Wet oak this winter for me but I use a Non Epa convection stove

[NovaBigstar]

Hi all new to this forum and joined because of concern about how I will fair this winter. I usually have wood split and stacked in early spring and for the last many years was lucky enough to be able to choose from a maintenance yard I had access to and was burning black cherry , poplar and maple which dried out pretty well by the time I start burning in late Novemember it seemed.

This year due to a shoulder injury and the maintenance yard I had access to ceasing to store wood there I got a big wrench in my firewood plans and as a result got a very slow start getting my stack together. I managed to get a dead standing red oak delivered to me in late June and then a green white oak delivered in the first week of August. Both trees were definitely wet on the split wood side of each piece but I was surprised that I wasn't ever seeing huge amounts of water seep out as the wedges went in. I know oak takes forever to season which is why I'm here. I split all the pieces pretty thin and have them stacked criss cross. I use an old convection insert Big Buck Stove .. like one of the first model from the 70's. Through the years I have burned SOME wet wood mixed in but never had to do ALMOST ALL unseasoned stack like this. You think this stuff will even burn? I clack it together and well lol.. it is a thud sound and the bark is clinging onto the pieces tight as can be... I know it is unseasoned. The red oak from June is turning color finally and checking a bit but this white oak is totally pale... both are still unseasoned I know sigh. I basically am getting between 3 to 5 months dry time by the time this burning season begins. I'd love to hear if you think I have a chance. I can update this thread too as the winter progresses. It will be at least an interesting experiment to see how I fair with possibly chillingly annoying results lol sigh.... I'm pretty anxious hence my post.

 

[DAKSY]

Get yourself a moisture meter & verify what the water content is before you burn.
Make sure you watch your chimney for creosote build-up. because wet wood will
not burn as completely and you WILL have to clean it more often.
Mix your wet wood with some dry stuff for better results...

 

[WoodyIsGoody]

It will be at least an interesting experiment to see how I fair with possibly chillingly annoying results lol sigh.... I'm pretty anxious hence my post.

Unseasoned wood was considered unsuitable for home heating by those with experience long before EPA stoves were even available. A dedicated person can make it burn but it's so far from ideal (in terms of heat output and enjoyment of the process) that I suggest you measure the moisture content and keep looking for some dry wood if yours isn't. Save what you have for next year when it will likely be coming into it's prime (since you split it thin).

 

[blacktail]

Buy compressed logs and mix them. I'd try to save the wood for next season.

 

[pernox]

Can you find a source of pallets? Mixing in some very dry wood with your wet wood will undoubtedly help. I've read of many people stacking a few days' wood around the stove prior to burning to drive out some of the moisture, also. Strongly agree on cleaning the chimney often during burning season of you're going to burn this wood.

I run an owb and burn my share of wet wood, though I am trying to get ahead so I won't have to. I usually have several chimney fires every year. No big deal in my case, potentially deadly in yours. Clean that chimney!

 

[WoodyIsGoody]

Mixing in some very dry wood with your wet wood will undoubtedly help.

Mixing dry wood with wet helps, of course, but the wood is still wet and unseasoned. This will limit peak output considerably and will also limit your ability to turn the stove to low and get a reasonably long burn without making a real mess out of your chimney and reducing safety. Adding dry wood to wet is like throwing good money after bad! The only cure for wet wood is additional seasoning time.

 

[NovaBigstar]

Thanks for the replies so far y'all. I have a metal liner that was inserted into the old brick chimney and have my own brushes so will definitely give it a clean before fire season and guess it looks like I will have to again mid winter. The insert pipe is round which seems to cut down on creosote at least when I was burning 8 month cured cherry, poplar and maple. It never really seemed to gunk up that much but the advice to keep an eye on it is well taken with what I'm facing with the oak.

I have about a cord of last years wood left to mix in to start the winter off but know it will never be enough to get me through the whole winter. I guess they call my type stove a "smoke dragon".. this thing uses so much wood it is unreal compared to my friends epa stove that reburns wood gases. Honestly the one glimmer of hope I'm holding onto is the fact this stove is NOT an EPA model because I know for a fact if I did have one I'd have a snowballs chance in hell of getting this wet oak to burn. Still I never have been in this situation before with so much unseasoned wood. I wish I could have found some cherry but beggers can't be choosers and the oak was all I had luck being able to get. My plan I guess will be to mix the little seasoned wood I have heavily into my fires early and hope by January the white oak will have dried out enough to be burnable. From January on is what I'm most concerned about. I have about 5 cords that is totally unseasoned right now.....I usually need close to 5 plus cords a winter which is an insane amount I know.

As far as buying compressed logs.. that is an option too but honestly.. I hate paying for wood fuel heh.. I do this to NOT spend money on heat but if the fire won't stay lit then I may very well have to do something like that or buy a cord of kiln dried to keep mixing into the firebox. After all the work I've done to get this wood processed I'd really like to utilize it this winter and also have no real room for more wood in my yard. My wood bin is topped off and I live on a really small lot of land. I know I have an uphill battle I'm facing this winter. It's just how bad of a fight it is going to be that has be anxious.

One way or another I will post my results as winter progresses. I know oak takes time to season but I read some people saying three years season time for oak....... That seems EXTREMELY too long to me. 8-10 months I know the stuff burns and I've done that before.. but 3-5 months is uncharted water for me.. this is definitely pushing it ....ug........It will be interesting to see what happens.

 

[Rickb]

One other thing to consider. If there is any new construction in your area you might be able to get pine 2x4, 2x6 scraps. I know in my area I could get truck loads if I wanted to take the time to get them. You could mix that in as well to help stuff burn. I just go down the street where they are building a neighborhood and grab any of the small cut pieces they will throw away.


Also as far as seasoning time. I can tell you from experience 12 month old oak burns like crap compared to 24-36 month old oak. Now cherry, and silver maple burn great after 12 months.

 

[Tar12]

IMO...you have no choice but to scrounge construction lumber as suggested to mix. There is no way I would burn that wood this year its way to wet and I wouldn't wait till mid winter to clean the pipes either...creosote builds fast with wood that wet. check to see if there is a saw mill in your area for a load of slab wood or check to see if there is a pallet manufacture in your area for cut offs...and get ahead for next year! lol