Confused: 2 year old 15% moisture wood hissing and steaming

[KC Matt]

I'm scratching my head right now.

This wood was split at least 2 years ago and has been covered for the last year. It's mostly red oak, with some ash and hedge mixed in. Stacked on pallets, on pavement, on a slope, full exposure with no trees or obstructions within 50 feet. Stacked in 2 rows with a gap between.

So I burned the west side of the stack and it burned well but now I'm burning the east side and it's spewing water and steam and hissing like it was split yesterday. Every piece is hissing, and there is some ash burning.

On a fresh split just an hour ago, with the probe going along the grain, the highest moisture I could measure was 15% and that's finding the wettest spot and switching the "modes" of the sensor to find the highest reading. The wood feels and looks dry. Bang a split on the concrete and it goes "DING" like a bell.

We have had 1/4" of snow and no other moisture in a couple months.

What am I missing here?

 

[FaithfulWoodsman]

Moisture is our constant nemesis as wood burners. Ive been where u are scratching my head. However even at 15%, that water still has to burn off. I find regularly 1-2yr cherry and ash sizzle on the side put on hot coals for a few minutes then stop. Commons sense says that side boils quick causing a rapid exit of water, the rest of the split gasses off more ballanced. From what i see there are two explanations-either the west stack got way more air and was <10% or your meter is innaccurate. If this is only happening for a few minutes 5-10, then i say its nothing out of the ordinary. If its more like what I think you are describing (split yesterday) and foaming like crazy, there is more than 15% in there. Maybe the prevailing wind didnt do much for that stack. One thing. I am burning 2.5 year css red oak from a dead tree that was already drying and while burning ok, it deff could use another year before id say its trouble free. No real sizzling, but it does leach water out the sides almost like sweat kinda. Obviously there is an absolute didference between the two stacks.

 

[FaithfulWoodsman]

Last thought. Did u measure that split at room temp or frozen cold. They measure far less moisture in the cold.

 

[gzecc]

Red oak takes 3 yrs. I avoid it at most cost.

 

[lindnova]

Red oak doesn't like to give up its moisture. 3 years is normal for me, but then it is great. I have 3-5 year oak in my stacks now. Open cover for 2 years, cover the last year, and put in the shed in the fall to eliminate any rain on it. Sounds like there are some wetter pockets on one side of your pile - maybe less sun? No big deal, just leave that side for later.

I find that wood I bring in fresh the first day or 2 doesn't get going as good as wood that sat in the house for 2 or more days. I suppose there is some condensation that happens on the cold wood that needs to dry off after it warms up.

 

[Jags]

As FW asked...did you test frozen wood, or unfrozen? They will test differently. Was the stack top covered or sides as well? When the wood is sizzling look at the end of the piece. Is water coming from the outer edges, or is it coming from the core as well. Outer edges is most likely just surface moisture. Core is unseasoned wood.

 

[cahaak]

There is no way the wood will hiss at 15% MC. There has to be free water for that to occur and that is way above 15% MC. If the wood is frozen, it will ring for sure, but may not be dry. Three years covered with adequate ventilation should be plenty of time to dry except in some unusual cases. In any case, hissing indicates that it has a high MC, or it was highly surface wetted recently.

 

[KC Matt]

Thanks for the replies.

Ok, to answer a few questions: the split I measured had been inside for 24 hours. When it was hissing, the previous day or so, the wood was frozen- like below zero. My Tundra has struggled in the brutal cold so I've been switching back and forth to the gas furnace. That same load is now burning much better after being inside for a couple days.

The stacks are covered along the top and down about 6" on each side. It's working much better now but as everybody said, oak needs 3 years. I'll probably avoid taking much more of it for just that reason.

 

[maple1]

Your meter could be a bit wonky maybe?

 

[coutufr]

Measure the humidity in the bark not just the inside of the split. Maybe the wind brought snow inside your stack then the sun melted it and moisture got in the bark

 

[Sprinter]

So how is the burn after the initial sizzling? Is it still oozing water from the ends? How does the window look? Does it take a long time for the box to get hot and secondaries burning?

If it's top covered only down a few inches, the splits have probably accumulated some water on the ends and maybe a bit into the bark as suggested above, but superficially. My guess is that it's no worry. Let it dry indoors as you did before burning. A little water under the bark or soaked in a little on the ends is no big deal, but the less water, the better, of course and superficial water will evaporate indoors pretty quickly.

My cover is a canopy-like design that helps keep water from the ends, but wind will still get to it sometimes.

Oak? IDK, I have no source for it, but most say three years in a well ventilated stack. But correct use of a moisture meter at room temperature will tell the tale for sure (inside face of a fresh split). If it's dry enough, around 20%, then the number of years is irrelevant, which is why I'm such a believer in the meters.

 

[BamaScroungr]

I'm convinced that even seasoned wood will absorb ambient moisture from the air when it's humid or wet outside.

 

[FaithfulWoodsman]

I'm convinced that even seasoned wood will absorb ambient moisture from the air when it's humid or wet outside.

It absolutely does. I can tell a difference in wood i bring in when its been dry out or when its been warmer and rainy. The wood itself is dry, no rain on it, but it feels a bit heavier and takes longer to off gas in the stove. Whithin a day or two its perfect. Think about how wood trim contracts in dry wintr air, but expands due to humidity in summer. Its not the temp making it do that. My house is 70 all year. My dads a luthier. Wood humidity is his thing.

 

[weatherguy]

Try bringing a few days worth inside and let it dry by the stove before you put it in the stove, see if that makes a difference.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

There something wrong. 15% moisture wood dose not hiss, steam. Wood of 30% will do that. There is somthing wrong with the way eather your checking the wood or your MM is bad.
Wood dose not lie, seasoned wood burns clean and hot, unseasoned wood throws steam, and hisses.
The time frame the OP seasoned the wood doesn't matter, the wood will still be on the higher end if the conditions are lacking for proper for drying

 

[Sailrmike]

Thanks for the replies.

Ok, to answer a few questions: the split I measured had been inside for 24 hours. When it was hissing, the previous day or so, the wood was frozen- like below zero. My Tundra has struggled in the brutal cold so I've been switching back and forth to the gas furnace. That same load is now burning much better after being inside for a couple days.

The stacks are covered along the top and down about 6" on each side. It's working much better now but as everybody said, oak needs 3 years. I'll probably avoid taking much more of it for just that reason.

What's with the " oak needs three years"? I'm burning white and red oak that has been css for less than two years. I live in a very damp area, get a little sun on my stacks, and tons of fog. My oak wood burns great at less than two years seasoned. Average size splits, they usually light up before my loading door is shut. Stove gets up to temp quick, maintains secondaries for 2-3 hours. Glass stays crystal clear too [emoji3] with my damper fully shut. A blanket statement that oak needs three years to season well is simply not true in my experience

 

[bholler]

What's with the " oak needs three years"? I'm burning white and red oak that has been css for less than two years. I live in a very damp area, get a little sun on my stacks, and tons of fog. My oak wood burns great at less than two years seasoned. Average size splits, they usually light up before my loading door is shut. Stove gets up to temp quick, maintains secondaries for 2-3 hours. Glass stays crystal clear too [emoji3] with my damper fully shut. A blanket statement that oak needs three years to season well is simply not true in my experience

I agree i get my red oak down to 20% or less in a year. There are to many variables to give it a set time

 

[Sprinter]

I agree i get my red oak down to 20% or less in a year. There are to many variables to give it a set time

Which is why I always urge the use of a moisture meter. As mentioned in post 11 above, the proper use of a meter makes the amount of time irrelevant and you know instantly if it's burnable yet. Just use it randomly until you are confident with that stack or when you are unsure. For 15 bucks or so, it takes the guesswork out.

 

[maple1]

I still suspect a wonky meter. Mine (EBay special) has gone to reading way low. I think the battery needs replacing but just haven't got round to getting another one to try it. Have any fresh batteries you could try?

 

[Sprinter]

It's not unreasonable to spend another 15 or so for another meter and if nothing else, you have a spare. I had problems with my first one and they can go bad.

Just for grins, this is going to sound silly, but it actually works as a quick and dirty check. If you apply the pins to your palm (lightly!) it should read around 35%. It's surprising how consistent it seems to be from person to person. But If you are having problems like this problem, I'd try another meter in any case.

 

[maple1]

It's not unreasonable to spend another 15 or so for another meter and if nothing else, you have a spare. I had problems with my first one and they can go bad.

Just for grins, this is going to sound silly, but it actually works as a quick and dirty check. If you apply the pins to your palm (lightly!) it should read around 35%. It's surprising how consistent it seems to be from person to person. But If you are having problems like this problem, I'd try another meter in any case.

Well, thanks for that post. I just grabbed my meter. 9v battery reads 8.5 with multi meter. Then I checked it on my hand. Took a few seconds but it went to exactly 35%. Huh. So down to the woodpile. I did some measuring a couple months ago and got readings that seemed off. Like 5-10. Which figured couldn't be right. I resplit a couple pieces of maple and got 14 & 15. Which I do believe. This stuff had been down 2 years before got to it, then had been split and stacked for another 2-3 years. I know it is the driest wood I've ever burned just by the way it's been burning. Lights right up with no sizzle. Other years I was seeing some sizzle with readings between 20 & 25. My faith in my meter has been restored. And there is nothing like truly dry wood.

 

[KC Matt]

Ok, I just tested this meter on my skin and got 18-20% and tested in a cup of water and got 93% so it's reading wrong. I'm not going to waste another $20 on another POS phony meter. I'll assume my wood is around 25% moisture and my success rate on moisture meters is 0%. I will adjust accordingly on both accounts.

 

[Ashful]

Red oak takes 3 yrs. I avoid it at most cost.

Opinions vary, on this. Red oak is what I burn most. The three years it sits in my piles is no skin off my back, time sitting in a stack costs me nothing but a little yard space. I’d rather process and load 10 cords of oak than 20 cords of pine, for the same heat.

 

[Ashful]

Thanks for the replies.

Ok, to answer a few questions: the split I measured had been inside for 24 hours. When it was hissing, the previous day or so, the wood was frozen- like below zero. My Tundra has struggled in the brutal cold so I've been switching back and forth to the gas furnace. That same load is now burning much better after being inside for a couple days.

The stacks are covered along the top and down about 6" on each side. It's working much better now but as everybody said, oak needs 3 years. I'll probably avoid taking much more of it for just that reason.

Even at 3 years, you will still get an occasional hisser, usually the ones with twisted gnarly grain, or big knots. The straight-grained stuff should be dry, though.

You should be top-covering your piles by end of summer, in the year you plan to burn, if not sooner. I leave mine uncovered until then.

 

[Ashful]

What's with the " oak needs three years"? I'm burning white and red oak that has been css for less than two years. I live in a very damp area, get a little sun on my stacks, and tons of fog. My oak wood burns great at less than two years seasoned. Average size splits, they usually light up before my loading door is shut. Stove gets up to temp quick, maintains secondaries for 2-3 hours. Glass stays crystal clear too [emoji3] with my damper fully shut. A blanket statement that oak needs three years to season well is simply not true in my experience

I’ll be testing this, the second half of this season. I’ve been doing the 3-year thing, ever since I started burning oak. But with a desire to move some of my newer stacks out of the way for another project, I’ll be switching over to 2-year oak in a month, while the remainder of my previously-budgeted 3-year stuff sits until next year. I’m interested to see if it’s much worse in the stoves, I can tell you it does feel heavier than the 3-year wood, unless my imagination is lying to me.