Firewood in W. VA. in February?

How about buying the Ecologs, which you can mix with your not-so-seasoned wood, or burn pallets.

You could split them smaller an start drying them out, or find some trees that have been down a year or two. Im new to this myself an I am in the same boat. Just installed a EPA stove two days ago after I installed a cheap box stove the week before. It was a cheap box stove an I wasnt comfortable with it.

Buy some?

Eco logs will see you through Feb. this spring and summer start collecting and split it small lot thinner.

Firecattr1 said:

Reading all the info on here about burning seasoned wood in an epa stove . Where am I going to get seasoned wood in February ? There's talk about letting it dry for 2 years before burning . In this area of w.va people cut half there wood dry and the other half green for banking there stove . My old vesta Burns everything ! It sound like I won't be able to get enough seasoned wood to last a whole winter .what to do ?

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Welcome to the forum Firecattr1.

Not only in WV but all over the place and this goes for both not finding dry wood and the way the older and "supposedly wiser" wood burners do. Old habits die hard and bad information gets passed on from generation to generation. Do you have next year's wood put up yet? Of course not but you should have, so this is just a hint that you need to get that done as soon as possible. Good luck.

Change your way of thinking?
Now that your a member here, you know better for the future...
I am sure there are many trees, downed trees ect in WV, I watch these shows on tv and all I see is moonshine and trees.......all kidding aside...
Getting ahead of the game is the only true solution, try your best to get there......easier said then done.....GL

I agree to look for dead trees. I bought wood 3 weeks ago that is too wet to burn and I didn't find out until I tested with a moisture meter. The guy said it was seasoned 2 years, I think he probably didn't split it until last year though. My neighbor had a tree down that he said I could have. I cut and split it and found the moisture to be just over 20% from this dead tree laying on the ground. I am burning that now and am much happier. I am finding it hard to find dry wood right now and I just got my wood stove also. One place normally sells kiln dried but they ran out and were selling fresh split logs that were laying around for 2 years and saying it would burn the same. It will be difficult but you should be able to find some dry wood.

Welcome to the forum fellow Mountaineer! I was borne and raised in the Mountain State! If your stove is not and EPA stove you can technically burn unseasoned wood but it is harder to get started burning and it will gum up the works. Once burning you loose much of the heat value because the wood uses its energy to evaporate the moisture rather than produce heat and that moisture goes up the chimney and takes a lot of bad stuff with it. It's a bit more complicated than that but that's the picture painted on a pinhead. If you get wood such as silver maple and ash cut and split now it should be ready to burn next winter. then get started on the good stuff like oak, black locust and hickory. Try to get 3 years ahead then you never have to worry about seasoned. And now everyone knows what's next: "The best device for determining the moisture content of cut, split firewood is a multi-year calendar!"

Ralphie boy just gave you some great reasons to get your wood for the future NOW!

Cut softwoods now and they'll be ready for next season.

I have lots of wood and nobody wants to take the time to get it. It's free and people say they'll be over, but they don't show. Or they show and take only a p/u truck load and then don't comeback. Oak, beech, maple, popular, and some are still standing after two years being dead. Can't give it away.

Species like Silver maple , Box Elder, Slippery Elm split to about 2x4 size can be pretty good to go, if acquired and split / stacked single row now , by next fall. The real dense species like Oak, Hedge, Locust are going to be 2 year minimum.

Frank Nuhfer said:

I have lots of wood and nobody wants to take the time to get it. It's free and people say they'll be over, but they don't show. Or they show and take only a p/u truck load and then don't comeback. Oak, beech, maple, popular, and some are still standing after two years being dead. Can't give it away.

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Frank, I think you'll find this to be true in most areas.

Firecattr1 said:

Wow 3years ahead ! Maybe a epa stove ain't for me . Do they make new stoves that ain't epa approved? Got an old vesta stove it burns everything including coal . Just want more heat . And longer burns . HELP !

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Firecattr1, please do not misunderstand the 3 year thing. Once you start adding up the benefits of it though, you will want to do it. It may take you a few years to get there but it is well worth it.

One of the best benefits come in if something bad should happen to you. That may be in health, injury or whatever. Some year you may not be able to put up wood or even buy wood. If you already have 3 years ahead, you have your backside covered well and there will be no need for asking for help or spending extra dollars to get you through. This is actually happening to me again this year. Hardly any wood cut but no worries. I even helped out a neighbor who had some bad things happen and we supplied him with all his wood and it was all well dried wood; 3 years in the stack. They were very happy to receive the help and I'm sure they will return the help should we need it. But even with very little wood cutting this year and helping the neighbor, we still have over a 3 year supply on hand. Believe me, it will burn really, really beautifully. Once you try it, you will wonder how anyone could get by without doing it. In addition, you will find that you will burn less wood and get more heat. That alone is a huge benefit to you as it means less labor. Don't forget too; it is better than money in the bank....and it does not get taxed. I could add more but I think you'll get the idea.