Can you smell the aroma of wood burning in EPA stoves?

[7acres]

Hello,
My neighbor dropped by while I was down in the yard splitting wood. He wanted me to go rabbit hunting with him the next day but I told him I had to get my hickory split so it's ready to burn. He couldn't believe I was turning rabbit hunting down to split wood. I probably am crazy and might regret that later. I don't know.

Anyway, he is a logger who gets shipped around the country in "super crews" when disaster strikes to clean up all the downed trees. He began pointing to the various logs I had stood on end for splitting and telling me species each was. When he pointed to the cedar he said it's good wood and will make the house smell nice.

While I was splitting yesterday I was trying to figure out how the aroma of cedar burning could ever escape the firebox of an EPA stove since they don't put smoke into the room while burning. Can any of you tell me how or if the aroma of wood burning gets out of the stove into the household air in an EPA stove (specifically non-cat)?

 

[webby3650]

You might notice it when you open the door on the stove. But very little, unless you have a bad draft. Outside it would smell good!

 

[Highbeam]

Any stove can stink up a house if the setup is improper. Weak draft combined with rapid door opening will let a puff into the room. Once burning well and the door is closed, you shouldn't have any smell.

Maybe he meant that the cedar would smell good while setting in the house waiting to be burned. Cedar smells great just setting there.

 

[firefighterjake]

I think Highbeam has it . . . smells nice when processed and just sitting there in the woodbox. Not a particularly great wood BTU-wise though . . . but fantastic for starting a fire . . . at least northern white cedar is . . . not sure about the other types of cedar.

 

[7acres]

Ah, yeah that's true. It does smell great after it's split.

 

[dmmoss51]

Cedar is a great kindling wood IMO and as pointed out smells good sitting in the room.

 

[dmmoss51]

Also In general I like the aroma of a wood stove you can smell outdoors...

 

[Slow1]

While burning I would not expect much benefit. However I had some cedar and it sat there in my indoor rack for over a year as I kept skipping those splits so I could enjoy the smell they gave.... Finally burned them one cold day when I didn't want to go outside

 

[begreen]

Juniper is my favorite aromatic wood. I have a stick of it that I save just for this. I put some shavings on a hot stove top and the aroma is very pleasant.

 

[CenterTree]

Juniper is my favorite aromatic wood. I have a stick of it that I save just for this. I put some shavings on a hot stove top and the aroma is very pleasant.

I cut a row of 10 LARGE American Arborvitae trees last fall. A few were 20"dia.
I CSS them just for kicks.

Next winter I will "test" it for aroma therapy. Might be similar to Juniper?

The splits are super light in weight and smell nice. BTU's? Low, I am sure, but it was free and it is going in the "Box".

If it is no good it can go in the fire pit.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

With a closed EPA insert, you will only smell the wood upon reloading or leaving the door open, if you have an aromatic wood like cedar, you will smell it coming out the chimney.... That being said, keep the cedar for the firepit or for kindling, it is low btu and smells great in the yard....

 

[woodgeek]

Knock yourself out....

http://www.amazon.com/Paines-Cedar-Cones-With-Holder/dp/B002670NF2

 

[Highbeam]

I've burned cords of western red cedar. It's a great wood with a reasonably high btu content, it's not hickory but much better than many species that people burn all the time.

Our WRC trees get enormous though, several feet across at chest height and when one falls I am not going to waste that fuel.

 

[DanCorcoran]

Also In general I like the aroma of a wood stove you can smell outdoors...

Indoors, no smell. Outdoors, it has a somewhat unpleasant smell, kind of like garbage burning. It doesn't smell at all like an outdoors campfire or an older wood stove.

 

[7acres]

Juniper is my favorite aromatic wood. I have a stick of it that I save just for this. I put some shavings on a hot stove top and the aroma is very pleasant.

Begreen, I've never smelled juniper. What does it smell like?

 

[begreen]

Like Juniper

(cedarish, but sweeter).

 

[7acres]

Like Juniper

(cedarish, but sweeter).

I love the idea of making a wood stove potpourri with shavings on top of the stove! I can't wait to try this next winter. Fine shavings or thick curls?

 

[begreen]

pocket knife shavings are what I use.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

Can any of you tell me how or if the aroma of wood burning gets out of the stove into the household air in an EPA stove (specifically non-cat)?

Yes. If your chimney is blocked or otherwise won't draft your stove will spill smoke, and thus, aroma. The exact same principle applies to non-EPA stoves.

 

[Flatbedford]

I rarely even smell anything outside when my Fireview is dialed in and burning nicely. I have been burning mostly Black Locust and only smell it right after I have reloaded and before I engage the cat....and BL smells pretty bad if you ask me.