First time poster here, so if this is a dumb question I apologize (and I am a high school teacher, so yes, there are dumb questions). My wife and I are in the first winter in our new home and bought a load of firewood to get us through this burning season. We've been having issues with our stove, a GM 60, and I have been talking to our dealer to figure those issues out (figuring out moisture content, when to engage catalysts, etc). One thing I wonder about is dried dirt on some of our wood. We knock and brush as much of it off as we can, but there are some chunks that still have some dirt on the surface, not covered completely, but just still a little dirty. I know the guy we bought it off of and it simply is dirt from where it was stored. How much damage will this do, if any, to the stove and the catalysts? Solutions?
"Dirty" wood
- Thread starter MrCampbellAHS
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
johneh
Minister of Fire
Most rounds have a bit of dirt on them. If it was a major problem, there would be a lot of discussion about ways to remove it. I generally brush off what I can with my gloves when I'm splitting and stacking, and sometimes drop a split on its end onto a clean(-ish) hard surface to knock off a bit more just before bringing it into the house. Dirt on stacked splits in storage might encourage insects or rot depending on storage conditions.
Have to agree with @johneh: there's no heat from burning dirt.
Have to agree with @johneh: there's no heat from burning dirt.
If the wood was cut, split stacked and seasoned the dirt should be so dry it just brushes off. It sounds like you bought green wood that was cut, split and then just piled on dirt or it's from fresh logs that were dragged or laid in mud. I'd say you have wood for 2024-2025 or beyond.
IMO dirty wood is PITA to process as its dulls chains and splitter wedges but once its in the firebox, no issues except for more ash removal.
Folks on occasion will grab wood from logging landings and that is usually quite dirty. They usually only do it once when they realize how many chains they are wearing out.
Folks on occasion will grab wood from logging landings and that is usually quite dirty. They usually only do it once when they realize how many chains they are wearing out.
I would bet your wood needs much longer time to dry/season. Make sure it is stacked somewhere with good airflow.
Thanks all for the replies. The load of wood has been seasoned, but I'm going to get a moisture meter to double check just how seasoned.
Wisco Shepherd
Member
Not bad, but not the best. I have ranges from 15% all the way up to 22-23% after a split. We've been burning it good an hot and that seems to do pretty well. The only thing I have noticed about the dirt is that if we let it go out completely to clean it and there was a particularly dirty piece the ashes have almost a brownish color to them, but other than that it has burned really well.
Yup i get that some of that brown ash every once and a while. Think mine is from rotten inclusions in random splits.
My experience on buying 'logger loads' of wood. Hardwood 102 inches long, as cut to industry standards.
Buy wood cut in the winter. I do not consider the lower moisture content to be the driving factor, skidding it across dirt is. As posted, it is rough on saw chain. Roll a log so the dirt is facing your saw. Much easier on the chain than dragging it through the kerf.
Or buy wood cut with a processor and hauled with a prehauler.
If given a chance, green ash carries lots of dirt in the bark.
Buy wood cut in the winter. I do not consider the lower moisture content to be the driving factor, skidding it across dirt is. As posted, it is rough on saw chain. Roll a log so the dirt is facing your saw. Much easier on the chain than dragging it through the kerf.
Or buy wood cut with a processor and hauled with a prehauler.
If given a chance, green ash carries lots of dirt in the bark.
