A friend we supply wood for stated that the oak we helped him stack last fall, burns and coals normally, but doesn't throw much heat. We just bring wood over, he uses it as needed. We bring it green and it sits for a year in a shady ish spot, covered. The stove is like nothing I've ever seen, and has a minor gasket leak. It's a cellar dweller. He grew up in Maine, and is a seasoned burner. I bet the wood isn't near 20% The splits IIRC are fairly small (because I know he burns it earlier than I would). I asked if he stuffed the stove as normal, which he affirmed. Perhaps there are air new leaks in the basement.... Other than high moisture content, (and he didn't think they were wet) I can't think of a reason why wood would burn cool. But, I don't know everything either! SCA
Did he comment on burn times? Can you get an actual moisture reading and educate him on that? Might just be using a lot of the btu's to boil off the remaining moisture.
That's what I would think right of the bat. If there's a gasket leak, it should burn "better", just not as long.
I've found a lot of times burning cooler has to do with it not being dry enough. If I had to burn it, I'll throw in some lodgepole pine or something very dry to help it burn hotter.
Another vote for wet wood. Specifically, wood wet internally. Some people pick up a split of wood and note correctly that it’s dry on the outside. They toss it in the stove, it might even light easily. It must be dry, look at that! They walk away oblivious to the snot starting to boil out of the ends, or think it’s SOP. A couple stove loads of really dry oak should convert your friend if he’s receptive to your intentions.
Oak doesn't season in Arizona after a year, let alone in Connecticut. A gasket leak would help the wet oak burn hotter, imho. If your friend is getting older, he/she may be getting colder due to circulatory issues and this may have nothing to do with the firewood at all.
That all resonates with me. I will help him replace a seal soon. My bets are wet wood. When we brought it in this fall, there was a stack that we pointed to and said burn this last. Yes I have a moisture meter, he would be interested in a little test... Thanks for the replies.....confirmed what I was thinking. Sca
If he is from Maine, he should know better. Green oak, sits (is it stacked?) for a year in a shady spot, covered. Wow. Our oak gets split and stacked in a sunny and windy area but I would not even consider burning it after a year. Maybe after 3 or 4 years as that because that is when it burns best. You definitely should not sell this man oak.
We bring (not sell) him wood, but he also cuts and splits his own. Wow. scary. He's a tough navy man, but his wife doesn't watch him cutting and splitting. Kinda why we stay somewhat involved. Most of it is dry enough. He doesn't have room for what I would consider proper drying. And, he's faired pretty well for 80+ years of wood burning. there are other issues at hand that might mitigate his abilities to do things. Which puts more on us. I think there's a measure of desperation as well, the wood he brings in is pretty rough. We spend time pulling a lot of junk out of what comes in. And, he brings that wood in to be burned. He's old school, stacking where sun and wind can access the wood is a new concept for him. The wood we bring is fairly dry (usually coming directly out of my stacks) and is covered (by me because he can't) to sit another year at his place. We've cut a bit of ash last fall, he has come for a few truck loads of that, but I reckon I'll be over there to stack it soon enough. Wow is absolutely right. That's a lot of doing. SCA
There is a couple old timers near me, who have both been burning longer than I've been alive. They burn nothing but green unseasoned wood. So the amount of time they have been burning doesn't really equal education. I usually season oak for 3 years before attempting to burn it. Where as they will cut and split it and burn it a week later and listen to it sizzle, and say "it's fine."
Of the 6 loads of BL I got Memorial Day weekend probably a truck load was petrified. I haven't tried any yet but might try some next weekend when subzero weather arrives.
What qualifies for petrified Brad? I have a couple cords out at Lefty's that was cut and split before 2016, I think, or close to it. Worried it still is not dry enough. I should really bring some to the house, but then it would be gone and that makes Stephie sad.
