Mix of seasoned and unseasoned-bad?

[graycatman]

I'm running short of seasoned wood, so I picked up some newly split white ash. The ash was cut standing dead, so it's not seasoned, but not exactly green (I don't have a MM). I've had a few fires mixing the ash with seasoned wood. Of course not the most efficient fires, but I'm still getting good stovetop temps and the flue runs at 600-700 internal. So hot fires, but with some unseasoned wood in the mix. Does this present a higher risk of gunking up my stack?

 

[lopiliberty]

I have been mixing oak that was split in october with my dry oak, ash, and locust and so far my flue is spotless. My stovetop temps run anywhere from 600 to 750.
External flue temps anywhere from 300 to 500 degrees I usually bring the october split oak in by the stove for a day or so before I even think of putting it in the stove.
Also when mixing my wood with october split oak I have to leave the air open just a little bit more.

 

[Hogwildz]

I'm running short of seasoned wood, so I picked up some newly split white ash. The ash was cut standing dead, so it's not seasoned, but not exactly green (I don't have a MM). I've had a few fires mixing the ash with seasoned wood. Of course not the most efficient fires, but I'm still getting good stovetop temps and the flue runs at 600-700 internal. So hot fires, but with some unseasoned wood in the mix. Does this present a higher risk of gunking up my stack?

Yes, moisture = crap in the stack. When I have less than desirable wood, I fill LARGE totes in the room the insert is in, they dry fast. I kept about 1/2 cord or more in that room in 5 totes, two stacked real high against the brick wall, when one empties go on to the next and refill the empty. You'll be surprised at how fast it dries, and it also gives off humidity to fight the dryness throughout the house.

 

[begreen]

Keep an eye on the flue and check it at least monthly. It may be ok. Ash is the wood to burn if less than perfectly seasoned.

 

[Adabiviak]

If you have enough seasoned wood to get the stove to a strong operating temperature, it should be able to handle your unseasoned wood without too much fuss. The unseasoned wood will be a bit more of a heat sink than seasoned wood as it sweats out that moisture. If you start at the low end of your operating temperature, this could push it into smoulders. As was mentioned above, this moisture will contribute to buildup in the stack (mostly by cooling it which lends itself to letting actual particulate matter condense within the stack, but I'm not positive about that).

As long as you have enough heat energy banked in the fire to cook the moisture out of the wood without letting the fireplace get below operating temperature, the unseasoned wood should begin producing its own clean heat.

 

[jrcurto]

White Ash, especially standing dead, bark peels off easily. If you have time, peel the bark and split to 4". Stack neatly indoors, near the stove room if possible. Its surreal how quickly it dries in a week, down to 15%, even after 30 days outside in winter sun/wind top covered. But even green Ash split and burned with dry wood converts into high BTU's, just brush the chimney to see whats going on. I love to split White Ash with the Fiskars, Its a breeze. Also, the debarked wood looks so good stacked in the house, I have a few crosshatched towers in high vis areas just to annoy the neighbors!

Jim

 

[Backwoods Savage]

White Ash, especially standing dead, bark peels off easily. If you have time, peel the bark and split to 4". Stack neatly indoors, near the stove room if possible. Its surreal how quickly it dries in a week, down to 15%, even after 30 days outside in winter sun/wind top covered. But even green Ash split and burned with dry wood converts into high BTU's, just brush the chimney to see whats going on. I love to split White Ash with the Fiskars, Its a breeze. Also, the debarked wood looks so good stacked in the house, I have a few crosshatched towers in high vis areas just to annoy the neighbors!

Jim

Jim, that may or may not be true about the bark. We've cut many, many cord of dead ash and are still cutting. Did a bunch this week. We had the bark come off from only 2 of the trees we cut this week. Yet two years ago most of the bark came off of 6 cord that we cut that year. Last year, hardly any bark fell off.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I'm running short of seasoned wood, so I picked up some newly split white ash. The ash was cut standing dead, so it's not seasoned, but not exactly green (I don't have a MM). I've had a few fires mixing the ash with seasoned wood. Of course not the most efficient fires, but I'm still getting good stovetop temps and the flue runs at 600-700 internal. So hot fires, but with some unseasoned wood in the mix. Does this present a higher risk of gunking up my stack?

Not properly dried always takes the chance of gunking up the chimney. If you do this, I would highly recommend getting a good fire going with the dry wood. Perhaps half of a load. Then when that is going nicely add the new wood. The hot fire will help to evaporate the moisture faster and therefore hopefully taking away a potential problem.

fwiw, one year we burned all white ash freshly cut and it was not dead standing! It was an awful year for sure. We did not freeze but were not comfortable and had to clean our chimney about 6 times that winter. What a relief for Spring to come that year! lol

However you do this, keep a close eye on the chimney and clean as necessary.