What’s the highest moisture content you feel comfortable burning?

[sweedish]

I had a couple of standing dead ash trees I cut up in October, and threw them on top of my stack along with a couple of standing dead pines cut about the same time. Well I’ve started digging into this stack this past week, the pine got down to about 18%, the ash is 23% and the ends are wet when burning, been mixing it with cherry at 17%.

What’s the highest moisture content you all are comfortable burning?

 

[moresnow]

Nothing that leaks h20. If it sizzles it waits. I stick to the 20% or less rule. Most of my fuel is 15% to 18% . It took me a few years to get ahead far enough to maintain this level. I'd let the wet stuff sit. Not worth the crud in the pipe.

 

[Geoff C]

If I hear a little sizzling I’m not worrying. If I see bubbles I stop using that stack.

 

[WoodBurnerInWI]

Highest moisture content I'd be comfortable with burning in my current stove is 20% and sometimes those pieces like to sizzle. In my old stove I got away with stuff over 25% moisture, but back then I was buying all my wood so go figure!

 

[Highbeam]

When you get some nice Doug fir the sap will bubble out and hiss like water. Burns hot! Mc at 14%

 

[snaple4]

My friend has an old pre-epa unsealed (you can see the fire around the door) stove and will throw in anything. He built a wood shed and is drying his wood now but still throws in fresh cut.

I have an epa stove and haven’t built out my stacks completely (moved here a year ago). Everything I burn currently bubbles. most of it is about a year old split but oak doesn’t seem to dry well here. I stopped checking MC for the time being. Oddly enough since I have to burn it hot I don’t have much buildup.

 

[kennyp2339]

22% is the absolute highest I will go, luckily thanks to this website I'm always a full 3 years ahead with my splits. FYI even at 3 years ahead and an average content of 15% I will still get the occasional split that will bubble out the ends, few an far between but it still happens, usually its always a piece of oak, I think sometimes since oak is closed cell vs open cell if it dries out to quickly some moisture gets trapped and wont go anywhere like in a heavy knot or crotch section.
To help me stay on track I've built a woodshed that happens to have 4 bays, each bay holds about 2 cords, so I have a total of 8 cord storage, I just alternate 2 bays a year and keep about 4-5 cord stacked in the open on pallets, once a bay is empty I'll refill it up, helps mentally seem like it isn't a lot of work.

 

[sweedish]

I have noticed below 20% pine will bubble, but I think it’s the pitch, this winter so far I’ve cut about 24 cords to get 3 years ahead based on 8 cords a year. I’ve only been in this house 1.5 yrs, so this is my 1st full winter with a stove. I also stock and burn a lot of sub par wood like pine and quaking aspen.

 

[kennyp2339]

I have noticed below 20% pine will bubble, but I think it’s the pitch, this winter so far I’ve cut about 24 cords to get 3 years ahead based on 8 cords a year. I’ve only been in this house 1.5 yrs, so this is my 1st full winter with a stove. I also stock and burn a lot of sub par wood like pine and quaking aspen.

Nothing wrong with that, I find with pine and cotton wood all the difference in heating routine is an extra load a day, so instead of 3 loads of oak, ash and maple, I'll do 4 loads of cotton wood or pine in the coldest of cold, when its mild it doesn't really matter.

 

[jetsam]

I'll burn stuff that I took down ten minutes ago if I need the heat.

Dry is better, but I have a brush.

 

[brenndatomu]

Get too far above 20% and it gets to be a real PITA to get/keep the fire going...especially in a modern stove...but if its a matter of freezing, or not, burn on! Just clean your chimney often! Back when I started out and didn't know any better I was plugging the chimney cap up once a week! Pretty sure I had some chimneys fires too...fortunately my external class A chimney held up well too it all.

 

[Highbeam]

Split it small, stack it in layers cross crossed, and you can burn it. What’s really exciting is that after a long time boiling off the water the wood will eventually dry out and can really take off on you.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

20% is the highest I have gone. most of my wood is 14-18%. when i over did the wood on the kiln my wood was sub 10%

 

[jetsam]

Split it small, stack it in layers cross crossed, and you can burn it. What’s really exciting is that after a long time boiling off the water the wood will eventually dry out and can really take off on you.

Not so much in the BK because of the thermostatic air. My Princess ate cords of 30%+ stuff the first year. It has standing dead pine that I brought in today right now.

I will say that if you pretend you don't have wet wood and you combine that with a stove that can burn super low, you are heading for a chimney fire if you don't stay on top of it. Don't even mess with it if you won't inspect and sweep.

 

[LumberCity]

The week before I ran out of dry wood (18%), I brought in like half a face cord of some questionable oak and just let it bake in the stove room. Stove room was averaging 85 and the oak burns fine now for the most part(occasional big split is still too wet), didn't bother to check the mc. I've been maintaining this rotation ever since the end of january: half a face cord to burn, half to dry. Not ideal.