RUNNING OUT OF FIREWOOD!!!

[jstallone]

Hi all-
I have a simple question on the surface but maybe it's more comolicated than I realize. I own a Quadrifire 4100 Insert wlhich seems to work fairly well although I guess I wouldn't mind more output. I think it is just because my den has 10 ft. ceilings that it's not as "toasty" as I would have expected.


the main issue I am writing is because I seem to be going through a lot of wood averaging at least 1 log every 2 hours I would say. Is this unusual and is there something I should be doing or investigate regarding this? This stove was just installed this year and I had a stainless steel chimney liner done as well.
I follow the instructions and pull out the knob controlling air flow to slow the fire down as well.

Any help appreciated- at this rate I'll be running out of wood by March unless another heat wave hits...

Thanks- Jim

 

[Jags]

Jimny,
I own a quad Isle Royle which is a big ol' thing but similar in burn characteristics to your 4100. My observation is that I get a more efficient burn when I maintain a VERY established fire. By that I mean, after the startup, and everything is up to temp, I load it by the arm load, not one stick at a time. This allows for proper operating temps while lowering the air flow, yet keeping secondary combustion kicking right along. When that load starts to burn down, throw in another arm load. I find that the lower combustion air setting (while keeping secondary burn ripping) seems to allow for a more "gentle" and longer burn. But then again, I have taken quite a few traumatic head blows in my lifetime.........this may just be one of my imaginary realities.

 

[BrotherBart]

Everybody will have their own experiences to add but I have always figured a couple of hours per medium to large hardwood split. Pre-EPA, EPA, burn it with a little air by itself, or load it with a bunch of its buddies and the count comes out about the same.

 

[Michael6268]

12 pieces of wood a day, and your complaining?? Consider yourself lucky! How much wood do you have if you are thinking you are going to run out using only 12 pieces a day?

 

[bruce]

i burn a heaping wheelbarrow of wood a day to heat 2100 sq ft

 

[mtarbert]

Groundhog day is comming.....that is the day when Half of your wood/coal is supposed to be left to make it thru the winter....it was true 50 years ago and it is still the same....
Mike

 

[laynes69]

Larger splits placed tight in the firebox will help with consumption, or does for us. I have a wood furnace and I could feed it 2 logs an hour, I will load it each time with a good load and it will burn for hours. Wood burns better with a buddy beside it.

 

[Roospike]

Hi all-
I have a simple question on the surface but maybe it's more comolicated than I realize. I own a Quadrifire 4100 Insert wlhich seems to work fairly well although I guess I wouldn't mind more output. I think it is just because my den has 10 ft. ceilings that it's not as "toasty" as I would have expected.


the main issue I am writing is because I seem to be going through a lot of wood averaging at least 1 log every 2 hours I would say. Is this unusual and is there something I should be doing or investigate regarding this? This stove was just installed this year and I had a stainless steel chimney liner done as well.
I follow the instructions and pull out the knob controlling air flow to slow the fire down as well.

Any help appreciated- at this rate I'll be running out of wood by March unless another heat wave hits...

Thanks- Jim

Do you have ceiling fans ?
How much wood in your wood pile did you start out with ?

 

[ourhouse]

Where do you live?

 

[Jay H]

Groundhog day is comming.....that is the day when Half of your wood/coal is supposed to be left to make it thru the winter....it was true 50 years ago and it is still the same....
Mike

Ooh, this newbie fire burner hasn't heard that, but if so, I should have plenty of wood.. time to start making rip roaring fires, I have been sooooooooooo conservative for fear I'd have to light up my boiler... NOOOOOOooooooooooOOOOhhhhHHhhHh...

On a more serious note, I burn only about 6-7 medium size splits per day, but then I don't mind the cold, I keep my house around the mid 50s when I'm home and off when I'm away....


Jay

p.s. I believe the Wooly Bears!

 

[Corie]

mid 50's??????????????






good grief you're nuts

 

[BrotherBart]

mid 50's??????????????






good grief you're nuts

I agree.

BTW: How is the wood supply in the living room holding up?

 

[kevinlp]

one of the pro's on here did this and I agree it uses less wood.

I had been a one log at a time burner. each log only lasted an hour or two. if you load the stove (for me 3 - 4) logs. it'll go for 7+ hours just like overnight.

 

[Jay H]

Maybe I should clarify too that I like to winter hike, I think living cool helps acclimatize to the cold. I was out in a leanto this past weekend in the Adirondacks... temps were somewhere in the -10 to -15deg range i think overnight. It wasn't like I was going to get out of my sleeping bag and check though. The thermometer said 0 around sunset so I figured it would only get colder...

...and I think we naturally burn more calories when cool, (calories == heat) so perhaps I can market this as the cool diet.. I'm single and if I'm cold, I'll maybe put on a sweater :D

Plus, this is my first winter heating and I wasn't exactly sure how much wood to buy and whether I was being ripped off from my supplier or not. I bought 2 cords at $155 delivered and I felt the price was fair. Next year, I'd probably want to have 3 cords... I have some friends with trees lined up I can scrounge but I'll have to make up for my lack by June or so I think for next year.

Jay

 

[Eric Johnson]

One stick at a time doesn't make sense. Think of it this way: the more sticks you have burning at any given time, the more combined heat they're putting out.

Of course, you have to be careful not to fill 'er up and damp 'er down, or you'll have a problem with creosote and you won't get the heat you want, but they made that firebox the size they did for a reason. Plus, all that opening and closing the door does to interrupt the process to some extent, and your heat output will suffer as a result.

Judging from what others on this board report, I'd say that you should have 4 or 5 full cords ready to burn at the beginning of the heating season if you don't want to risk running out.

Anyway, don't be afraid to experiment with your loading practices and stove settings. It takes a season or two just to get the hang of a new wood burner--longer to become a real wood burning Liberace.

[stoned silence while the heart.com regulars conjure up the image, scratch their heads, go for another beer and load the stove while they're up]

Or, if you prefer, Einstein.

 

[BrotherBart]

Anyway, don't be afraid to experiment with your loading practices and stove settings. It takes a season or two just to get the hang of a new wood burner--longer to become a real wood burning Liberace.

[stoned silence while the heart.com regulars conjure up the image, scratch their heads, go for another beer and load the stove while they're up]

Or, if you prefer, Einstein.

Who told you about my candelabra on top of the wood stove???? And white chainsaw chaps with glitter.

 

[kevinmoelk]

I'm a 1st year wood burner too Jimny. I think Eric is correct in that it will probably take a year or two to get the hang of the stove. Many factors to consider when heating the home including outdoor temp, insulation, air circulation, quality of wood, etc.

I find the best heat is made when the stove is good and hot. I'll build the fire and add splits until I reach peak temperatures, which for me is 6-650 on the stove top. While I'm doing this I'm dampering down slowly. I'll then let the coal bed settle, and then add a large load, nearly stuffing the box, but being careful to allow paths for air to move around the wood. Char the new load, damper down, and burn like I'm burning for overnight with every load. I'm able to maintain temps between 450-600 for each load and normally don't need to reload for 3-4 hours. I find the more I mess with the fire... poking and adjusting air, the worse burns I achieve. I'm learning to minimize my playing as much fun as it is.

I've also found, though I have no proof, that I seem to get better heat out of the stove when the home is warm. I'll fire up the oil furnace to 65* to take the chill off the house. The stove I installed is only supplemental to the furnace, so I never had any intentions of heating with wood 100%.

Hope this helps.

-Kevin

 

[sgcsalsero]

Maybe I should clarify too that I like to winter hike, I think living cool helps acclimatize to the cold. I was out in a leanto this past weekend in the Adirondacks... temps were somewhere in the -10 to -15deg range i think overnight. It wasn't like I was going to get out of my sleeping bag and check though. The thermometer said 0 around sunset so I figured it would only get colder...

...and I think we naturally burn more calories when cool, (calories == heat) so perhaps I can market this as the cool diet.. I'm single and if I'm cold, I'll maybe put on a sweater :D

Plus, this is my first winter heating and I wasn't exactly sure how much wood to buy and whether I was being ripped off from my supplier or not. I bought 2 cords at $155 delivered and I felt the price was fair. Next year, I'd probably want to have 3 cords... I have some friends with trees lined up I can scrounge but I'll have to make up for my lack by June or so I think for next year.

Jay

Your blood must be the consistency of molasses, seems like most members like it around a tepid 72, don't make any plans to go to Miami in a couple weeks or you'll flop over from heat exhaustion. Sounds like you could make a few million of your 'cold diet' . . people'll try anything (except take the twinkie oughta their mouth and take a long walk)

I put in 3-4 splits at a time, before that I pile up the coals (usually in the middle) . . I've been going thru 80+ lbs a day (v. rough estimate)

 

[Roospike]

I'm one of the 3-4 hour wood burners ..................

When I'm home i like to add 2-3 pieces of wood at a time vs loading down the fire box. The only time i load the stove is over night burn or when I'm going to be away otherwise when I'm home its a few splits at a time.

 

[Jay H]

mid 50's??????????????

good grief you're nuts

I agree.

BTW: How is the wood supply in the living room holding up?

BrotherBart: I'm not sure if this is directed at me or the OP, but in any case, I put a load of firewood in my little storage bench underneath my bay window (It's a hollow cove that is about 6' long and the top of it opens to reveal a decent sized storage. But that was in November and I have used it up now that I'm using a little more wood each day. I've just been so busy with everything else around the house, I haven't had time to restock it, so now I'm kind of just taking wood in via my milk crate and using that on the spot or so... If I do get the time and energy to restock it, I'll load it up there. Right now, my wood gets about 1 day of "warming up" before it gets tossed into the fire.

Jay

 

[Jay H]

Your blood must be the consistency of molasses, seems like most members like it around a tepid 72, don't make any plans to go to Miami in a couple weeks or you'll flop over from heat exhaustion. Sounds like you could make a few million of your 'cold diet' . . people'll try anything (except take the twinkie oughta their mouth and take a long walk)

I put in 3-4 splits at a time, before that I pile up the coals (usually in the middle) . . I've been going thru 80+ lbs a day (v. rough estimate)

My parents with a gas furnace keep their house at 68deg and I feel like wearing a t-shirt there..

When I come home after work, with the fire having been out for about 12-16 hours or so, it can be in the low 40s but since it's such a small space, it heats up fairly quick and when I come home, I am always running around doing projects and cleaning up, I'm keeping warm just by running around. With a couple of medium sized logs, after 3-4 hours of burning around (450deg via Probe Thermometer in the flue), the house is up to the mid 50s and by bedtime it's around 62ish. Then I let the fire die and in the morning, it's about the mid-50s.

I also bike to work and back so when I get back, I'm sweating pretty good (regardless of the temperature or season) so I usually take a shower, then I'll build the fire, and then cook dinner... or if I have something to do around the house, I'll do that, then take a shower, build a fire, etc. etc.

Jay

 

[njtomatoguy]

I also like it cool, 67 seems to be perfect for me.