Xmas tree and fireplace insert woodstove

We haven't had a live tree since we started burning wood. The stove (ours is also an insert), produces such a dry heat that the tree would dry out too fast. I love a live tree, but we put ours up the day after thanksgiving, and take it down after the new year, so artificial just works out better.

Some live trees you buy have been cut and and not watered for a long time. It's hard to tell how long. The best thing (and the most fun IMO) is to go out to a u-cut farm and cut your own.

When you get one home, cut a couple of inches off the bottom to help it take water.

Dustin92 said:

We haven't had a live tree since we started burning wood. The stove (ours is also an insert), produces such a dry heat that the tree would dry out too fast. I love a live tree, but we put ours up the day after thanksgiving, and take it down after the new year, so artificial just works out better.

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We have our live tree a few feet from the Defiant. We put it up Thanksgiving weekend and take it down mid-January since we have a family get together in early January. The last week it takes a down turn, but the tree is in great shape for over a month.

BrotherBart said:

I will never forget when I tossed part of our Christmas tree in the fireplace 40 years ago. Wow!

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That... uh... was probably a bad idea.

Probably a neat show, though. Probably not appreciated at the time due to the anxiety.

We also keep our live tree a few feet from the stove. Seems to last a month OK. One year we put it across the room, made no difference. I think species makes difference, my wife is a fanatic about only buying Frasier fir from a good you-cut farm.

Just water it regularly.....

My live tree in the same room as my insert across the room is sucking up 32 oz of water a day although my wife did catch our Britney puppy helping herself to some of the water today.

Might be common sense but I have to tell the story anyway. My wife wanted to put our tree next to the new wood stove because its where we had put it in years past. It took a few minutes of convincing her that if the tree ever fell over onto the stove we would be in a world of trouble. "That would never happen we're her exact words." I'm lucky that I won that battle because I don't win many and sure enough what do you know the tree toppled over that night landing a safe distance from the fire. Not sure if it happened on its own or our 85 lb dog had something to do with it but either way I was happy to not wake up to the fire alarm.

Best thing to do is collect all the discarded x-mas trees after x-mas in your neighbor hood. Collect 20-30 if possible. Then have the biggest beasting bonfire ever... throw a tree on the fire every 30 minutes for 30 foot flames and the best firework/new-years party ever.

Except for one year, we have always had a tree that was cut usually on our own place. During most of these years (we've been married over 51 years now) we also have heated our home totally with wood heat. Never have we had a problem. However, our tree has never set where even if the tree were to tip over it would not touch the stove.

On the other hand, many years ago FirefigherJake, a respected member on this forum, went to a tv studio (I think this is what it was anyway) and was to do a little skit on the hazards of Christmas trees and fires. He was expecting to show how easy it was to start a fire with a Christmas tree. Ha! He could not get it to catch fire!! I'll never forget that one.

Bottom line: use common sense and quit being afraid of it. Enjoy Christmas and if you want a normal tree vs artificial, then have one and quit worrying.

Backwoods Savage said:

On the other hand, many years ago FirefigherJake, a respected member on this forum, went to a tv studio (I think this is what it was anyway) and was to do a little skit on the hazards of Christmas trees and fires. He was expecting to show how easy it was to start a fire with a Christmas tree. Ha! He could not get it to catch fire!! I'll never forget that one.

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That reminds me of a segment on, I think, "Myth Busters". They also tried all kinds of horrible things to tree lights and cords and whatever, and couldn't get one to ignite without really extreme measures. But when it did go up, it was spectacular.

One thing they didn't do was tip one over on a 750 degree wood stove, though.

Sprinter said:

That reminds me of a segment on, I think, "Myth Busters". They also tried all kinds of horrible things to tree lights and cords and whatever, and couldn't get one to ignite without really extreme measures. But when it did go up, it was spectacular.

One thing they didn't do was tip one over on a 750 degree wood stove, though.

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I remember that one. they had one heck of a lot of lights on that thing, and the big juicy hot bulbs too.

We cut a fresh tree each year. Just keep it watered and put a few aspirin in the water. Our tree is about 20 feet from the woodstove and it should last until New Years.

CenterTree said:

Maybe I am confused about what exactly a "live" tree is. Everyone here is talking about being worried that their LIVE Christmas tree will dry too much by the stove, etc.

If it is LIVE, then don't they have the burlap sack wrapped around the rootball. (and soil) These type of trees should last the whole season and then be good to transplant straight to the back yard for a life time of enjoyment.

Now a fresh "Cut" tree will usually dry out in a few short weeks inside. But LIVE tree should stay, well,,, LIVE.

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Touche!

BrotherBart said:

I will never forget when I tossed part of our Christmas tree in the fireplace 40 years ago. Wow!

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I'll bet that sucker took off like it were dipped in kerosene!! I also bet you never did that again


We have a fake one. In stove room. We like to keep ours up till after New Years.

Backwoods Savage said:

Except for one year, we have always had a tree that was cut usually on our own place. During most of these years (we've been married over 51 years now) we also have heated our home totally with wood heat. Never have we had a problem. However, our tree has never set where even if the tree were to tip over it would not touch the stove.

On the other hand, many years ago FirefigherJake, a respected member on this forum, went to a tv studio (I think this is what it was anyway) and was to do a little skit on the hazards of Christmas trees and fires. He was expecting to show how easy it was to start a fire with a Christmas tree. Ha! He could not get it to catch fire!! I'll never forget that one.

Bottom line: use common sense and quit being afraid of it. Enjoy Christmas and if you want a normal tree vs artificial, then have one and quit worrying.

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Thanks for bringing up that story Dennis . . . and yeah . . . pretty much happened as you said. In fairness I told the TV anchor to not water the tree for a few weeks after she purchased it and she only stopped watering it a day or two before the live-air broadcast. In truth, what happened is what I expected to happen from a relatively moist tree -- the propane torch flame would cause some needles to smoke and burn a bit, but then it would extinguish.

There is another video that the National Christmas Tree Association was airing a while back that I did with them . . . they used it as a PSA and educational piece to combat all those clips you see of dried out trees going up like Roman Candles. Surprised myself once when I was at a NFPA Conference in Boston and saw myself on a large screen TV as the NCTA was there as an exhibitor.

One of my favorite topics . . . and one of the big misconceptions with folks thinking live and fresh cut Christmas trees are like bringing in a can of gas into the home.

First off, don't get wrong. Let one of these trees dry out and yeah . . . they can go up in pretty spectacular fashion. However, a well watered tree can be used safely with just a few precautions.

Pick a tree that is not all dried out. Not all trees are created equal. Depending on where you are some of the trees on the lot may be only cut a day or two before . . . or a few weeks before. The NCTA has several tips on how to select a moist tree -- mostly it has to do with bending the needles and needle drop.

Once the tree is home you should cut off a 1/2 inch or so off the butt to allow the tree to take up water. This is important since these softwoods tend to scab over. You can cut off more, but only a half inch is necessary.

Keeping the tree well hydrated is pretty important. You should check every day . . . maybe even more often if you have pets in the house that think of the Christmas tree stand as a new water dish. Drilling a hole in the center doesn't help . . . ditto for aspirin, baking soda, soda water, fertilizer, commercial additives, etc. Just plain old water is what the tree needs.

When setting up the tree I will say technically you only have to have it meet the clearances to combustibles requirement with the woodstove . . . but as others have mentioned if a pet or youngster accidentally tips over the tree you probably don't want it to land on the stove. In addition, putting it too close to the stove will result in faster drying . . . which is why keeping it well watered is very important.

Of course, only installing UL approved lights, lights that are in good working condition and turning the lights off when leaving the house or going to bed is a good idea.



Here's the video I made a few years back . . . guess I was the best they could come up with as an expert. I don't think this video will launch my Hollywood acting career.



NIST also put out a good video showing the difference between a well watered tree and a dried out tree.

Thanks for posting those Jake.