how much moisture?

[buckeye]

I know that the norm on here is 20% or less. what is the upper limit that I should use? I am down to the nitty gritty. Meaning that before long im going to have to buy wood. I have some that I split today and checked the moisture. In the very center, on my cheapo moisture meter, I was getting like 26%. I brought some in and threw it in the stove and I didnt have any sizzling or bubbles so I assume that is ok. right?

 

[jtp10181]

If it doesn't sizzle or make your glass black might as well burn it. If you had better wood it would be good to save for next year, but if that's all you have its probably better than nothing.

The true test will be trying to get a new fire going with it, if its really hard to get going then you might have a problem.

 

[moondoggy]

+1 for being down to nitty gritty.
i have a cord left that was 'cut a ~year ago, and split over the summer'........ oak ~26-28%
i was saving it for next year but i'm jsut about out of "THE good seasoned stuff" i'll be burning it sometime this week .

i just figure i will burn smaller splits, and either not engage cat.. or delay cat. until popping stops.

 

[Henz]

wow, I am lucky and still ahve more than 1/2 of what I have burned left. I should make it through with no problem and some to spare. It does help that this year I have been "smart burning" wood, meaning, when we have a warm spell, I cut back on burning. It makes a big difference.. I just think that we get so much into a routine of filling the stove each morning, throwing more in whe nwe get home and then more before bed, which is the way I do it when its below 20 out but with temps into the high 30's - mid 40's during the day I dont reload in the morning.

 

[moondoggy]

this was my first year.... and i jumped in on thanksgiving weekend.
had to buy 2 cords... and the 2nd one, as i said is kind of fresh-still nice fresh wood color + weight.
and according to my new wood meter, not 'seasoned' as he said it was. but beautiful spilts 12-16" (16 is kind of my max).
i am preparing now for next year and hope to never have to pay for wood again.

buckeye- how's it burning? is it oak?

 

[RedRanger]

Just last week I started into some fir that measures 25-28%. While there is no sizziling or popping, there isn`t a whole lot of heat coming from it either. Looks like we gotta aim for 20% or less. And in this case it means no more straight into the woodshed after splitting (this stuff is 18 months old). Lot of work moving it twice,but I know that I will be sun and wind drying in rows for the summer, and then into the woodsheds in the fall.

 

[buckeye]

I am burning some of that "not so seasoned wood" Alot of it is elm and some oak. So far so good, its still putting out ample heat. I basically split a few of the bigger pieces that I had and checked those, this is what I got the 26% in. I have been burning some of the smaller rounds and they have been good.