Mass. Wine Guy said:
I've planned this for a long time and finally my Castine will be installed tomorrow. A couple of questions, please.
I've gotten one of two cords of what I've been told is seasoned hardwood. I trust the guy I'm getting the wood from, the splits make a nice loud "crack" when knocked together, but some seem incredibly heavy. Does this mean it's a green piece of wood? Many of the pieces have bark on them that, when removed, reveals some dampness.
Why is a stove thermometer good to use? How is it used?
Anything special I should know about the flue? I wasn't planning to put any kind of air flow control in the flue. Should I?
Can I get by with a sledge hammer and a good wedge to split some rounds and large chunks?
Thank you very much for your kind help.
First off, congrats on your purchase . . . hopefully you will find heating with food as enjoyable as many of us.
Seasoned wood: While looking for cracking in the ends of the wood and listening to the sound of the wood or using wood where the bark is falling off naturally can be a helpful indicator of seasoned wood, I think short of burning the wood (and seeing or not seeing moisture or hearing sizzling) about the only real, true way to tell if the wood is seasoned enough or not is to use a moisture meter.
Going by weight alone will not always be a good indicator . . . in time you may be able to gauge things a bit better by hefting a comparably sized stick of wood of the same species against a similarly sized piece . . . and this will help indicate whether or not it is seasoned. "Help" is the operable word however . . . much like knocking wood together and listening for the "crack of the bat" noise or by checking for cracking -- these are just some possible indicators. As mentioned, the only true way to tell if the wood is seasoned enough or not is to either burn it or use a moisture meter.
The reason I mention weight is because here in the Northeast the same size stick of cedar or pine will typically weigh less than the same size stick of oak, maple, etc. . . . but in some cases an unseasoned stick of that same softwood can weigh as much if not more. For me, weight is a "helpful" indicator of seasoned wood, but only when used with the same species and same size. While some of the wood may seem heavy to you . . . it is possible that it may simply be a different species . . . or it may in fact be green.
One thing you will learn is that "seasoned wood" means different things to different people. Seasoned could mean that it was cut and split last year . . . or it could mean that it was cut and split three months ago . . . or maybe it was cut tree length last year and just split two weeks ago.
Stove thermometer: Get one. For a new woodburner it is very helpful in letting you know approximately how hot your stove is . . . important when it comes to running the stove more efficiently and reducing the amount of creosote build-up. It has been said by many others here that running a woodstove without a thermometer can be done . . . but it is like running a car without a speedometer -- it can be done, but it's usually better to have some way to tell what's really going on with your woodstove. Placement of the thermometer depends on the manufacturer and type of stove -- some have specific locations (i.e. my Jotul Oslo specifically requires the thermometer to be in one of the four corners on the stove top.) Trust me . . . it's well worth the $15 for this product -- it will help you know when to shut down your draft, keep you from overfiring the stove or running it at too low a temp.
Flue: Damper or not to damper . . . that is the question. I can't really address this. Some folks love their dampers as it gives them an extra measure of control in reducing overdrafts and choking the fire in the event of a chimney fire . . . other folks say it's just one more thing to run and unnecessary. I guess a lot depends on your own situation. In my case, I have a good draft so I opted to not go with a damper in my flue.
Splitting: 1-2 cords isn't too much to split by hand. You may opt to rent a splitter. You can, as mentioned, split by a sledge and wedge, although I think the general consensus by many is that an actual splitting maul is easier and safer (fewer worries of a wedge flying off and striking you.)
Congratulation
