Thank you all, for all the info!

[mo381]

Well, after lurking around this forum for the last few months, I think I am on the right track.
We have a VC Winter warm large that came with the house we purchased. The previous owners had new gaskets, cat and glass installed for us. They also left us four Woodhaven racks with covers on a slab outside to loading door. We had the chimney (outside masonry) swept and was advised it was in good shape.
I have scrounged about a cord of silver maple and a little pine. A tree service also dropped off a dump truck and grain truck full of silver and sugar maple last weekend so I have almost got it processed. Recently I scored a cord plus of oak with more to come.
Yes, this is stacked for 2 years of seasoning.
I also filled two of the large Woodhaven racks with seasoned walnut I purchased and will likely need to buy some more for this winter. I have a moisture meter and have been checking when splitting so I know I am working for future seasons wood.
We have had a few fires so far and learned immediately that it needs to be hot to start the draft, I did clean the OAK between fire 1 and 2, but think the draft was the main issue. The third fire was hot strong and lasted several hours, I have also had a couple overnighters but smoked the glass, so I may need to up the air a little.
I believe I have become addicted, as I find myself driving and looking at wood piles, trying to identify trees and cleared a lot of brush out so I have room for stacks.
I know how pictures are appreciated so I included a few of the stacks and hearth.
Thank you for all the wonderful information on this sight.

 

[Blue Vomit]

welcome. You seem to be off to a good start.
Good luck

 

[Gasifier]

Cool mo! You are off and running. Welcome aboard, and hope you find this place as informative as I have. How does you insert work? Does it have a fan that blows the air out into the room. I have no experience with inserts and am curious. Is this your first year with it?

 

[Don2222]

Hello

What is that black panel on the side of your chimney?

 

[bogydave]

Welcome
Looks great.
Sounds like you are well on your way.
It also sounds like the "addiction" has hit pretty bad, I know I can spot a stack of fire wood thru the trees & even in back yards as I drive by. :lol:
Only thing I'd add to is, try Lowes & HD for some pallets, the wood stacks good on them & some air gets to the bottom pretty good.
I can spot "Good heavy duty" pallets at 300 yards, & just ask. Most times, they'll help you load them up
One roofing, shingle outfit had me come back with my trailer & loaded them with a fork lift.
Great pictures!

 

[mo381]

Gasifier it has 2 fans that pull air through the grates on the sides and push it out through the grate across the top. This is our first year with any of this (bought the house in May) but so far so good.

Don2222 that is a loading door for the wood box to the left of the insert. The previoius owners had all of this set up pretty nicely. They bought wood as needed through out the winter but now that I have a head start I shouldn't have to buy any in the future. It will also keep our gas bill under $30 a month.

Dave I will work on the pallets. I am using landscape timbers for now since some where already laid out here. I have noticed them settling some, so pallets would probably help alot with air underneath.

Thanks again

 

[Woody Stover]

Welcome, mo! Another Hoosier burner...
Looks like you have things well in hand.

that is a loading door for the wood box to the left of the insert.

Now, that is slick. :coolsmile:

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Welcome to the forum mo.

It sounds like you know the wood has to be dried before burning so you've learned very well and we can predict you will become a very happy wood burner.

One thing I would caution you on is stacking the wood against those trees. The reason is that the trees will move when you get high winds. This means that not only will the wood stacks move but that rubbing can have bad effects on the bark of the trees. Better to learn how to build good ends or at least drive some t-posts and stack against those. Here is how I stack but realize our wood stays in the stack for many years before we burn it so we stack 3 deep and sometimes even more. Time is something we have plenty of.

Notice I just cut some saplings to stack the wood on. I hate pallets.

 

[firefighterjake]

Loving the wood piles.

As mentioned . . . stacking against trees -- especially smaller trees -- can lead to toppled wood stacks and rubbed bark. That said, I've stacked wood against some larger trees with no problems . . . specifically two large pine trees.