Ocean drift wood ok?

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allhandsworking

Feeling the Heat
Sep 30, 2008
378
NYC
Sorry if this is repetitive, is ocean drift wood ok to burn in a non cat EPA stove? Did a search did not get any results! Thanks
 
I remember someone saying the salt might cause some issues - but I don't see how if you're burning it.

I bet you could find a bunch along most any strech of beach.

Here in NJ, I have a few spots I check along the creeks near bridges. We continue to have alot of flooding and trees wash down and pile up at bridges (easy truck access). Can't beat it!
 
In years past, we had a poster from the west coast of Canada that was burning only driftwood. The concern WAS salt, but said he had to do what he had to do. Dunno what the long term effects are, but I sure as heck would make sure that it was properly dried (of course its already seasoned %-P ).
 
Salt is corrosive to all materials used in stoves and chimneys. Driftwood is high in salt. Salt air near oceans is a major cause of corrosion of infrastructure. Salt water in concrete mix is strictly controlled due to corrosion of the reinforcing steel. Deicing of highways with salt has rusted out millions of cars and trucks. Please check with the manufacturer of your stove before using driftwood.
 
JimboM said:
Salt is corrosive to all materials used in stoves and chimneys. Driftwood is high in salt. Salt air near oceans is a major cause of corrosion of infrastructure. Salt water in concrete mix is strictly controlled due to corrosion of the reinforcing steel. Deicing of highways with salt has rusted out millions of cars and trucks. Please check with the manufacturer of your stove before using driftwood.

I would think this question would have to be handled by a phone call to the stove manufacturer. I just took a quick check through my manual and saw nothing with regards to ocean driftwood in it. It is a good question and a potential warranty issue could arise.
If the results are corrosive, I'd be curious what a stove looks like after burning it.
 
We used to use an ash shovel full of rock salt on a bed of hot coals to help remove creosote from the stovepipe/chimney on the old Fisher when I was growing up.

Never created any issues, or any that were worse than burning unseasoned oak in an airtight stove.

YMMV
 
Burning chlorides can create toxic fumes, furan and dioxin.

Salt is sodium chloride.
PVC is polyvinyl chloride.


Please don't burn salt nor plastics. Anywhere.
 
As individual elements, yes sodium or chlorine gas is highly poisonous, burned or not, combine them and you can sprinkle it on your supper.
What happens when ocean water comes in contact with lava flows?
 
Maybe The salt will work like curing meat and remove the moisture in less time !! Think about this Oak cut and ready in 2 months.
 
My manual says driftwood is a no-no. I'm usually not a purist when it comes to buring cellulose but this seems to make a lot of sense. Salt mixed with steam is pretty nasty stuff and could even do a number on a 316ti liner. I'd have to temper my opinion with the quanity and frequency of burning to be done but lots of wood may indeed be a problem.
 
Thanks for the feed back! It is not something that I must do so I may refrain!
 
I would avoid it unless it's the only wood available. It is corrosive.
 
kettensäge said:
As individual elements, yes sodium or chlorine gas is highly poisonous, burned or not, combine them and you can sprinkle it on your supper.
What happens when ocean water comes in contact with lava flows?

I believe they call that Sulfuric Acid...
 
take some seawater and boil it down,check the salt content when the dish is dry.UNBELIEVABLE huh?I live and have worked on the ocean my whole life.Wouldn't think of it.I know the old fellas even burned ropes (Used for lobstering) in their stoves but it's funny how they always rust the bottoms out.Off season you can bet you wont get all the salt out of that stove no matter what you do.Sea salt doesn't look like the salt you buy,it's like dust.Lay some of that off season dampness in there with it.YIKES!! We'd sure be interested in what ya find in 3 yrs but you wouldn't like the replacement costs.It will even destroy stainless over time.
 
I'm pretty sure the owners manual on my stove specifically said not to burn driftwood.
 
I don't think any stove manufacturer wants you to burn it.


In my case, no other choice. So that is what it gets. Heating fuel is $5.83 a gallon, what's a guy gonna do otherwise?
 
WoodPorn said:
kettensäge said:
As individual elements, yes sodium or chlorine gas is highly poisonous, burned or not, combine them and you can sprinkle it on your supper.
What happens when ocean water comes in contact with lava flows?

I believe they call that Sulfuric Acid...

Nope. No sulfate there.
 
I used to burn driftwood on my open fire, I still pick bits up out of habit when it's around but it goes in the firepit now.

Still waiting for the perfect shape for a sculpture, thats the best thing driftwood is good for ;-)
 
So drift would from lakes and streams would be ok? I used to love using it when i was a kid camping. No smoke just a great blue flame.
 
I would think that would be ok but i don't know.Manuals say NO driftwood.
 
Burning fresh water driftwood is fine.

Burning salt water driftwood will absolutely ruin a stove and any type of stovepipe in short order.
 
CTYank said:
WoodPorn said:
kettensäge said:
As individual elements, yes sodium or chlorine gas is highly poisonous, burned or not, combine them and you can sprinkle it on your supper.
What happens when ocean water comes in contact with lava flows?

I believe they call that Sulfuric Acid...

Nope. No sulfate there.

You are 100% correct.
I should have researched it first ...It is actually Hydrochloric acid!


"Laze plumes are very acidic
Extreme heat from lava entering the sea rapidly boils and vaporizes seawater, leading to a series of chemical reactions. The boiling and reactions produce a large white plume, locally known as lava haze or laze, which contains a mixture of hydrochloric acid (HCl) and concentrated seawater. This is a short-lived local phenomenon that only affects people or vegetation directly under the plume.

The hydrochloric acid (HCl) comes from the breakdown of seawater-derived chlorides during sudden boiling. Because the lava is largely degassed by the time it reaches the sea, any HCL coming from it is insignificant by comparison. Analyzed samples of the plume show that is is a brine with a salinity of about 2.3 times that of seawater and a pH of 1.5-2.0."
 
From the Pacific Energy Super 27 manual -

DO NOT BURN :
-Salt water wood * -Treated wood
-Wet or green wood -Coal/charcoal
-Garbage/Plastic * -Solvents
* These materials contain chlorides which will rapidly
destroy metal surfaces and void warranty.
 
Interesting question- my first thought was "what happens to salt chemically in a wood stove?" Does it just go up the stack as sodium chloride?
Any chemists on the forums? I did find this at Ask.com "Sodium imparts a bright orange flame when lit. However, little can be done to the chemical structure of NaCl as it has a high melting point of 800C or ~1400F."
Not one to believe something just because its on the internet but by that standard I wonder if it would just wind up in your ashes unless you have a major overfire and then I think you've got bigger problems than giving your stack high blood pressure:)
I also wonder how much salt is really in the wood? Again need a chemist but wondering if due to molecule size or something else is it possible the wood can absorb the H2O in sea water but not the salt? Does it give off bright orange flames that you don't see with non driftwoods?
And probably makes sense to follow your manual but then again you'll see some tell you not to burn pine and that's a whole other thread:)
Anyway, just thinking out loud
 
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