I'm going to cover this years wood after next sunny spell. Wish I had done it Saturday. I'll move it close to the house in after 10/1
Time to cover wood
- Thread starter johnsopi
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
- Status
kevinlp
New Member
My_3_Girls
Burning Hunk
Without starting the never ending battle, guys, it's only August
I know it's 45 degrees in the morning, but it's supposed to be up to 90 again this weekend. I'll cover in October what I'm going to use in October, and then mid November, cover the rest. Sept/Oct are the best drying months of the year
I know it's 45 degrees in the morning, but it's supposed to be up to 90 again this weekend. I'll cover in October what I'm going to use in October, and then mid November, cover the rest. Sept/Oct are the best drying months of the year
kevinlp
New Member
My initial intent is just to cover the tops to help keep the rain off the pile. Probably in October, I'll then cover the sides.
My_3_Girls said:Without starting the never ending battle, guys, it's only August
No kidding. These folks are living in cyberspace where it's winter all the time. Maybe there are websites where folks get off on painting the house or taking out the garbage. LOL!
I don't look foward to having to start up the stove for the long season of emptying ashes, carrying wood into the house, starting fires, cleaning dust, sweeping chimney, etc. It get's real old when you use it for a primary heat source.
thephotohound
New Member
I sense some serious bitterness!! I hear you, though. The maintenance is a chore, but it's a labor of love. This is mainly why I chose a pellet stove for my second heat source. I think it's a welcome thought (burning) in August/September, but by Jan/Feb, everyone will be dying to overseed, fertilize, plant, etc, etc
I wish I had to think about covering up the wood pile!! Around here we are 20 inches behind for rainfall and have not had a day below 100 deg. in over two weeks. The wood pile is still sitting on pallets roasting in the sun, today is to be 104 deg. and not much relief in sight until the end of next week.
Bob
Bob
My_3_Girls said:Without starting the never ending battle, guys, it's only August
maybe i'm being a little dense, but why are sept/oct the best drying months of the year?
i would have figured june/july/august the best because of the heat.
wg_bent
Minister of Fire
fbelec said:My_3_Girls said:Without starting the never ending battle, guys, it's only August
maybe i'm being a little dense, but why are sept/oct the best drying months of the year?
i would have figured june/july/august the best because of the heat.
Humidity is a lot lower, and sun is still strong, but I'm guessing.
I was just looking at the pile this morning with my tea, and thinking that I need to cover in the next week. I have about 9-10 cords to cover. The rest I'll leave open.
JustWood
Minister of Fire
It's funny this subject came up today. I covered mine last night ( I weigh down old pieces of roof tin and leave the sides open until snow sets in). Always have this time of year cause it's when it starts raining 2 or 3 times a week.Got 3.5 inches Mon. and Tue. Been real dry here until a week ago.
jpl1nh
Minister of Fire
jpl1nh
Minister of Fire
Actually, I think you're right, but there are still many great drying days here in the northeast since we start to experience more of those strong Canadian high pressure areas with much lower dew points.fbelec said:My_3_Girls said:Without starting the never ending battle, guys, it's only August
maybe i'm being a little dense, but why are sept/oct the best drying months of the year?
i would have figured june/july/august the best because of the heat.
Gooserider
Mod Emeritus
My wood goes into the sheds pretty much as soon as it's split, but I leave the sides open until snow is forecast - as long as the humidity is below the dew point you will get some drying, and the more difference the better. The drier air in the fall makes for good drying (fortuneately as I'm way behind on my splitting, still have about 1-2 cords to go for my desired 7 cord supply - but hopefully won't be getting into the stuff I'm splitting now until Feb or March...)
Gooserider
Gooserider
JustWood
Minister of Fire
Gooserider
Mod Emeritus
BrotherBart said:
The dew point is essentially when the moisture in the air is saturating it to the point where it can't hold any more (and thus the moisture starts to condense out) - since it can't hold more moisture you don't get any drying effect. (the amount of moisture evaporated is the same as what is condensed...) The dew point is a function of the temperature, and the amount of moisture in the air - The warmer the air to begin with, the more moisture it can hold, thus the higher the dew point.
If the moisture in the air is less than the dew point, then you will get evaporation occurring, and therefore drying.
Not the way it's always explained in the science books, but it's a useful way to look at it.
Gooserider
hardwood715
Feeling the Heat
I was anticipating covering soon also, however I can sure say this for a fact,,, Last year I kept the piles covered on top with tarps all year, this year no covers all of spring and summer, what a difference!! I will have much more seasoned wood this year! As I am watching TWC, 86 today, and 90 tomarrow, I'll wait a while to cover the tops, BTW, my friend took off a ridged fiberglass roof from his screened in porch, the panels are long and ridged, anyone ever use em for top covers, seems they wouldnt blow around like the tarps, I got em from him.
ChrisN
Feeling the Heat
I keep mine uncovered all year round. during the burning season I have a small tarp I throw over about a weeks worth of the stack at a time so if it snows I don't have to worry about knocking snow off before bringing it into the house. I generally have my wood stacked and drying by mid spring, and by early to mid November, when I start to burn in earnest, it seems to burn just fine. Of course I do burn the oldest wood first, so in actuallity the wood is probably about 1 year old when it is put into the stove.
Gooserider said:
The question Goose is how can the moisture in the air ever be less than the dew point since dew point is the measurement of the amount of moisture in the air? What measurement of "the moisture in the air" are you using to determine that the moisture in the air is less than the dew point?
Actually if the temperature of the air is higher than the dew point then evaporation is occurring. The differential between the ambient temperature and the dew point would indicate how rapidly evaporation occurs.
Not arguing, just trying to understand.
Gooserider
Mod Emeritus
hardwood715 said:
I don't know if they'd make a good cover by themselves, but they DO make an excellent roof for a woodshed. Since they are self supporting, any of those corrugated materials make a good low budget roof since you don't need to worry about putting down any kind of decking. They also let light through so you can see what you are doing while stacking, and MAY give you some solar gain.
My primary woodshed is a nominal 8' x 16', open on the sides, about 6' high on the low side and 7' on the high side, cost me about $500, using almost all new materials, including the plastic roofing - a plywood and shingled roof probably would have cost me closer to $800
Gooserider
Gooserider
Mod Emeritus
BrotherBart said:
You seem to understand, just be looking at it from a different perspective - you are looking at temperature with respect to the changing dew point. I'm looking at the absolute humidity and noting that you basically ALWAYS have either evaporation OR condensing going on. Actually both are always happening, it's the relative balance between the two. To me, the dew point represents the balance point where condensation exceeds evaporation, and varies with temperature, and to a lesser extent, atmospheric pressure. If the humidity is less than the dew point you get evaporation, if it's greater you get condensation, aka dew or frost.
Gooserider
- Status
