Quest for the holy Moisture Meter

[McKeznak]

Today I searched for a moisture meter, I only started burning last year and the wood was already here. I have procured "seasoned" wood for this year and wanted to know how bad it was going to be.

I drove into our closest big town. I called/visited 7 different hardware stores (including the big orange box and crappy tire) and our 1 wood stove dealer and NONE of them had a moisture meter. At first I wasn't surprised, thinking maybe they had all sold out, except only 2 of them even knew what I was talking about. One of which told me I would never need one of those because once you get the stove hot enough it doesn't matter how wet the wood is. The attitude of cut in the summer and burn that winter, is still very prevalent. Everyone and their uncle burns wood around here, however the majority seem to be old non-epa style.

Finally I found one at a family owned small town hardware store about 20 minutes away. They had 3 in stock! Not only that but he recommended this one, he burns at home and this is the one he uses and it's held up. We got into a nice little chat about wood burning it was great.

I grew up in a village of 85 people, where our biggest 'city' is 13,000 people. Today my faith has been renewed in small town living.

... oh ya and I tested 20 different splits from my delivery: the average moisture is 28.4%

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

28.4 ? Maybe you should give them a call and see what you can work out with them.... Tell them you are not happy, see what they do......

 

[USMC80]

I got the same meter, works well. Tough luck with the 28%

 

[Bigg_Redd]

1) "Seasoned" does not = dry

2) "Seasoned" doesn't even have a commonly understood meaning

3) "Seasoned" as a term used to describe firewood is almost worthless

 

[McKeznak]

Ya, it's mixed hardwood, there's some maple, oak, ash etc.

The ash is nice and dry already, %18ish.
The maple is %20-28
The oak is like %30-35
There is some other stuff I'm not sure what it is but it varies. I'm pretty sure there's a large chunk that was directly on the ground.

Guess I'll be testing a lot this year and mixin' the good with the bad, and I'm getting next years stacked now.

 

[USMC80]

If that's all you got for this year you should be ok, no optimum but ok. Use the ash to get things cranking then mix in some maple. Leave all the oak for the following years

 

[McKeznak]

If that's all you got for this year you should be ok, no optimum but ok. Use the ash to get things cranking then mix in some maple. Leave all the oak for the following years

Ya now I just have to get better at identifying by the bark alone, I will use the meter to separate out the very green, and stack it separately for next year.

 

[cygnus]

I guesstimate that I loose 2% of moisture per month...oak is the exception and it may vary in your area. So while what you have will burn, you'll be in better shape later in the winter. Keep an eye on Craigslist for folks getting rid of small, old stacks of splits. I've seen a bunch come up around here where a new homeowner is trying to 'clean up' the yard.

 

[PapaDave]

and I'm getting next years stacked now.

There's the solution to the problem of "seasoned" firewood.
When you're done with that, get started on the '15-'16 stacks.
I've thought of having a little in-home seminar on burning dry wood, .......but no one would show up.

 

[McKeznak]

I just found a friends neighbor selling off all his wood (11 cord), he switched to natural gas, so I'm gonna bring some cash to his house and see how much he'll part with.

Some is 3 years seasoned! Wish me luck

 

[McKeznak]

I've thought of having a little in-home seminar on burning dry wood, .......but no one would show up.

Where I live people could really use it, everyone burns wet all year. I bet the chimney sweeps make a killing around here.

 

[Hearth Mistress]

After 3 people at Lowes told me they didn't have or carry moisture meters, even though I insisted they did as I had looked on their website and searched their store inventory -24 pcs - before I went. I ended up at customer service, had them get me the item number and LOW and BEHOLD, they were there, in the electrical department, 2 pegs 6 each and an unopened case in top stock. Soooo, anyone else still looking for one, look in the electrical department before driving all over town.

Also, be sure to re-split that wood and meter the fresh cut end, I turned away 2 attempts by a well known local company last year. They guaranteed ”seasoned, ready to burn" and before I ordered, they promised 20% or better. The driver very proudly whipped out his moisture meter and jammed it into a "piece of my choosing" from the truck. He very proudly showed me it measuring 23% until I asked him to split it as "everyone knows" you measure FRESH split wood, he claimed he couldn't, no tools. No worries, me and my X27 had it covered and when it measured 28% as I suspected, he left, annoyed. The owner called asking why I refused his delivery and when I explained why, he told me any wood will burn, just put it in my stove. Needless to say he attempted to redeliver a week later same thing. Never heard from him again but see their trucks all over town delivering wood. I didn't have time to wait for it to dry out nor was I about to pay a premium price for not so seasoned wood. Buyer beware, the best wood is what you c/s/s, then you really know how long it's been "seasoned".

 

[MrWhoopee]

I've thought of having a little in-home seminar on burning dry wood, .......but no one would show up.

I do that all the time, but I'm the only one there.

 

[Jon1270]

FWIW, wood that has an average MC of 20% is almost always going to have an interior MC higher than that, and an exterior MC that's lower. 20% in the middle is a stricter standard than even the EPA advises.

I'm sympathetic with firewood dealers selling wood that's wetter than it ought to be for burning. Getting wood dry takes some combination of extra work and time, and they can only invest as much in the product as customers will pay for. Most people seem to have little understanding of the benefits of dry wood, and even those that do understand are going to buy their wood wet and cheap if they have the time and space to let it accrue interest while sitting on their own land. I can see it making sense for a firewood dealer to have both wetter and drier wood available at different price points, but I can't see how they'd enforce the higher and (at least seemingly) more expensive standard on everyone.