It's the wood, dummy!

[Shari]

I should know better - dang it all! I've been having fits the last couple of days as I just couldn't keep a fire going, glass was smoking up, it was a real struggle to get the stove top temp up to even 400 degrees.

I've got 'good' wood out there - I know it - I seasoned it myself. I've been burning elm which was cut late 2008, split/stacked on pallets since October 2009. Tops were covered in winter, etc.

BUT - and here's the big BUT - this is a long row, double row, of around 1-3/4 cord that was butted up to another row of 1 cord of silver maple. Seems once I got through this first 3/4 cord of eelm I was then taking elm that was partially blocked from the wind by that previous cord of silver maple. Guess what? Split/stacked does not season well when butted up to another row! Duh! I know that! Even proved that to myself this week!

So, now that I switched to my hard maple that has been split/stacked out in the breeze/sun all by itself my stove is rockin' and rollin' again.

Of course, I cleaned the chimney today even though I cleaned it right after Christmas, did the dollar bill test on all the gaskets, cleaned out the dog house (air control), etc., etc.

- but -

"It's the wood, dummy!"

"It's the wood, dummy!"

"It's the wood, dummy!"

Repeat after me:

"It's the wood, dummy!"

 

[Hogwildz]

Um, maybe the wood is not dry...................grins

 

[JustWood]

Eye thinx,,,, MayB ,,,,, yur wood iz not fulLEE seasoned!
Yep! MMMMMMMMM HMMMMMMM !
4 sure!

 

[pen]

Always, always, always, remember the KISS principle!

glad you found it.

pen

 

[szmaine]

"It's the wood, dummy!"

"It's the wood, dummy!"

"It's the wood, dummy!"

Repeat after me:

"It's the wood, dummy!"

Boy, I sure wanted to do just that yesterday as my spouse continues to insist that " sumptins' wrong with that stove"....gotta get a moisture meter!

is you avatar your own stove, a hearth install? do you have an insulated block off plate? wondering because we don't and I want to know if you feel it matters.

 

[Shari]

"It's the wood, dummy!"

"It's the wood, dummy!"

"It's the wood, dummy!"

Repeat after me:

"It's the wood, dummy!"

Boy, I sure wanted to do just that yesterday as my spouse continues to insist that " sumptins' wrong with that stove"....gotta get a moisture meter!

is you avatar your own stove, a hearth install? do you have an insulated block off plate? wondering because we don't and I want to know if you feel it matters.

Yes, that's our stove in my avatar. We don't have a metal block off plate, just insulation stuffed in there. This has been a bone of contention with our installers - we wanted it - they wouldn't install the block off plate. We want to extend the hearth bit this next summer and will install the block off plate ourselves at that time. Our chimney is central in our home. The liner is wrapped insulation all the way, top to bottom.

 

[cptoneleg]

Shari; to you( girl power) go girl

 

[oldspark]

Everbody sing it!
Single rows in the wind and sun
Single rows or it wont get done
Single rows will make you happy
Single rows or your wood will be crappy

 

[szmaine]

Everbody sing it!
Single rows in the wind and sun
Single rows or it wont get done
Single rows will make you happy
Single rows or your wood will be crappy

Never heard that...Wicked funny!!

 

[BrowningBAR]

Everbody sing it!
Single rows in the wind and sun
Single rows or it wont get done
Single rows will make you happy
Single rows or your wood will be crappy

I got no choice. Multi-rows or I ain't got the room. 16 cords have to go somewhere, you know.

 

[RNLA]

Me too, I have to go double with a space in between. Covered tops of course.