In the winter of 2010-2011 I bought a cord of wood in the late summer and it was at about 25% MC on a fresh split. It burned ok that winter, but of course not ideal. My lesson was learned after reading so many posts (especially Dennis) that winter to get ahead. I had my neighbor, who has a small job tree service bring a cord last spring. It was at 12-15% MC at the start of this winter. This wood was stored under my porch all summer with east and south exposure, open slats around the underside of the porch. I bought a second partially seasoned cord to get ahead for next winter and that is stored in a stack behind the house. I burn just about a cord each year, and not a lot of room to put it.
Fast forward to these past few days and I was just making a fire in the morning to take the chill off, and my wife would run it to lunchtime and let it go out. Today, she used up the morning bucket of wood and we had a north and easterly wind that dropped the temps from yesterday. I told her to try the wood from behind the house so she would not have to go under the porch and climb around to get to the pile which is now at the furthest end of the porch. She noticed that the stove had to be run with the primary 1/2 open all day and it did not catch as well on reloads. I split a piece tonight and it measured 22% on the fresh face.
So, there is no doubt to try to get ahead at least a year. It takes away the guesswork whether the wood is ready or not. The stove runs with very little effort at 12% MC, reloads are effortless, and cruising temps of 500* are no problem. 10% really makes a difference, especially on the low end of the scale.
Fast forward to these past few days and I was just making a fire in the morning to take the chill off, and my wife would run it to lunchtime and let it go out. Today, she used up the morning bucket of wood and we had a north and easterly wind that dropped the temps from yesterday. I told her to try the wood from behind the house so she would not have to go under the porch and climb around to get to the pile which is now at the furthest end of the porch. She noticed that the stove had to be run with the primary 1/2 open all day and it did not catch as well on reloads. I split a piece tonight and it measured 22% on the fresh face.
So, there is no doubt to try to get ahead at least a year. It takes away the guesswork whether the wood is ready or not. The stove runs with very little effort at 12% MC, reloads are effortless, and cruising temps of 500* are no problem. 10% really makes a difference, especially on the low end of the scale.