Very dry wood.

[Ctwoodtick]

Difference between 20 and 15 percent.


My firewood is typically in the 20 percent area. For me that is hardwoods CSS for a year-a bit more if I know it's a denser wood. I tend to split on the small to medium size to maximize drying. Got to the part of the pile that was my uncles that I inherited from after he told me last year he was no longer using wood. 4 yrs CSS and covered. Not sure the moisture content, but the difference was clear. Near immediate ignition of wood and could turn down the air much more quickly. Air down low, the efficency was obvious with secondaries working overtime. I only have the space for about 2 years of wood, so I will have to continue being selective for wood that tends to dry out more quickly.
I have been able to burn my low 20's percent mc wood in a way that I get good heat and only light fluffy soot in liner that is not excessive, so I feel that I do well enough. That said, when folks preach the 3 yr plan and the benefits of that type of dry wood, know its is legit.

 

[Firefighter938]

I agree. It is obvious when you burn dry wood, or vise versa. I recently moved a stack up that was stacked in a less than ideal spot. I thought it would be good to go but it was obvious it wasn't. Back to the stacks it goes!

 

[weatherguy]

Yeah it's noticeable, I put some smaller oak splits that I had cut and split 4 years for my princess, my new stove takes 20 inch so the 16 inch stuff was not getting used til I brought in to burn with the milder weather, same experience you had. Next tear I'll be burning 3 year seasoned wood.

 

[ElmBurner]

One thing to keep in mind is that wood can get too dry for a stove. They are generally tuned for something in the 20% range. If you get stuff dryer than that, it will burn fast. So you either have to turn the air up and have a lot of heat go out of your chimney, or turn the air down and get a smoky fire (because there is more fuel than air).

This pops up around here every so often, a search might turn something up. This is basically the reason that all the stove manuals tell you not to burn cardboard or paper. Construction lumber is the same thing. It's all basically "kiln-dried" and gets too hot for a stove.

 

[Dobish]

One thing to keep in mind is that wood can get too dry for a stove. They are generally tuned for something in the 20% range. If you get stuff dryer than that, it will burn fast. So you either have to turn the air up and have a lot of heat go out of your chimney, or turn the air down and get a smoky fire (because there is more fuel than air).

This pops up around here every so often, a search might turn something up. This is basically the reason that all the stove manuals tell you not to burn cardboard or paper. Construction lumber is the same thing. It's all basically "kiln-dried" and gets too hot for a stove.

I have some elm that is around 11%, as well as some cedar, so I have been trying to mix t up to around 15%. The other day i through in a boxelder ugly just to see what happened. It was not ready for sure, and I ended up with a big ole lump in the middle of my stove.

 

[CheapBassTurd]

Same here, Bish.
On a thick (1-2") coalbed tossed on some fresher splits to go with some very drys.
a few hours later the wet but seasoned splits were smoldering coals but still in the shape
of a split whereas everything else in the box was ashes.

Woodtick,
We're on our second season, and Feb 1st will be one year so my usable stock is dead oak n'roadside
Asplundh drops that were discolored or mushrooming at the ends. I split thin last winter and for this winter
too just to get the water down. My measuring device is a known 1/2 dead red oak and of the two trunks the
one dead and dropping branches is separate from the leaf-laden trunk. The dead and split thin pieces light right up
and only hiss a little.

Looking forward to next season as the experience and learning are still piling up. The reds are in my avatar pic
of the wood wall, scrounge to the right, uglies in front, most of which have now been crushed by the splitter and
dried around the hearth. That crazy wall is 120 feet long and sap filled green drops are far right. At least we're starting
a system. Recently added is a pickup truck cap on stilts above a 4X8 pallet. The covered dry stuff by far burns best
and has the earliest shutdown times. It'll get better I'm sure when reaching 2 and 3 years CSS.

CheapMark