Checking in... Sooteater and Woodpile Update (pics).

[Bster13]

Well kids, I made it through my first year of heating primarily with wood heat. My wood was 9-10 months dry and I didn't notice a difference in how the wood burned until the last month... then I hit the wet stuff with the wood bubbling for a good while before the CAT lit off.

Anyway, I sat on my arse for the Spring/Summer when I should of been collecting more wood to replenish my stacks and get 2 yrs ahead. Well better late than never.... towards the end of the summer I started to hit it hard on weekends:

(broken image removed)

When I finish the 3rd row, that will be about 4.5 cords. The seasoned stuff (don't forget the stuff way in the back haha) is about 5+ cords. Last winter was very long so I'm thinking "3 rows per year" will do me fine. I'm really not sure how much I used last year as I was stacking some of my first rows completely criss cross to get as much airflow in there as possible. When I criss-crossed some of my stacks that really cut down on the wood density in my stacks.

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I'm also no longer covering my stacks. My neighbor does not and he says he's fine, so that will be a welcome change if it works out. I find the tarps a PIA, they get brittle in the winter, and they look like crap. I'm also much better at stacking these days so hopefully that will keep the side yard from looking like too much of a dump going forward. Each stack is about 5 feet tall when you subtract the height of the bricks and 2 x 4s the wood sits on. I'm not comfortable going any higher.

Anyway, I also used my Sooteater for the first time today. I did not clean my chimney at all during my first burning season. Setup:

It works extremely well.

As for how much creosote was built up for a first year burner with less than optimal wood? You be the judge, I'm ecstatic!

(broken image removed)

90% of the way up with the Sooteater, there was very, very little coming down the chimney, then the last 10%, WHAMO, one big shot of black creosote dislodged and I was done once I hit the rain cap.

Here is a closeup. I'm soooo pleased with the Blaze King Princess insert, that sucker burns clean!:

 

[Nick Mystic]

I know using tarps is a hassle, but if you stack your wood three rows deep with no top cover I think you are going to find it is going to take a long time to dry your wood to proper burning moisture. As for the bin you show in your video I would suggest checking it from time to time and opening it up to let fresh air inside. I used a similar bin for some kindling thinking it would stay dry, but condensation got inside and I was surprised at how wet the wood was. As for your sweep it looks like you had a relatively small amount of creosote for burning the marginal wood you mentioned last season. Good Luck.

 

[Simonkenton]

It stands to reason that the wood will dry faster with a cover. I am with you, those tarps are no good, a year of UV light will destroy them.
Out here in the NC mountains we use sheets of roofing tin. I have four separate firewood stacks, my little Waterford stove will only take 15 inch wood.
So I get the "tin" [actually zinc plated steel] roofing sheets at Lowes. They are 26 inches wide so are perfect for me, I get about a 5 inch overhang on each side. Put 4 or 5 bricks on top to keep the wind from blowing them off.

 

[Bster13]

I am figuring a year of uncovered drying will be "just fine" as my neighbor doesn't see to complain. If it doesn't work out, I guess I'll be looking for scrap.

 

[Bster13]

The downer for today was my wife made me light the pilot light on the natural gas boiler for (insurance). I guess truth be told we have a petsitter staying all next week, so the stove won't be used:

(broken image removed)

 

[Bster13]

And ~this~ is why I hate my boiler so much:

(broken image removed)

While I'm thankful the previous owner converted the house from oil to NG, he certainly cheaped out on the furnace.

 

[weatherguy]

I am figuring a year of uncovered drying will be "just fine" as my neighbor doesn't see to complain. If it doesn't work out, I guess I'll be looking for scrap.

He might be burning an older stove that burns wet wood. I agree tarps suck but you should devise some sort of system where you can top cover.

 

[Treacherous]

I stack my wood one row deep and then cover with custom cut brown tarp covers that only cover the top. Wood is also in a generally windy area with low humidity half of the year.

 

[Bster13]

Well I am starting to burn all the non-uniform pieces of wood. Soon enough I'll be into some wood I stacked last year that is not covered. We'll see how it burns.

 

[Bster13]

Into full on burn season now, the uglies are gone. No change that I can tell thus far with my less-than-covered wood. Maybe it's that Blaze King voodoo, haha. It'll be interesting to see if there is more creosote at the end of the burning season this year, but so far same, long burn times.

 

[Hogwildz]

I am figuring a year of uncovered drying will be "just fine" as my neighbor doesn't see to complain. If it doesn't work out, I guess I'll be looking for scrap.

1 year ain't enough time for many hard woods to dry.
That chunky black stuff is not a real good sign, especially if burning a BK cat.
I wouldn't expect your cat to last as long as it should with proper dry wood.

 

[Bster13]

So a cup of black stuff is a bad sign for a first year burner with 10 month old wood?

 

[Hogwildz]

Looking in the insert photo, looks like more than a cup.
All in all, the amount is not too bad, the texture & color are not the greatest, and an indicator of wood that ain't ready yet, being burnt.
The only think worse than chunky and black, is shiny sticky stuff.
If you get some good dry wood run through that puppy, the cleaning would reveal more of a brownish fine sweepings.
Not the worst by any means, but will be better when you burn drier wood.
Doubt the wetter wood helps the cat last any longer also.
Depending on what wood you're burning, 9-10 months ain't gonna be long enough.
We all been there our first year, comes with the territory, just be conscious of what you're burning, and as with most of us, you will hone your burning skills as time goes by.
Would not hurt to check the top of the stack and cap a couple times throughout the winter just to keep tabs on what is going on up there.
That will be the worst area for buildup.

Btw, did you clean the cap? Is there a screen on it?
Take a look up top?

 

[Bster13]

Agreed, it was all dust with the sooteater until the last 8in at the very top, that's where the black stuff came from.

 

[mustangwagz]

Would not hurt to check the top of the stack and cap a couple times throughout the winter just to keep tabs on what is going on up there. That will be the worst area for buildup.

He's right..top is furthest away, and coldest point..ive seen my neighbors chimney catch fire up there. lol First person too, standing in yard, heard a "WHOOF" and suddenly we seen a giant cloud of smoke and hot embers flying! We yanked the cap, Jammed a towel in the upright section and it went out, yanked the rag out and shut the stove down. Chimney was pretty dang clean except the top..coldest area, furthest away. Always inspect your chimney for the heck of it. If nothing else, atleast you can sleep easier knowing ya aint got crusty problems waiting to light off!

 

[Charles1981]

I stacked the same way you did first year I was burning (2x4 on the ground). Wood seasoned so so and the middle row definitely retained the moisture.

the past two years I purchased cement cinder blocks that keep the wood about 6-7 inches off the ground and place the 2x4 on top of the cinder blocks. This provides much more superior air flow underneath the stacks and keeps accumulating snow from turning the bottom row into an ice sheet where all the splits are stuck together.

It can cost about 150-200 bucks in cinder blocks and treated 2x4 to stack 6-9 cords this way as the treated 2x10 or 2x14 are like 5-6$ a pieces and you will need 15-20 of them probably, but man it is a great way of stacking wood.

This isn't my photo but this is basically the setup I have created but my stacks are 30 feet long, and i fortunately have a concrete slab to stack them on rather than dirt.

 

[Simonkenton]

Hogwildz: "Hearth.com~ So easy, even a Neanderthal can do it!"

Yes! I got my dna run on 23 and me .com, and it turns out I am 3.1 percent Neanderthal, about as high a percent of Neanderthal dna as you can get. No wonder I feel at home here.

 

[Hogwildz]

I was qualified by a member that did not like me expressing my opinions frank and to the point.
I'm still here, he's long gone.
My woman likes the Neanderthal in me too.

 

[Bster13]

I actually have bricks under my 2x4s. The previous owner of my owner made a half-as_ed attempt to finish the basement and left me a lot of good lumber. Haha.

I stacked the same way you did first year I was burning (2x4 on the ground). Wood seasoned so so and the middle row definitely retained the moisture.

the past two years I purchased cement cinder blocks that keep the wood about 6-7 inches off the ground and place the 2x4 on top of the cinder blocks. This provides much more superior air flow underneath the stacks and keeps accumulating snow from turning the bottom row into an ice sheet where all the splits are stuck together.

It can cost about 150-200 bucks in cinder blocks and treated 2x4 to stack 6-9 cords this way as the treated 2x10 or 2x14 are like 5-6$ a pieces and you will need 15-20 of them probably, but man it is a great way of stacking wood.

This isn't my photo but this is basically the setup I have created but my stacks are 30 feet long, and i fortunately have a concrete slab to stack them on rather than dirt.