mold on firewood

[killian]

Hello everyone, Im new here at the forum. I have been reading for few months, but this is my first post. My question is about moldy firewood. I cut my wood this year, it is some type of a softer wood. Im not really sure of the exact species, but 75% is the softer type and 25 is red oak. The softer stuff may be sassafrass or poplar. Any way I stacked it all a little to close and only put some old plywood scraps underneath it. It is also in a shady part of the yard. I covered the top with a blue tarp and in 2 days it started to mold.It seems to be only the softer stuff thats affected(but thats 75% of my heat this year). The ends are the worst, they are mostly covered. Its starting to spread to the insides of the pieces also. It smells real fruity, you can smell it like 50ft away sometimes. I have decieded to move the piles to a new location. I have put pallets down this time underneath and its going to get sun for half the day. Also 2 long piles spaced 10ft apart. My question I guess is if anyone else has had a similiar situation. Does anyone know what type of mold or mildew this is? Will it ruin the wood. Can it be stopped now that its growing? I usually leave the wood uncovered and then bring in a weeks worth at a time into the garage and a days worth into the living room. Is this stuff going to be safe to bring in. I have considered putting bleach into a garden sprayer and hitting the sides of the new pile when im done stacking it.
Im hoping that its only temporary and my new improved stack will clear up the problem. I have enough dry unmoldy wood to get me until about january, so its got time still. Any help, thoughts, suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[BikeMedic2709]

I've had mold on mine in the past, but it burned just the same. No worries.

 

[wtyamamoto]

I've always had mold at the ends of pieces here and there. I've never had any issues burning them. As the weather gets colder, most of mold gets killed off anyway.

 

[BrotherBart]

The pic of the ends of the pieces look like my old firend Tulip Poplar. It will mold if you don't keep it dry and in the sun. I have burned a bunch of it over the years. One year moldy ended Pop was the entire woodpile. In big splits like that it will burn for a reasonable time. Not overnight stuff though.

Give it some sun and it will be fine and give ya a buncha heat.

 

[killian]

I am in the process of moving the piles to a sunny location. What a pain in the a$$ that is. I was worried it would overtake the whole pile and possibly keep the water from leaving the wood causing it to rot.

 

[begreen]

If possible, stack the wood so that more air can get through it and cover just the top with a tarp. As to the wood, I'm wondering if it might be beech. Does is smell a little like wintergreen?

Edit - nope, the bark doesn't look like beech to me.

 

[killian]

pictures of new piles and closeup

 

[killian]

More pictures. Thats my new stove and install. Did it myself.Thats one heavy stove!

 

[killian]

It does have sort of minty smell to it. It did at least. Not anymore. Now it reaks of a apple cider sort of smell!

 

[suematteva]

You will be fine.

We burn about a cord of poplar every year and it ends up looking somewhat like the last picture in your hand...

Nice stove..

Might want to save that nice oak for the overnights..

 

[Sandor]

Your old stacking arangement looks way too close together. Your new stacking arangement looks perfect.

Here in Virginia, the poplar I burnt last year had mold that resembled elephant ears growing off the end. I was warm.

 

[BrotherBart]

Your old stacking arangement looks way too close together. Your new stacking arangement looks perfect.

Here in Virginia, the poplar I burnt last year had mold that resembled elephant ears growing off the end. I was warm.

I have that elephant ear looking fungus coming out of the ends of some pine this year. On the sunny end of the stack. I think the storm blew it up here from your stack on The Neck. Maybe the mushroom smoke will make that bitchy neighbor of mine mellow out and start liking my wood smoke.

Great looking hunka wood burning iron ya got there.

 

[suematteva]

[quote author="killian" date="1158634685"]It does have sort of minty smell to it. It did at least. Not anymore. Now it reaks of a apple cider sort of smell![/quote

got about a 1/2 cord at the brush dump fresh cut ,end of july, and i stacked it at the farthest corner of the lot...it takes a while for that stuff to lose the stink...it is ripe....

 

[suematteva]

Your old stacking arangement looks way too close together. Your new stacking arangement looks perfect.

Here in Virginia, the poplar I burnt last year had mold that resembled elephant ears growing off the end. I was warm.

I have that elephant ear looking fungus coming out of the ends of some pine this year. On the sunny end of the stack. I think the storm blew it up here from your stack on The Neck. Maybe the mushroom smoke will make that bitchy neighbor of mine mellow out and start liking my wood smoke.

Great looking hunka wood burning iron ya got there.

Head over with the chardonay in one hand and the peace pipe in the other


Better yet tell her they are truffles you imported from France!

 

[BrotherBart]

Vintage 181:

"Better yet tell her they are truffles you imported from France! "

If they were truffles she would have rooted them out herself already. If you get my implication.

 

[suematteva]

Vintage 181:

"Better yet tell her they are truffles you imported from France! "

If they were truffles she would have rooted them out herself already. If you get my implication.

That is a good one!! thanks for the laughs!

 

[My_3_Girls]

pictures of new piles and closeup

Beautiful start. I wish I had that much room to stack. I'm looking into making a cordwood fence around my (neighborhood) backyard. Easy access, and super dry.

 

[begreen]

Killian, it might just be the photo, but the stove install looks a very precarious and not to recommendations for a proper hearth. I'd want a bit more brick on each side so that the leg is not so close to the edge. The front legs look like they're right at the edge of the brick. VC requires 6" on the sides and 16" in front for the US - total 39" wide and extending 16" in front of the stove. The last thing you want is that 400 pound monster losing it's footing, especially if it's hot!

 

[Roospike]

Yeppers, Wood pile needs to be in the SUN and in an airy spot up off the ground . Wood can dry in the shade but not in 9 months like setting in the sun. I knew someone that had mold from sitting on the ground , covered with lack of wind ......... Spray some bleach on the wood. Bleach and mold dont get along. I wouldnt spray the wood and then start burning with in 2 weeks ........ need to dry out. A tarp is going to hold moisture too . You can cover just the very top and not the sides and that will work. Good pictures & Welcome to the pack .

 

[elkimmeg]

Just curious by any chance this that install pass inspections? there is some sort of thermal resistance under those patio blocks?
16" or thermal resistances and concombustiable heartyh extention infront othe front loading doors?

 

[ourhouse]

Nice looking stove. The mold on the wood will be all right. I have it on mine too.

 

[velvetfoot]

It looks like a long way to the house now!

 

[killian]

ahhh....it is a bit farther to the house but only 20ft or so. I do pickup truck beds to the garage weekly, so it won't matter much. The stove is close to edge of the patio blocks, about an inch. It doesn't seem like its going anywhere though. It has about 3 inches on the sides. The sides then drop down to old asbestos type tiles that are very fire resistant. I am in the process of figuring a way to extend the front though. At the end of the patio blocks in the front it drops down to carpet, or a fireresistant hearth rug over carpet. I never load from the front so it hasn't been an issue( I used it last year this way, with different stove though). What would you suggest to extend the fireproof hearth area in front(over carpet) if possible.

 

[ourhouse]

pictures of new piles and closeup

Does it snow where you live? You'r piles look very close to the edge of you'r driveway. Looks like the snow from the driveway would be pushed into you'r wood piles.

 

[DavidV]

mold is normal. if it's tulip poplar I'm surprised you can stand to be near it. I think it smells like cat pee. I don't burn the stuff any more. I think it creates more ash than other wood and pops a bit more than I would like. burns too fast yada yada yada. But it it will burn, and you will get heat off it. I get mold on my wood every year get mushrooms, etc. it dries in the winter and burns just the same. That's why I use a big tupperware tub to put my wood in in the house. Gonna build a "faux" woodbox surround for it this year.