North/South or East/West?

Ok, so when my fire has burned down, to just coals, I find a better burn with the next load of wood to burn hotter when I load my stove with the wood going north/south (front to back), then if I can fit more, I load couple on top of that, going east/west (side to side)? What is the general consensus on loading our wood burners?

 

Air pockets are key even with an old smoke dragon

 

Generally speaking I believe most here load N/S (myself included). The exception are those that have a side loading stove.

 

Doesnt north south burn faster because all the air pockets and the rolling glass smoke going rt into them. I feel like burn time is better with east west.

 

That's what I've always thought. I know there are pro's and con's to both but can't recall them exactly. I've mostly loaded east/west as my box if I recall is pretty shallow. I do like when loading north/south don't have to worry about splits falling up against the door. Makes a mess when opening the door sometimes especially as my blower is right there, gotta make sure that puppy is shut off or it starts snowing ash in our family room.....

 

Totally agree with all of that

 

Mine goes N/S. For a casual fire ill ill go diagonal with two logs when im home and watching the fire instead of the TV. Just dont try to change the channel on the insert which, when im half asleep, ive tried to do!

 

really depends on the stove.
Sometimes there is little choice.

Given the choice N/S can be somewhat easier. Especially when/if adding to a fire. Plus you get to play Stove Tetris, although you'll be competing with some experienced stuffers.

 

I pretty much load northeast-southwest, except when the wind is blowing from the pig farm next door, then I load southeast-northwest. Then the smell of the wood smoke mixes with the pig poo stench and I get confused and have to load vertically.

 

I used to load North South most of the time. East West was more random. Maybe if the splits were ugly but even then that didn’t make much difference.

 

Sounds like there's a story here.....

 

Ahh yes, the vacuum had to be brought out on a few occasions my rookie year

 

and the lady of the house was probably

 

Normally she would be ..........But she has come to understand all that's involved with wood burning. She has been enjoying this stove I think almost more than I have. She's constantly making comments about how she loves it and is supportive of my hoarding. She's hooked!!!!!

 

I usually load east west as my stove is a mite wider than deep. I usually keep only a moderate fire during most of the day and the house stays warm overnight. If there was a need to stuff the box for overnight burns, I would try north south because of the ease of loading straight in!

 

I'm trying to picture a leaf blower being left on in a family room and am struggling.
There must be some other kind of blower.

 

My wife does not see any benefit from having a wood stove. I told her that we are lucky we haven't spent a night without electricity. I said we live in south Dakota now, this ain't California anymore. I said the wood stove has a blower on it but it doesn't need it to heat the house. My house is 92 years old, we bought it a little over 4 years ago. The house was set up for only electric heat. Since we moved in, I have replaced all of the plumbing, except sewer. Removed the old fuel oil furnace and tank , and installed a propane furnace in its place. Bought a wood stove and all of the chimney piping, and that was way more expensive than I had planned. And replaced the sump pump and all of its piping so the I can pump the water outside or in the sewer. And I have done all of it myself. And she doesn't even acknowledge all the work that I have done.

 

Have you endured a winter there yet? I would think a winter with, and one without, wood heat and your Wife would become a believer!

 

Oh yeah, this is our 5th winter here, the last 2 were brutal. Especially since we are both southern California born and raised. She just doesn't get it.