Winter summary for Tennessee.

[Robbie]

Winter is over. It's actually been over for about 4 weeks now. Mid 70s almost every day and a few 80s. Blooms are full and leaves are now almost full.

Winter in Tennessee was as meek as a lamb........no snow (maybe a dusting), hardly any sleet. A few colder nights but all in all it was a very mild winter.

My wood pile proves it was mild. I used half of the wood I used last year. not sure how much but I am going to estimate in feet long/high as being approx. 25 feet long by 6 feet high by 20 inches wide..........thats it......maybe less.

I did not even get into my actual winter pile, just a smaller row of very dry wood I had left over from the year before. Now I will stack the remainder of my wood which will amount to about 10 feet long by 5 feet high and 20 inch wide for the beginning of next fall.........before I start on last years pile............which is now next years pile.

The truth is............I saved a ton of wood using my new method of burning during the night........it worked and kept my house toasty warm with no gas heat kicking on rarely ever...........and my total use of gas was 11 % out of a full tank.

I am amazed about the wood I used...........if anyone cares to read about this new method, below is a link...........it worked really too well because now I am a little concerned about too much wood.............not much though.

Even my wife said she realized now it was a total waste of wood to load that stove completly full and damper down just so you have some coals in the morning. The truth is I get good heat for the majority of the night and remake the fire or add to a few coals.............the gas heat is right on the verg of kicking on but does not.

A new way to burn wood, it's not for everyone obviously but it works.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/11774/

P.S. I'm going fishing soon.............


Robbie

 

[Todd]

I was over your way back in March for the Bristol race. What a great time that was. It was kind a cold that weekend but it was nice to see all the green grass. It definitely wasn't a mild winter here this year. We had a good old fashioned winter. It's snowing right now with temps in the 30's. I'm ready to go fishing too. The Walleye opener is next Saturday.

 

[fossil]

Interesting winter here, too. Record snowpack in the Cascades, still seems to be trying to hold on, although today is gorgeous and 70*...about time! Fishing was to open this weekend, and might have in a few places, but many of the higher lakes are still frozen, and lots of places still inaccessible because of the depth of the snow on the ground. I'm ready for some warmer weather. Rick

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Why would you be concerned about too much wood?!

As I understand things, Tennessee had an exceptionally mild winter so you should have used less wood. As for your "method," I'm glad it works for you, however, move a little further north where you will have winter and you will either run your furnace a lot or change your method of stocking up the stove. You will also quickly learn that 400 degrees is not necessarily the ideal temperature on your stove top.

As long as it works for you, great.

btw, you spoke about your stove "burping" and assumed it was probably the wood which caused this. Probably was more like the weather or a combination of weather and burning the stove at too low of a draft.

 

[begreen]

I suspect that the "burping" was back-puffing caused by dampering down the stove too much too soon. This often snuffs out the fire and allows unburnt gases to accumulate in the firebox. When they finally ignite, it sometimes can be a very dramatic "burp". DDT! (Don't do this).

 

[Robbie]

Backwoods Savage, I am not concerned.............just don't want any wood rotting on me.

This new way of burning really does work and thank goodness we have had very mild winters lately........makes things so much easier.

My stove gets up there really hot before bed time and when I add a split it gradually goes down..........it's a bit confusing but my average temps after split is really doing well is at least 400 to 450.

My stove and pipes are clean as a whistle this year and I have not had a burp since I started doing this.

I rarely damper anymore...........occasionally but only if I goof and load way too much.

I'll have to admit that my stove seems to be the absolute perfect match for my home.........with extra power to boot if needed.

I did damper too soon several times and that is what made me figure this new way of burning out. I got sick of smoke coming into my living room just because I loaded too much wood.

Did I say my wood is SUPER dry ? If you now load 4 pieces of red oak it will reach 700 easily in a few minutes............I can and do damper correctly...........and it performs perfectly but I have found I can add one good split on hot coals and accomplish the same exact thing except with 0 dampering.........what a nice feeling to go outside to do a chore knowing that the stove is not going to get too hot...........simply because it does not have the fuel..........but it sure heats well with this one split.

Robbie

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Robbie, as long as your wood is covered it won't rot. Kept dry that wood will keep for many, many moons. A few years ago I was asked to move some wood (free for the hauling) from a place where the home was no longer occupied. We know for a fact that this wood had been there a minimum of 12 years and perhaps longer. Very nice wood indeed! No rot because it had all been kept dry. Just cover the top and no worries.

At present, we have about 7 years wood supply cut, split and stacked. All is covered on the top only except what we cut last winter. That will be covered in September or October. We don't worry about rot keeping our wood like this.

 

[Robbie]

That is super good info ! I have several years ahead and just did not want it to go bad.

Thanks.


Robbie