Too much wood c/s/s?

[sixman]

Okay I have 3-4 years worth of wood put up and my stove guy says that I should lay off a year on the cutting. He says that when the wood reaches that 4-5 year age it gets too dry for a new EPA stove, down under 5%. This makes it hard to manage and you end up with really hot quick fires that do not last long. It kinda makes sense when I think back on it because I started my season off with some really old wood and I had a real hard time not over-firing my stove on hot reloads. Now that I am down to some stuff that I cut last spring, the stove is much friendlier. Any thoughts?

 

[NH_Wood]

For the vast majority of spots in our country, you need not worry about getting your wood too dry - the wood can only get to a moisture equilibrium with the general relative humidity in your area. Perhaps in some areas of TX which might be SUPER dry, you might have an issue, but getting down to 5% has got to be tough, regardless of where you reside. I'd guess you have little to worry about. Cheers!

 

[sixman]

I am not an expert on how wood dries but I am not sure I buy the idea that wood can only dry to the equilibrium of relative humidity. I am sure there is an expert on the matter that can shed some light on it but I would venture to say that an average of relative humidity has to be somewhere in the range of 20 -40%. I will do some research.

 

[NH_Wood]

I am not an expert on how wood dries but I am not sure I buy the idea that wood can only dry to the equilibrium of relative humidity. I am sure there is an expert on the matter that can shed some light on it but I would venture to say that an average of relative humidity has to be somewhere in the range of 20 -40%. I will do some research.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equilibrium_moisture_content

 

[sixman]

It looks like the relative humidity for Ft. Worth/Dallas for the year is 81% in the AM and 58% in the afternoon. My wood I cut last spring in below 20 %===myth listed above...busted.



http://www.cityrating.com/relativehumidity.asp

 

[oldspark]

http://www.csgnetwork.com/emctablecalc.html

 

[sixman]

Cool calculator OldSpark! I can see where it wood be easy to get below 10% here.

 

[NH_Wood]

I'm likely not explaining well, but the gist is that, as a function of humidity and temp, your wood can only get so dry - eventually it reaches equilibrium, and could even gain moisture depending on the conditions. Cheers!

 

[sixman]

With the calculator I can see how that is possible, the formula was above my pay grade. But my question is still do you think that your wood could get a little too dry for an EPA stove to burn correctly? In other words my stove guy says that dry wood gives up it's gas really fast so that the secondarys burn like crazy at first and hard to control and then the wood goes to the coaling stage way too soon.

 

[mywaynow]

Sounds like your wood guy wants your wood!! Keep cutting.

 

[HotCoals]

Your stove guy is right imo.
Higher mc wood will burn slower and easier to control.
Of course there are bad extremes to both scenarios.

 

[robertmcw]

My’s ex has a dad. Paul loved cutting and stacking oak at my place in Houston. The wood was put in a covered shed. I haven’t seen Paul since in 2004 and I still have about 1 and 1/2 cords left. My Freight Harbor meter says it has an average at 9%. It burns fine. You do watch the temps or it do get too hot. I have cutting for next year and I will tell you if it is better or not.

Cut it and stack it and sell it, or if you don’t want to keep you old wood, I will pick it from you.

Robert

 

[HardWoodW]

Sounds like your wood guy wants your wood!! Keep cutting.

yeah did he also tell to quit saving money because at some point your bank account will get too full and it will be hard to manage.. better to give some to him?

 

[oldspark]

Your stove guy is right imo.
Higher mc wood will burn slower and easier to control.
Of course there are bad extremes to both scenarios.

Exactly, you nay sayers can chose to not believe it but the facts are there, have you never burnt some wood that out gassed and burnt "crazy", not sure if some of you are paying attention to how some of your wood burns.

 

[phatfarmerbob]

Keep Cutting, You never know. an illness, busy time at work, really bad weather could all keep you from cutting one year and if that happens right after you take off a year you will be 2 years behind... as long as you have the wood and are feeling good keep on cutting, no reason to have to scramble when you start to get low

 

[Wood Duck]

The relative humidity of the air controls the equilibrium moisture content of firewood, but the two values are calculated differently and the numbers can't be directly compared. I mean that just because the average relative humidity of the air is 50% doesn't mean the equilibrium moisture content of the wood will be 50%. The wood will be a lot lower. I don't really know how the two relate, but it is something to keep in mind.

 

[robertmcw]

Just don’t fill up the box. Just use 2 spits, not 4.

Robert

 

[HotCoals]

Okay I have 3-4 years worth of wood put up and my stove guy says that I should lay off a year on the cutting. He says that when the wood reaches that 4-5 year age it gets too dry for a new EPA stove, down under 5%. This makes it hard to manage and you end up with really hot quick fires that do not last long. It kinda makes sense when I think back on it because I started my season off with some really old wood and I had a real hard time not over-firing my stove on hot reloads. Now that I am down to some stuff that I cut last spring, the stove is much friendlier. Any thoughts?

Mixing the xtra dry with the not so dry can work.

 

[sixman]

Just don’t fill up the box. Just use 2 spits, not 4.

Robert

Kinda hard to do that when loading for an overnight burn.

 

[oldspark]

Let me add that I would not quit cutting wood because it might get too dry, I was just saying it can be too dry but not enough of an issue to keep from cutting, these posts are some what like the "does wood dry in the winter" threads, yes it does but not enough to be of much benefit. Keep cutting and stacking, thats what I am doing, if I ever have some go bad on me I will change my habits.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

With the calculator I can see how that is possible, the formula was above my pay grade. But my question is still do you think that your wood could get a little too dry for an EPA stove to burn correctly? In other words my stove guy says that dry wood gives up it's gas really fast so that the secondarys burn like crazy at first and hard to control and then the wood goes to the coaling stage way too soon.

Some "experts" say that it can get too dry. I am not an expert for sure but have burned wood longer than most folks. I've burned wood that was too green or too wet but have never burned wood that was too dry.

It is no secret that we usually burn wood that has been cut, split and stacked 6-8 years and sometimes longer. However, this year that is not so. While we did start the year with almost a cord of old wood, we ran out when I supplied an unfortunate family with their wood to heat their house this winter. So, we are presently burning wood that was split and stacked in April 2009. So how does it compare?

We have had no problem burning this wood for sure but I can say without a doubt that the older wood is much better. It even took my wife about a week to start complaining that I should have given that family this wood and kept the older wood for ourselves! So not only I but my wife agrees that the older is better.

So in this non-expert's opinion, no, regular firewood won't get to dry to burn in the modern stoves nor will it in the older stoves. So cut away and keep smiling! It is better than money in the bank.

 

[oldspark]

Some "experts" like the people who made your stove. :lol:

 

[Backwoods Savage]

You've got it oldspark. Woodstock and I do battle over this from time to time. Now they know what to expect. lol

 

[rdust]

If you're worried just stack the rows tight so it will slow down the drying process some. Worst case if you feel you get too far ahead start selling some off.

 

[sixman]

Pretty sure there is no way I could let the Stihl rest for a year, I might just try only cutting a cord or so.