Not getting the btu's this year. Thoughts?

[griz7674]

Due to a knee injury, I was not able to get much wood cut over the past year. I did get about two cords done in the early Spring of Walnut, Cherry and Cedar. I am guessing that my issue here is simply that it's not dry enough but given this is only my first real year of burning thought I would get some advice. My stove, a new Lopi Leyden, burned great in January of this year through March but this year it's giving me fits. My wood is burning down to pure ash each time but I am just not getting the heat this year that I did last year. Last year, I could easily make it 80 degree's in here but this year I rarely break 70. This is with the damper closed but the vent wide open. Most of the time, when I look through the glass, I can see red embers on the logs but rarely a standing flame.

I still need to check on this issue, and maybe it has something to do with the above, but if I shut the damper and vent off at night with a full load of wood, my wife and I will wake up to the smell of smoke in the house. There won't be any visual smoke to see but there is the strong smell of it throughout. If I open up the damper then the smell goes away completely.

Any input you have is greatly appreciated. I am burning most Walnut right now.

Bob

 

[jdinspector]

Bob,

I don't have any thoughts on how the stove is running except to guess that it's wet wood. Where in IL are you? I'd be happy to get you some dry wood to try out. I'm in the northern suburbs of Chicago.

 

[smokinj]

Walnut, Cherry and Cedar done are big on the btu chart most around here love the cherry but its only 19 mil on the btu chart walnut another shocker its low on the chart as well not sure about the cedar

 

[wahoowad]

Griz,

I've been burning some junk wood (punky and/or other shortcomings) early this season and can easily tell when I load a wet log or two. I get a fire that doesn't burn as hot, needs more tending, less heat output. Sounds exactly like what you are dealing with. You will need to give your wood more air and for a little longer at each reload than you did last year. Or get ya some known seasoned stuff.

The smoke smell in the morning sounds like whatever fire you had going at bedtime either burned all up or started to go out and the heat output couldn't sustain the draft. Outside air started coming down your chimney.

 

[Tony H]

Sure sounds like wet wood could be the issue.

 

[Duetech]

Wet wood could easily be the culprit but it also sounds like there is a draft problem like with a chimney that needs a serious cleaning. If you were burning near wet wood last Jan then I would point my finger at the chimney and give it a good inspection.

 

[griz7674]

The wood used last year was very dry wood that had been seasoned for 3 years plus the entire system was brand new this past January. I will still get up there and check it out though. I am starting to believe it's just a matter of the wood. I am going to purchase some dry wood and see if that changes anything.

Bob

 

[LLigetfa]

Are you sure you're operating the stove the same? If you going through the same quantity of wood with less heat out of it, it could be not as dry as would be ideal. If you changed some of the settings on the stove or a baffle was not placed correctly after cleaning, that could have something to do with it as well.

I noticed last Winter that I was going through too much wood and finally realized that my wife was giving the stove too much air through the day. I showed her that by cutting the air down to half, that it put more heat into the room and less up the flue. How one loads the stove with regard to the doghouse air is also a BIG factor. A gradual change in loading style can result in quite a difference in heat output.

 

[LLigetfa]

There has also been anecdotal evidence that the speed a blower is operated can have an impact on efficiency as can the relative humidity of the combustion air. There is, on my stove, a sweet spot WRT fan speed an the burn rate. Cool the stove too much or not enough and I lose efficiency. I have an OAK so cannot control RH.

 

[bluefrier]

Griz, you stated that the damper is closed and the vent is wide open. Damper as in pipe damper? If it is a pipe damper and the wood is not as dry as it should be then you need to open the damper up and keep some flame on the wood to get more heat.

 

[John the Painter]

I agree with most on here.Sounds like wet wood.

 

[griz7674]

Wet wood. I went to the local gas station and bought about 15 pieces of dried wood. She fired up, heat went to near 80 before I needed to shut it down. Looks like I will need to have some dried wood delivered. I reckon I have to cross my fingers that it is actually seasoned!

Bob

 

[MyFyrByrd]

There has also been anecdotal evidence that the speed a blower is operated can have an impact on efficiency as can the relative humidity of the combustion air. There is, on my stove, a sweet spot WRT fan speed an the burn rate. Cool the stove too much or not enough and I lose efficiency. I have an OAK so cannot control RH.

Interesting about the relative humidity effecting the stoves performance. We, like many others, place a pot of water above the stove. When the stove top is hot enough you can see the steam rise from the pot. Some or all of this humid air I'm sure is drawn into the stove. Any chance this humidity reduces the stove's efficiency?

 

[jfournier]

Looks like I will need to have some dried wood delivered. I reckon I have to cross my fingers that it is actually seasoned!

Don't cross your fingers. Ask around and make sure the wood's been drying for at least a year, and if not just don't buy it from them. Or split a few pieces before they dump it/leave it and make sure it's dry, before you pay.

Too many people pay too much money for wet wood.