246

If you have the space and live near a woods you could try and find out if you can take wind felled trees and cut and chop them yourself, I used to do it a long time ago so wouldn't know the procedure these days. It's hard enough work like cutting the turf but if you're able to do it it's a saving, well at least it used to be!

slystallone

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122822377#Comment_122822377

But is there any particular type of woods to use, e.g. would there be woods that are bad for the chimney?

slystallone

...

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122822427#Comment_122822427

You would need to research it because there are some that would be unsuitable alright.

Kaisr Sose

Is this a wind-up? Some basic questions that any Google search by the OP are being asked here.

Turf cutting is highly restricted now.

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122822443#Comment_122822443

It's also something that is not for the majority of people like wind felled tree harvesting in woods but is still possible in some places. Very hard work!

baxterooneydoody

Buy a ton of coal and a trailer of logs OP. Burning turf is similar to burning cardboard, I've done it all and the best heating I find is coal and timber, I burn spruce and poplar and a bucket of coal with it. I also have oil heating for milder nights that only need a little boost to stave off the chill. Turf is not worth the time spent saving it nor the amount of ut you need to burn compared to coal

slystallone

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122822495#Comment_122822495

Where do you get your wood?

slystallone

What timber do you burn? Just anything you find?

blackbox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122822427#Comment_122822427

Some wood gives off sparks and is unsuitable for an open fire.

In any case, an open fire is a disaster for efficiency.

You can burn any type of wood in a wood burning stove as long as it has been properly dried. High moisture content in wood will cause a build up of tar in the chimney with a stove or open fire.

As well as causing pollution, burning high moisture wood is very inefficient as a large amount of energy goes into boiling the water out of it.

jj880

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122822371#Comment_122822371

We're supposedly all about Green energy for the future. I found it a bit mealy mouthed from Electric Ireland but if it doesn't bother you fair enough. How much in total was your solar install and maintenance since March 22?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122822735#Comment_122822735

You really don't know what you're talking about

There is zero maintenance with solar.

I've had mine 3 years. I'm saving on my bills and it's paying for itself in savings.

As for cost of installing. It's all relative. Based on size , orientation and output.

Best decision I made, just sorry I'll have to retrofit next year to go bigger. Should have done it initially

jj880

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122822752#Comment_122822752

Thats what Im asking him. Im sure he could have told me that and the figures as an example. If you want to list all the financial benefits and electricity bills that you haven't paid is it not the obvious question to ask whats the outlay? Bit bizarre that you've replied with "you really dont know what you're talking about" and "its all relative". Think I'll bow out of this discussion. Looks like solar system owners are mighty touchy for some reason.

phormium

Another point of view, make sure everyone in the house is ok with smell of turf, I know I can't be in a room with turf fire for any length without gettng a headache. I find the smell of it burning absolutely awful, now I know people have made a big deal about it being the true smell of Ireland as such but it's mank in my opinion!

Might work in enclosed stove, haven't had that experience!

slystallone

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122822722#Comment_122822722

How do you go about drying it?

Baybay

The relativity stems from where the solar panels are sited, the number of panels you have amongst other things, as I’m sure you’re aware & can vary from install to install.

A quick example, we have twelve solar panels on a south facing roof & we also have water heating tubes which had been installed at the time of building, before we purchased the house. Because of the success of these in heating the water, we decided to go with solar. A friend was able to have fifteen panels installed, also on a south facing roof but without the separate water tubes. Though also happy, she’s a bit less satisfied with her solar install as an amount of her generated power goes into heating water whereas we’re able use it for other things including storage & export.

Pre & post electricity bills are tricky to evaluate for you as we did the installation not too long after we moved in but we are in credit.

Our install cost ~€12k just coming up on five years ago.

jj880

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122822800#Comment_122822800

We have Stanley Erin stove with back boiler. You might get a bit of turf smell when you open the door to load but apart from that I dont notice it. No headaches. However we didn't use turf when we had an open fire maybe 13+ years ago so not sure about that.

slystallone

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122822874#Comment_122822874

How do water heating tubes work?

baxterooneydoody

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122822694#Comment_122822694

I've a stove so I burn spruce and poplar, I'm in the west so no shortage of spruce and my job gives me access to a large amount of timber every once in a while. I got the poplar from a neighbour that was clearing land. Both burn well once seasoned well enough

baxterooneydoody

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122822690#Comment_122822690

ForesForestry harvesters sell spruce or ash by the lorry, ask around to see who supplies your locality

gossamerfabric

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122801447#Comment_122801447

User567363 has obviously never lived in a draughty house with the heat being stripped off them and the wind howling like a banshee on a winter's night.

User567363

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122823492#Comment_122823492

I did live like that once and am obsessed with heating ever since, hense why I am here :)

I was replying to the post about Solar panels and insulation, remember that the op is trying to find a cheaper fuel, solar and insulation will cost thousands and isnt a type of fuel

If you live in a draughty house money would be better spent on draught proofing in that situation

You need to cure the issue, buying solar and insulation won't fix all problems, maybe he already has a foot of insulation all around his house and just need a heat source now

slystallone

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122823384#Comment_122823384

I would have thought the spruce would have s lot of sap in it no? How much for a lorry load? How big of a lorry?

blackbox

Any timber sold for firewood should have a maximum of 25% moisture.

No worries about sap if it's dry, apart from getting sticky fingers.

If dried naturally it takes about a year.

slystallone

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122824182#Comment_122824182

Is there any type of wood that should be avoided for firewood?

blackbox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122824223#Comment_122824223

Not if you have a stove.

Very hard woods like oak and holly can be difficult to burn in an open fire.

Some softwoods can spark dangerously. I don't know if some are worse than others.

baxterooneydoody

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122823872#Comment_122823872

It's fine once it's seasoned correctly, I've timber cut with 3 years that I'm burning this winter, I make sure to have enough for 4 to 5 years at all times that way there's no fear of burning wet timber