Warm weather burning habits

[ctreitzell]

Lower btu wood like cherry is good for days like this.

I use chestnut for lower heat warmth...and sometimes poplar...because I have it
and they adversely affect hotter burns.
It sounds like it's a bit cooler in your locale.
Cherry would be fine as a typical "hardwood" going in my stove, I just don't have any right now.

I have a couple big cherry trees on my property and quite a few saplings and suckers,
but so much more hazel and holly...
and a species I've so far not been able to identify, my tree guy said they are an oak,
but the leaves, spur clusters, grain and burn look much more like this red elm I have.
Sadly the beetles are killing them all, and the elm was killed years ago...going into the fireplace now.

I'll have to post here and see if anyone can help identify them

 

[ctreitzell]

I have found to just feed the stove a piece or 2 at a time is what my house needs....I don't really enjoy doing cold starts often.

I can only add a 1 - 3 splits at a time in my Panadero; wish I had a bigger firebox.

Cold starts are very time consuming and eat a lot of starter fuel with my bad flue install; I have a lot of poplar, small, super dry apple and holly twigs and elm is how I cold start then hazel before the bigger stuff (I never, ever use paper or firelighters).

 

[ctreitzell]

Lots more use of the mini split is what these rising temps mean for me. Electric rates from Central Maine Power will be dropping 35% in 2024, making it more attractive. Still, when it’s not real cold I am sometimes firing up the stove just for extra comfort or maybe to bake. It’s easy to start and run a small fire.

WOW! Here in France the elec rates skyrocketed 15% last year due to warring issues. It would have been higher but the gov't has capped the rise. Nevertheless, that increase is a crippling blow to many households who run everything on elec. Gas/Oil is no better. On my property, I have lots of firewood in varying states of seasoning, curing and decay...and much more to cut and collect...a better VFM I do not have access to...and the energy efficiency of my stone building is quite poor, too...now if I can find the funds to install a better chimney :-/

 

[Dieselhead]

As many have said, it's been warmer than usual so I only burn if <35 outside. If it's sunny may not even reload as the house is 72ish. Also I'm using up some marginal wood (poplar, uglies, etc) as others have mentioned.
Question for CAT ownwers....if you're letting the fire go out and you're engaged the CAT, do you disengage the CAT at some point when the stove cools? My stove has a CAT probe so I engage at >600 and sometimes disengage @ 300 - 400.

I haven’t ever disengaged my cat unless it’s time to open the door. I’ll let it ride right down to cold. No harm in that.

 

[NHWS]

Currently 60 dF here. Raining, of course. NOAA predicts an overnight low of 45, with somewhat lower temps coming over the next few days.

Daffodils are beginning to show above ground.

 

[NHWS]

Question for CAT ownwers....if you're letting the fire go out and you're engaged the CAT, do you disengage the CAT at some point when the stove cools? My stove has a CAT probe so I engage at >600 and sometimes disengage @ 300 - 400.

The consensus opinion seems to be that there is no need to disengage the cat as the fire burns out.

 

[begreen]

Our cat disengages itself after the fire has died down. He usually seeks a warm lap after that.

 

[ctreitzell]

Our cat disengages itself after the fire has died down. He usually seeks a warm lap after that.

I often find her pressed up against the stove once the heat is gone

 

[Wisco Shepherd]

We are a new build so pretty well insulated. One quick hot fire in the morning so we can relax and drink coffee. House stays in the 70s and slowly falls to 60 or so until I get home from work then one more small fire. Burning these guys hot and short to keep things clean.