A wood stove must have an efficiency of 75% to be eligible for a tax credit. That is no help. The most efficient stove fireplace insert I could find (Jotul C 550) is only 71%!
Cal-MI said:A wood stove must have an efficiency of 75% to be eligible for a tax credit. That is no help. The most efficient stove fireplace insert I could find (Jotul C 550) is only 71%!
BeGreen said:Cal-MI said:A wood stove must have an efficiency of 75% to be eligible for a tax credit. That is no help. The most efficient stove fireplace insert I could find (Jotul C 550) is only 71%!
You're fine. Get the C550 if you like it. It qualifies, the dealer will confirm this.
Why not? I don't expect to get much seasoned wood. When burning green wood in a semi-airtight stove, I am accustomed to putting in some chemical every month. I buy it at the hardware store. It cleans the chimney and stove and turns any creosote left in the chimney into a fine grey ash that feels like laundry soap.Backwoods Savage said:BeGreen said:Cal-MI said:A wood stove must have an efficiency of 75% to be eligible for a tax credit. That is no help. The most efficient stove fireplace insert I could find (Jotul C 550) is only 71%!
You're fine. Get the C550 if you like it. It qualifies, the dealer will confirm this.
But don't burn green wood in it.
Now that is confusing. The Jotul catalog says 71% and the Jotul web site says over 75%. And there are two different kinds of efficiency ratings??? One called LHV. I guess what counts is that you get some paperwork, a certificate.branchburner said:Many stoves used to just list a default efficiency rating for the stove type. With the tax credit, virtually all good stoves are being re-tested and re-listed with a new, usually higher rating. So a lot of stoves that were listed last year at 63% or 71% or whatever are now over 75%. Look for the efficiency tax certificate online or at your point of purchase - you need it to take the credit.
branchburner said:Cal, you're going to find (have already found?) everyone on this site is going to tell you the 3 rules of proper fuel for successful burning with EPA stoves: 1) Burn dry wood; 2) Burn dry wood; 3) Burn dry wood. You've done your research of finding the efficiency of a Jotul, now you need to research why it is rated that efficient. Secondary burning will not occur with green/wet wood in your new Jotul. You will be much better off finding hardwood pallets and dry softwood than burning green oak.
Cal-MI said:The whole purpose of getting a fireplace insert is to get some use from all the green wood I will accumulate.
With green wood, the secondary burning would, I assume, come when I periodically burn/clean out the flue.
Backwoods Savage said:The first part is always the most difficult. For sure with oak. Most oak really needs 2 years to dry.
Cut it during the winter months when there is the least amount of sap in the tree. Get it cut to firewood length and get it split.
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Cal-MI said:With green wood, the secondary burning would, I assume, come when I periodically burn/clean out the flue.
branchburner said:offer to trade someone a larger amount of green oak for a smaller amount of seasoned wood?
Yes. I used to put in the chimney cleaning chemicals every month. It is OK. Don't let it go too long without cleaning, though, or something undesired may catch fire.madrone said:Cal-MI said:With green wood, the secondary burning would, I assume, come when I periodically burn/clean out the flue.
You mean like in a chimney fire?
Cal-MI said:Yes. I used to put in the chimney cleaning chemicals every month.
That is the most sensible thing I have read here. Of course, I know that "burning water" does not produce heat. But how does a stove maintain high firebox temperature without giving out more heat than you desire, "melting the house" or stove down, so to speak? I am accustomed to using a portion of green wood to avoid putting out excess undesirable heat.cmonSTART said:Remember, secondary burn suffers when using green wood. Whether cat or non-cat it depends on having high firebox temperatures which green wood doesn't help. It takes energy to burn off that moisture which lowers the temperature.