wood becoming salty via roots?

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
  • Hope everyone has a wonderful and warm Thanksgiving!
  • Super Cedar firestarters 30% discount Use code Hearth2024 Click here

mar13

Minister of Fire
Nov 5, 2018
507
California redwood coast
I'm wondering if the wood from trees growing very close (perhaps just a few yards during king tides) to salt/brackish water can contain salt to the level that it is detrimental to the stove and flue?

I did some Googling and read that mangrove trees can be as much as 1/10 as salty as the ocean water they grown in. I also skimmed a paper where the leaves of eucalyptus trees grown in saline soil can have measurable salts. Anybody have any scientific knowledge about this? I recall BKVP mentioning that one company's (Midwest based) compressed logs had high salt content. Who knows what caused that or if it was just lab error.

For folks in snowy areas, I wonder if you have to worry about salt intake in trees that are adjacent to heavily salted roads?

For now, I think I'll follow the better safe than sorry approach.
 
I would think it would have the potential to do damage. I've seen the effects on surroundings plants and soils that Salt cedar can have. I've never know anyone to burn it for fuel.