A few questions from a newbie

[FDNY L54]

Hello guys, been reading through the forum for a few days and this site is great, thanks to whoever runs it.
I have started burning this winter with a VC Merrimack, and I was hoping for a little help. I feel like the stove isn't heating my house as well as expected, or as well as some on the forum are heating their houses. I read through the Merrimack thread and got some good info, but Im still wondering if there is something wrong. I live in a 2600 square ft house with two floors. I am able to shut a door at the top of my stairs, making the area that I am trying to heat roughly 1500 square ft. I am using maple and oak that has been cut into rounds for over a year, but not seasoned fully because I have been splitting and burning it right away. the fire gets going real good though with a little work and I get a nice full bright orange inferno going with no problem.
I have found that I cant get the temperature above 70 degrees whenever the temps are below freezing. I was wondering how to figure out if it is that the stove isn't working right, or if my house is just that poorly insulated.
Im packing the box once at 9pm again at 12 am again around 5 and 8am, I need to do this because the red hot coals without actual flames roaring don't keep it warm enough. how do I know if the stove is working properly?
thanks in advance for your help.

 

[mark cline]

Seems that your wood is your problem. Oak takes at least 2 yrs after its split to season to less than 20% , maple about 1 year split. If you get a moisture meter and check the freshly split face , you'll see that your wood is more than 20% moisture. Dry seasoned wood will give you 3x the BTU output compared to marginal wood. See if you can get a few stove loads of good dry wood and you'll see the difference.

 

[FDNY L54]

I do have a stash of well seasoned wood that I use to start fires, and did use that exclusively for one day and did see a little difference, but not a huge one.I do need to get a moisture reader. Is there a thermometer That can be put somewhere on the merrimack that will show me where Im at?

 

[FDNY L54]

I really just want to be 100% sure that the problem is my wood, and not the stove. Again, any advice is appreciated.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Hello guys, been reading through the forum for a few days and this site is great, thanks to whoever runs it.
I have started burning this winter with a VC Merrimack, and I was hoping for a little help. I feel like the stove isn't heating my house as well as expected, or as well as some on the forum are heating their houses. I read through the Merrimack thread and got some good info, but Im still wondering if there is something wrong. I live in a 2600 square ft house with two floors. I am able to shut a door at the top of my stairs, making the area that I am trying to heat roughly 1500 square ft. I am using maple and oak that has been cut into rounds for over a year, but not seasoned fully because I have been splitting and burning it right away. the fire gets going real good though with a little work and I get a nice full bright orange inferno going with no problem.
I have found that I cant get the temperature above 70 degrees whenever the temps are below freezing. I was wondering how to figure out if it is that the stove isn't working right, or if my house is just that poorly insulated.
Im packing the box once at 9pm again at 12 am again around 5 and 8am, I need to do this because the red hot coals without actual flames roaring don't keep it warm enough. how do I know if the stove is working properly?
thanks in advance for your help.

Welcome to the forum FDNY L54

That highlighted sentence in red above really tells the story. You will be amazed at the difference if you ever get some really good firewood. Doing that maple is bad enough but then thinking about that oak is a nightmare.

Basically, wood will not dry until it has been split and stacked outdoors, preferably in a windy spot. Maple, that is, hard maple wants a year after being split and stacked to dry enough. Oak we find needs 3 years. Some burn it after 2 years but that extra year will amaze you how much better it will burn and heat your home. Simply put, oak gives up its moisture very reluctantly but is still one of the best firewoods. Time is the problem and that is why I always recommend getting 3 years ahead on the wood piles. The benefits are amazing and non-taxable.

Good luck.

 

[FDNY L54]

Ok, so obviously I need better wood, Im just going to make due for this winter.
But I spent 45 bucks on wood from the supermarket, and burned that today. Was it warmer ? Yes, a little, but shouldnt a big stove like a merrimack be able to heat up 1200 sqare feet above 70 degrees? I hear stories of people needing to crack the windows in mid winter with their stoves on, and I did not get those results even with the well seasoned wood. How hard should my blower be pushing the air out of the vent. Even on high, I barely feel it pushing out. Its not pushing as hard as an air conditioner does . Is this normal?
Thanks again

 

[thelordjim]

I just got a Merrimack and I am having the same problems. The guy I get my wood from swears that it is seasoned yet when I talk t my installer he says it is not.

Also, there is no air flow even on hi. Is this normal?????

 

[DLPDLP]

Wet wood will often hiss and you can use a flashlight to actually look at the end of a Neely placed log and sometimes see water bubbling out. Until all this water is gone you cannot get to a proper burn temp plus you are creating more creosote which blocks pipe venting and is a real fire hazard. Don't burn wet wood! I say that as I burn one year old oak which occasionally has some moisture in it. But try to avoid it. And the longer you cut you logs the longer they need to dry. I don't go three years but usually two for oak. That would be red oak and white oak takes a bit longer. I don't have maple to burn on my property anymore. I removed them as they are invasive and bad for oak and hickory populations. A moisture tester will tell you exactly where your wood is. Needs to be below 15% but 8-10 is better. My 7 year old 4300 non-electric non auto burn stove keeps my 3200 feet at 71 upstairs when it is now 7 outside. I placed a large air return above and four feet in front of the glass. So all that heat goes right into the central air vents and I run the central heat fan with heat off or set to hold at 65. The electric heat rarely kicks on unless it is about zero outside or we fail to keep the fire fed. Enjoy. Quadrafire stoves are excellent!

 

[Joseymack]

Just rehashing, anybody have any luck with the weak heat output from the Merrimack fan? Is it possible something can get damaged? My Mrrimack does not kick out heat like I have seen from smaller units. Just weak output.... What gives?

 

[Jags]

Josey - this is another old thread with members that are long gone. Post up a new thread with a title including Merrimack and low heat output. A bunch of good folks will help you along. Gonna close this one up.