Apparently all my firewood is over 30% MC - Safe to burn?

[Lantheaume]

Greetings!

Apologies for the novice question, but I'm in a bit of a pickle.

I'm new here, new to wood stoves and new to buying firewood. I've tried to look through the forum for some answers first but didn't see any clear answers so wanted to post in case there's danger I'm putting my home and family in by burning the wood I'm burning.

A few things:

• Just bought a house this summer with an Avalon Olympic stove. The stove sold the house for us and we were very excited to use it. The stove was installed two years ago so it's relatively new.
• Bought 4 cord of "partially seasoned" firewood that was delivered in August and September. It was all stacked by October (lots to do with a new home). The first cord and a half was stacked by September 5th.
• I knew it was a late start for firewood, but had no real other option. Bought 4 cord b/c the previous owners said they heated the entire house with the stove and they used 4 cord last year.
• Bought a meter to test the wood (DR. Meter MD812) once I learned more about wood moisture. Originally I was testing the ends of the spit wood (it was mid 30s) until I learned that it's not a true reading - I've started to test after splitting and check the heart of the wood.
• Since I had the first stack of firewood stacked by Sept, and I was planning on start burning around now, I was (naively) hoping we'd be in the marginally safe realm of low twenties by the time the winter hit.

I've done a few burns in the stove on cool days - mostly for atmosphere and to get used to it, but nothing really cranking. I did notice on the last one that I just couldn't get the fire to stay going. I'd get a good start, but it'd always end up dark and not providing much heat. It'd be really smoky when I'd open the door to adjust or add more wood. (I'm used to fireplaces for atmosphere and just adding another log as I felt it needed it - I'm learning that's not the way with a wood stove..)
Anyway - we're heading into the teens overnight here in Downeast Maine in the next few days so was prepping to really take her out for spin and tried using only smaller logs (3-5" on ends) and that burned much better. When I went out to split some of the bigger logs into smaller ones I remembered that trusty moisture meter and figured I'd see how my wood piles were doing.

You all know where this is headed - the reason the wood wasn't burning is because it's moisture content is way high. One log I spit was 48%. I checked multiple other logs and the lowest I got was 32%. I figured a large log from the last pile we stacked would be high, but the oldest set is still only at 30%.

I'm still waiting for the chimney sweep to give us a cleaning for the season - he's been booked out. The chimney is stainless steel and towers over the two story house so it's not really something I'm comfortable getting up there and doing myself.

So now's the question - what's safe?

Don't really have an understanding on how to manage what I have. We have propane heat for the house so we can get through if we need to not burn - but it'd really like to use the stove (and the wood I bought) as much as I can.

I saw lots of threads about wood in the 20s, but couldn't find much for higher.

Please help?

Thank you!

 

[showrguy]

Greetings!

Apologies for the novice question, but I'm in a bit of a pickle.

I'm new here, new to wood stoves and new to buying firewood. I've tried to look through the forum for some answers first but didn't see any clear answers so wanted to post in case there's danger I'm putting my home and family in by burning the wood I'm burning.

A few things:

• Just bought a house this summer with an Avalon Olympic stove. The stove sold the house for us and we were very excited to use it. The stove was installed two years ago so it's relatively new.
• Bought 4 cord of "partially seasoned" firewood that was delivered in August and September. It was all stacked by October (lots to do with a new home). The first cord and a half was stacked by September 5th.
• I knew it was a late start for firewood, but had no real other option. Bought 4 cord b/c the previous owners said they heated the entire house with the stove and they used 4 cord last year.
• Bought a meter to test the wood (DR. Meter MD812) once I learned more about wood moisture. Originally I was testing the ends of the spit wood (it was mid 30s) until I learned that it's not a true reading - I've started to test after splitting and check the heart of the wood.
• Since I had the first stack of firewood stacked by Sept, and I was planning on start burning around now, I was (naively) hoping we'd be in the marginally safe realm of low twenties by the time the winter hit.

I've done a few burns in the stove on cool days - mostly for atmosphere and to get used to it, but nothing really cranking. I did notice on the last one that I just couldn't get the fire to stay going. I'd get a good start, but it'd always end up dark and not providing much heat. It'd be really smoky when I'd open the door to adjust or add more wood. (I'm used to fireplaces for atmosphere and just adding another log as I felt it needed it - I'm learning that's not the way with a wood stove..)
Anyway - we're heading into the teens overnight here in Downeast Maine in the next few days so was prepping to really take her out for spin and tried using only smaller logs (3-5" on ends) and that burned much better. When I went out to split some of the bigger logs into smaller ones I remembered that trusty moisture meter and figured I'd see how my wood piles were doing.

You all know where this is headed - the reason the wood wasn't burning is because it's moisture content is way high. One log I spit was 48%. I checked multiple other logs and the lowest I got was 32%. I figured a large log from the last pile we stacked would be high, but the oldest set is still only at 30%.

I'm still waiting for the chimney sweep to give us a cleaning for the season - he's been booked out. The chimney is stainless steel and towers over the two story house so it's not really something I'm comfortable getting up there and doing myself.

So now's the question - what's safe?

Don't really have an understanding on how to manage what I have. We have propane heat for the house so we can get through if we need to not burn - but it'd really like to use the stove (and the wood I bought) as much as I can.

I saw lots of threads about wood in the 20s, but couldn't find much for higher.

Please help?

Thank you!

Can you burn it ? Yes, but you’ll be wasting a TON of btu’s.. and require several cleanings throughout the winter..
Should you burn it ? No... top cover and save it for next year..

Also, your wood should be at about 70 deg. F when testing m/c..

 

[weatherguy]

Get some bio bricks for this year to burn on the really cold nights, if you can get pallets you can bust them up and burn them too, maybe mix a couple of pieces of your wood per load. Next year should be better for you.

 

[jatoxico]

There are many threads here about getting through the season with wet wood. Mostly it comes down to getting dry scrap and/or pallets to mix in with the wet stuff. Can also buy some compressed bricks. Re-split some of what you have into smaller pieces and feed plenty of air.

In the end it will prob be a struggle. Don't judge the stove based on this years results.

 

[peakbagger]

You have great start for next winter . Not sure if you have any sawmills or wood manufacturers in you area but it may be worth calling to see if anyone sells kiln dried board ends. If you try to burn the green stuff you are effectively throwing away 1/2 your wood up the stack. You didnt list your stove type but newer EPA stove just will not burn green wood well. Lot to be said for biobricks. Get them quick as dealer only stock a given amount when they are out they are usually out for the season.

It pretty much a rite of passage for new woodburners to get burned on partially seasoned wood. The tough part is you need to buy another 4 cords of green next summer after a tough winter so that you get in a two year drying cycle.

 

[MissMac]

Save that wood until it’s <20% on a fresh split at room temp. Think of it as an investment in your future wood burning, and then get a start on your wood for subsequent winters. Use your furnace this winter, or get some biobricks like others have suggested. Trying to burn wet wood will be a waste of the wood, and can lead to creosote issues. Try to stay ahead on your wood, so that it’s seasoned a couple of years on your property so you know it’s actually being seasoned. Once you get your set up and your wood dialed in, you will enjoy the rewards of your forward planning.

 

[ABMax24]

Don't do it.

Start scrounging to see if anyone has dry wood for sale, otherwise pallets, dry lumber cutoffs (not pressure treated), compressed logs. etc.

 

[Woody Stover]

What species wood do you have?
Your better half probably won't let you get away with it upstairs (like I did, with 1/2 cord) in her new house, but get some dead Pine split, stack it in the basement, and turn on the fan. I got small White Ash splits from 25% down to 20 within two weeks.

 

[Sawset]

what's safe?

Moisture content effects your ability to get flue temps up to safe levels and keep them there. If the question were solely "is it safe to burn wet wood", then the answer is yes, with the same requirement as used any other time - is the flue temp up, and kept up where it should be. The problem then becomes, am I willing to tend to the stove enough to make that happen. That would be up to you.
My first year, I had a new stove, similar to you, and some purchased wood (late), and some that had been stored outside in the elements. I made it work. But the work any other time would not have been worth it. It would take me an hour to get to the point where I could leave the stove unattended. Give it air, shut it down, open it back up because the fire is smothered, oh joy. But I was in heaven, new stove. Find your tolerance level and go with it. You can burn wet wood, with flue temps kept high, and end up with a stove and chimney that is just as clean as any other that is run properly.
#2 - get a flue temp gauge. And be diligent about getting it above 250f, preferably higher, pronto. Don't let it linger below that. Once at the coaling stage it's not a concern, but initially, when wood is offgassing, it's thee concern. Creosote can form in minutes. It's easy to avoid that with dry wood. Doable, but tougher to do with wet wood. With 48% wood it may not be doable at all. Get a gauge, monitor it, rest easier.
#3 - if you're finally off cloud 9, and have had enough, pallet wood or other dry source may be the answer. I never got to that point. The second year I was in heaven all over again - dry wood.

 

[Woody Stover]

Lay in a supply of split soft Maple, Cherry or other fast-drying wood for next year..it'll be dry enough by next fall if stacked now. Oak or other dense woods take longer to dry, two or three years split and stacked.

 

[Lantheaume]

Thank you all for your responses!!

This is a wonderful forum.

I guess I’m headed to the hardware store for some biobricks in the AM. Also need to put a call in to the brother-in-law who often gets pallets at work. [emoji51] (He got me some to stack my wood on top of)

I’ll reply more when it’s not almost midnight but wanted to at least say thank you so much for your insights!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Simonkenton]

My stove just won't work with 30 percent wood. Good luck.

 

[Simonkenton]

My stove just won't work with 30 percent wood. Good luck.

 

[Woody Stover]

I’ll reply more when it’s not almost midnight

Soon, you won't care how late it is. We don't sleep any more; We stay up and think about wood.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Soon, you won't care how late it is. We don't sleep any more; We stay up and think about wood.

That's what she said!


Lol




But back to the topic... pallets got me through the first year. I never got the biobricks to burn well, but I seem to be the only one. Lumber yards often have slab wood that's thin and dries fast. It's kind of like a pallet in tree form.


Buy next year's wood now, if you can and have the room. Break the cycle of wet wood!

 

[Sawset]

... pallets got me through the first year

Where I work, it's a part time/full time job getting rid of a mountain of pallets that show up and accumulate. They can be a hassle and time waster. Contact manufacturers and distributors, like box stores, fabricators. I'm sure you will get their attention.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Yeah, it was a pool company that did me the favor.

They had a mountain out back. A sawzall would make quick work of them.

 

[maple1]

A bit uncertain from the original post - it sounds like this wood wasn't split before it was stacked? Is that right?

Some points for the future:

-Wood doesn't start drying much if any at all until it is split. So - buy it, and split it & stack it right away. At least a year before you plan to use it. Or more, depending on species & drying conditions.
-Assume any and all wood you buy is unseasoned. And that it is up to you to get it right for burning.
-Save the wood you have now for next year. Trying to use it this year will be a waste. If it is not split, you need to do that as soon as possible. Or it might be on its' way to rot by next year.
-Good suggestions above about the biobricks and pallet wood.
-Buy more wood ASAP, try to get 2-3 years ahead. You will be more than happy you did so, this time next year and every year after.

 

[Lantheaume]

I owe a longer response to the thread, but...

• The clear consensus is to not burn this wood this year and be happy that I'm prepped a year ahead.
  • Also happy I got the service plan for my propane furnace this winter, I'll be using it a lot.
• Track down pallets, Biobricks, and other dried wood for burning this year.
• Buy my next 4 cord in spring and stack it, split, so it can be ready for winter of 2022.
  • The wood I have stacked now will be for 2021
  • (Pallets will be for 2020 )

There is a ton of useful information in this thread and I have a bunch of thank yous and questions to get back to. I didn't want to let another day go by without responding and thanking everyone again for their advice!

 

[SeanBB]

I owe a longer response to the thread, but...

• The clear consensus is to not burn this wood this year and be happy that I'm prepped a year ahead.
  • Also happy I got the service plan for my propane furnace this winter, I'll be using it a lot.
• Track down pallets, Biobricks, and other dried wood for burning this year.
• Buy my next 4 cord in spring and stack it, split, so it can be ready for winter of 2022.
  • The wood I have stacked now will be for 2021
  • (Pallets will be for 2020 )

There is a ton of useful information in this thread and I have a bunch of thank yous and questions to get back to. I didn't want to let another day go by without responding and thanking everyone again for their advice!

If you make a simple solar kiln the wood you have now will be fine for next winter.

 

[kyguylal]

I like bio bricks and other compressed wood bricks. I picked up about 20 packs of them and threw them in with my semi seasoned wood last year. Burnt well enough. They really do burn well alone too. I can load my stove up with just bricks and get an overnight burn.

Surprisingly affordable too.

 

[FaithfulWoodsman]

If you are willing and have access to wooded areas, you can find dead ash and cherry that can be quite low in MC. Normally only the drier tops will be able to be burned this year, some of it immediately, but the rest of the tree would be ready by next if CSS this winter.

 

[Woody Stover]

If you are willing and have access to wooded areas, you can find dead ash and cherry that can be quite low in MC. Normally only the drier tops will be able to be burned this year

And if you find <8" dead standers with the bark off, that should burn pretty well.

 

[johneh]

If you can't find dry wood pray for warm weather
As others have said blocks, pallets and dead standing (maybe)
Good luck If you were close I have 10 cord 3-year-old very
dry hard maple and oak I would give you

 

[Lantheaume]

Can you burn it ? Yes, but you’ll be wasting a TON of btu’s.. and require several cleanings throughout the winter..
Should you burn it ? No... top cover and save it for next year..

Heard. I have a bunch stacked on the porch already and the rest on the side of the house. The side of the house is covered with a tarp and 90% of the porch stuff is covered.

Also, your wood should be at about 70 deg. F when testing m/c..

I saw that after I posed - I did bring a piece inside to warm up but haven't had a chance to split it and take a reading yet. From those other threads it might be even higher in moisture then it read when it was 40º.