Using my Wood

[red oak]

This is a post about how much one can benefit from burning drier wood. It is meant for any who may be new here or any lurkers who haven't read the wisdom here already. I thought it would also be interesting to provide some numbers from my experience.

So I bought the house I'm currently in during the early fall of 2000. It had a woodstove and I decided I would try to use it and save on the gas bill. Cutting wood, splitting it, and taking it right inside the house were pretty common in those early days. As you can see in my signature, I have a Fisher Papa Bear, which is not known for its efficiency anyway. So I began stacking my wood and keeping track, and in the first winter I burned about 5.5 cords. Most of that heat went right up the chimney, but I didn't know that back then.

A few years ago I ran into this site and began trying to get ahead. This is the first year that I've burned wood - mostly oak - that's been seasoning for 3 years (although most of what I burned has been seasoning for 2). I also added a baffle to my old Fisher and a damper for the stovepipe. I've gotten to know the stove a bit better too and have stopped firing so hard - I shudder to think what the flue temps were in that first winter.

So with this burning season almost over, my total for this year is just under 3 cords burned. It's amazing to me that with a few simple adjustments and better seasoned wood, one can cut their wood usage almost in half! It certainly makes it easier to keep up the supply, and to get a bit further ahead!

 

[Flatbedford]

You are preaching to the choir! Happy to have another convert out there. I went through similar education from this site.

 

[Defiant]

Life is like a box of chocolates

 

[thinktwicez71]

way to go , it is a lot more enjoyable once u know your wood is dry

 

[fishingpol]

I learned how much better 12% MC was than 25% MC. It is gravy now.

 

[Beer Belly]

I had the same experience early on......have not gotten caught up on getting 3 years ahead yet, but this year I did burn better wood, and next season should be somewhat caught up....I think. Next season I'll be starting with one year split and stacked Ash, and Maple, and once that is gone, I'll be left with a whole lot of 2 1/2 years of split and stacked Oak......not premo, but as close as I've been able to come in all my years of burning (5-6).....may not make it to the Oak stacks, got a lot of that Maple and Ash sitting in all day sun and wind

 

[Backwoods Savage]

This is a post about how much one can benefit from burning drier wood. It is meant for any who may be new here or any lurkers who haven't read the wisdom here already. I thought it would also be interesting to provide some numbers from my experience.

So I bought the house I'm currently in during the early fall of 2000. It had a woodstove and I decided I would try to use it and save on the gas bill. Cutting wood, splitting it, and taking it right inside the house were pretty common in those early days. As you can see in my signature, I have a Fisher Papa Bear, which is not known for its efficiency anyway. So I began stacking my wood and keeping track, and in the first winter I burned about 5.5 cords. Most of that heat went right up the chimney, but I didn't know that back then.

A few years ago I ran into this site and began trying to get ahead. This is the first year that I've burned wood - mostly oak - that's been seasoning for 3 years (although most of what I burned has been seasoning for 2). I also added a baffle to my old Fisher and a damper for the stovepipe. I've gotten to know the stove a bit better too and have stopped firing so hard - I shudder to think what the flue temps were in that first winter.

So with this burning season almost over, my total for this year is just under 3 cords burned. It's amazing to me that with a few simple adjustments and better seasoned wood, one can cut their wood usage almost in half! It certainly makes it easier to keep up the supply, and to get a bit further ahead!

Red oak, this is music to my ears. Sometimes it appears that I may get on some nerves of people by constantly preaching about the dry wood. But when I came onto this forum there really did not seem to be much talk about dry wood and I saw that as the number one problem so I started hammering away and have not let up. The payback is reading posts like yours and knowing we are helping people.

 

[Bster13]

The 2yr old oak, did it light right up or have some trouble? I ask because I may only have enough room for 2yrs worth of wood. Thx.

This is a post about how much one can benefit from burning drier wood. It is meant for any who may be new here or any lurkers who haven't read the wisdom here already. I thought it would also be interesting to provide some numbers from my experience.

So I bought the house I'm currently in during the early fall of 2000. It had a woodstove and I decided I would try to use it and save on the gas bill. Cutting wood, splitting it, and taking it right inside the house were pretty common in those early days. As you can see in my signature, I have a Fisher Papa Bear, which is not known for its efficiency anyway. So I began stacking my wood and keeping track, and in the first winter I burned about 5.5 cords. Most of that heat went right up the chimney, but I didn't know that back then.

A few years ago I ran into this site and began trying to get ahead. This is the first year that I've burned wood - mostly oak - that's been seasoning for 3 years (although most of what I burned has been seasoning for 2). I also added a baffle to my old Fisher and a damper for the stovepipe. I've gotten to know the stove a bit better too and have stopped firing so hard - I shudder to think what the flue temps were in that first winter.

So with this burning season almost over, my total for this year is just under 3 cords burned. It's amazing to me that with a few simple adjustments and better seasoned wood, one can cut their wood usage almost in half! It certainly makes it easier to keep up the supply, and to get a bit further ahead!

 

[westkywood]

The 2yr old oak, did it light right up or have some trouble? I ask because I may only have enough room for 2yrs worth of wood. Thx.

I can tell you I've had to dip into some 2 yr old Black Oak for this shoulder season. It burns just fine, but I'm trying not to use the bigger splits. I want to give the bigger splits another year. I think Oak is fine after 2 yrs if it's in a good location while seasoning. But of course 3 yrs is premo....

 

[TimJ]

and four years is even better

 

[Bster13]

Year after year, on your oak, are you seeing moisture content continually drop or does it level off after some time?

 

[Seasoned Oak]

WHen i cut back the air feed on my stove the stove top temp actually goes up,so more heat from less combustion,less wood consumption.

 

[red oak]

I can tell you I've had to dip into some 2 yr old Black Oak for this shoulder season. It burns just fine, but I'm trying not to use the bigger splits. I want to give the bigger splits another year. I think Oak is fine after 2 yrs if it's in a good location while seasoning. But of course 3 yrs is premo....

Yes my two year old oak burned really good this year but it was already dead when I cut it, and I think that allows it to dry faster. I did still have some moisture coming out the ends when I burned it, but not nearly as much as before!

 

[red oak]

Year after year, on your oak, are you seeing moisture content continually drop or does it level off after some time?

I have read that it will level off after several years, depending on the relative humidity of the area.

 

[red oak]

Red oak, this is music to my ears. Sometimes it appears that I may get on some nerves of people by constantly preaching about the dry wood. But when I came onto this forum there really did not seem to be much talk about dry wood and I saw that as the number one problem so I started hammering away and have not let up. The payback is reading posts like yours and knowing we are helping people.

Well I know the regulars on here know already, but I'm sure some new and non-members may be seeing it for the first time. I've known for years that dry wood is better, but I was very surprised to have my wood use cut almost in half! This is, as I said, with a few minor adjustments to the stove that were extremely cheap and easy. And cutting 3 cords per winter sounds a lot better than cutting 6!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Well I know the regulars on here know already, but I'm sure some new and non-members may be seeing it for the first time. I've known for years that dry wood is better, but I was very surprised to have my wood use cut almost in half! This is, as I said, with a few minor adjustments to the stove that were extremely cheap and easy. And cutting 3 cords per winter sounds a lot better than cutting 6!

I agree. That dropping down to 3 vs 6 is pretty much what we experienced when we put in the Fireview stove. Cutting 3 cord less per year is a big drop in labor.