Newbie wood ? - Is it unseasoned?

[adel9]

I'm the proud owner of a new Lopi Revere with a wood question. We've had the stove for 2 weeks and were burning firewood leftover from last year's stack. It burned GREAT! Well, we went through that pretty fast (only 1/4 or so of a cord) and I just got a delivery of stove wood from a very reputable place here on Long Island. I don't even want to admit what I paid for a cord of wood delivered and stacked because it's just outrageous (*ahem cough cough* $358!) but I figured you get what you pay for.

Anyway, the wood passed all the tests. It's dark and grayish on the ends, has some hairline cracks (not a lot, though) and makes the sound of a bat hitting a baseball when you bang them together. It does not froth or hiss while burning. But, it's not burning nearly as well as last year's wood. At first I thought I had suddenly developed a draft problem as the wood is not as easy to start or as easy to keep nicely flaming. I found I had to crack the door for awhile to get good flames going. If I don't the flames die down and the wood smolders. I also find I have to burn the wood North-South as laying the wood East-West leads to a lot of smoke and smoldering. I also need to leave both controls (the air control and the bypass) wide open or I can't get a roaring blaze going. Come to think of it, since I got the wood 2 days ago, I haven't been able to get a real roaring blaze going. This did not happen with last year's wood. With last year's wood I got a good blaze, I was able to push in the bypass pretty soon and I would usually burn with the air control half open after it got going. My glass has been staying clear except when I did an overnight burn Fri. night with the bypass in and the air control turned all the way down. The next morning the glass was pretty dirty and I was unable to get a hot enough fire going yesterday to clean it (it cleaned some of it but not all). This also didn't happen with last years wood - then, if I got dirty glass I was easily able to burn a hot enough fire the following day to clean it.

To check if this was all in my imagination, I just threw in a couple of pieces of last year's wood that I had leftover. They caught almost immediately and flamed well. They are still flaming and doing much better than the new wood. The new wood flames, just not so great. So, am I basically screwed for this year? Is it even worth using the stove at all? I'd hate to stop using it now. Here's a picture of it:

 

[Hogwildz]

You can burn it, but as you see it will not perform as well as real dry wood. Try getting a good hot fire going, then add a couple splits at a time. Not many options with wet wood. Sounds to me like its semi ready, but not quite there. You pretty much answered your question on if its ready to burn. Now you have to decide if you can wait till next year, or make do with what you have. If you do burn it this year. Keep an eye on your cap as it will get crud on it sooner than if the wood was really dry.
I burned wood as you describe last year. Had to clean cap mid way through the season and again in spring. Could have used it once more in between.

 

[jqgs214]

You can find wood ALOT cheaper than that on Long Island. Use Craigs List many are selling cords for under $200.00.

 

[jqgs214]

Also, what type of wood was last years and what type did you buy?

 

[adel9]

Thanks for the quick replies. I think I'm going to forego overnight burns until next year and I'll follow your advice of adding a couple of splits at a time. That does seem to work the best with this wood. Just bummed about it I guess. I had planned on having a sweep come in about 6 weeks to inspect. I guess I'll have to have it cleaned more this year. Right about now my husband's saying this whole endeavor is costing WAY more than the natural gas furnace. Oh well.

Also, re: wood cost on Long Island. We did that last year on Craig's List. I got gorgeous wood - really beautiful pieces. But the wood wasn't seasoned either. In fact, it was way worse than this year's wood. That wood hissed and frothed. Last year it sucked, but once that wood sat for the year it was awesome. I plan on getting wood soon from Craig's List to save for use next year.

 

[adel9]

Also, what type of wood was last years and what type did you buy?

Hmm, I'm not sure of types. There were a number of different hardwoods, we were told. Cherry, oak, etc. The wood really looked gorgeous. Wasn't ready last year. This year it rocked. I think it came from some guy that had a tree service.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Coming from a tree service it is difficult to tell but you can get something different each time.

You definitely have the right idea in buying your wood this year and stacking it until next year. Once it is stacked, for sure leave it uncovered next summer to promote evaporation. Cover it before the fall rains begin. Begin burning that wood next winter.

 

[begreen]

This is pretty common at this time of year. It's rare to get nicely seasoned wood delivered in winter. But for the premium price you paid, I would have them take the wood back. You have every right to expect dry wood for that price. It's the highest I've heard of.

FWIW, I advise having a moisture meter on hand when the wood is delivered. Before the truck is unloaded, take a couple of good thick splits and split them again in half. Then do a moisture reading. If it's high, refuse the load or negotiate the price down to a much more fair level.

 

[Tone]

Much of the firewood sold here on LI is oak which is slow to dry. The most seasoned you'll get is 1 yr. I don't know anyone selling wood that keeps it covered so buying it now it may be wet from rain too. Try drying some out inside for a few days. Best wood I've found is $180 for 18"x4'x4'x16' mostly red oak dried 1yr on single row racks. 460-500 splits. That's delivered not stacked. Average price around here is $175 per "chord" delivered. Most of it is seasoned 1yr at best in one big pile which is not really seasoned underneath the outside of the pile.

 

[glassmanjpf]

Tone, well said!
Cord price here in western Suffolk is $175 average and your hoping it will burn good. I would call that guy who way overchaged for the wood and tell him to come pick it up and take it back. You may have to eat the cost for the stacking though.

 

[stick burner]

Not only does it sound like the wood you bought this year is a little less seasoned, but is a different kind of wood. Hardwood will catch and burn a a lot slower than a softwood. Especially during the beginning stages.

Stickburner

 

[jpl1nh]

One other option might be to split it into smaller pieces and try burning it that way. If that works, you might use a couple of larger splits in back east west and then smaller splits stacked loosely towards the front for your overnight burns. And yes like everyone else says, take control of your own seasoning by buying a couple of years ahead. That way you know for sure what you have.

 

[Hogwildz]

One thing I did last year was to stand up several pcs in front of the insert. It will help dry them out a lil bit. When one load is burning, the next is kind of drying. Not a cure, but helps. Just be around to keep an eye on it.