How to control the heat...

[oldspark]

Neighbor, Ed, just burns the Ponderosa from his property. his wife is after him to stop burning it, they had to remove the chimney cap due to it getting plugged with all the sap from the Pine. There house is over 2100 Sq. Ft. with the stove on one end. They try to get the stove hot enough to heat the entire house. When we go over to have dinner & play Canasta I am often only 6 feet or so from the stove. Seems like when we are there the sliding glass door is always cracked open. I can say that when we are there I never see Ed "tending the fire", he just loads it and lets it burn at full tilt. I can say I get a bit nervous when I am over there. Another neighbor, who burns nothing but the Ponderosa as well has had several chimney fires. None that got beyond the chimney

I dont burn pine (none in this area to speak of) but time for the pine burners to chime in and say if done correctly you will not plug up the chimney burning pine, he must be burning it wet.

 

[Oregon aloha]

My experience with pine is it never full drys out. The ample amount of sticky sap stays in the wood. Dryish pine works great for quick heat, but doesn't start burning as well as you might think. It needs heat to burn. I understand now by past experience that pine would not be a good choice for burning in a EPA wood stove. At least not full time.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Pine can and will dry out. Depends though what type of pine you are talking about as for the drying times. White pine dries about the quickest.

I can see no good reason why pine can not be burned in an epa stove.

 

[Oregon aloha]

My experience has been with Ponderosa and Sugar pine in a old smoke dragon. Pine burns hoter with a lot more smoke then fir or oak. EPA stoves seam to be more sensitive to creosote build up and to me more smoke would translate to more of those type of issues.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

More smoke does not translate into creosote. If you also consider that the epa stoves are designed to actually burn that smoke, then it should become a benefit rather than a negative issue.

 

[mfetcho]

Pine can be burned without any issues. My Father-Inlaw has burned pine since day 1 (100 acres of it) of his stove install in the early 90's and he hasn't had a chimney fire and his house is toasty every winter. It burns hot, but it won't last as long as Tamarack. Dry your wood and remove the bark.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Pine can and will dry out. Depends though what type of pine you are talking about as for the drying times. White pine dries about the quickest.
I can see no good reason why pine can not be burned in an epa stove.

Its about all i burn. Gets very dry. Tends to spit coals out though so i dont have the door open too long.