Describe how you felt when you went from burning wet wood to burning dry (this probably doesn't apply to some, but I bet it does to many). What do you really like about burning dry wood? What makes you cringe when your remember your days as a green burner?
Lights fast, puts out heat right away, low slow clean burns when needed. Creosote build up, monthly cleaning the chimney
*sky clears, heavens open, angels sing* Ahhhhhhhh Dry wood actually burns. What makes me cringe? Trying to get a good fire out of wood that is boiling water.
The hissing of the wood when put in the stove and creosote - smell of the flue pipe when the stove was dormant are two things I think of when one mentions burning green wood. Back when I started burning years ago (in my workshop) that is the memories I have. Fast forward to today, and what a world of difference. Very little smoke, lots of reliable heat and an enjoyable past time now that we are on the "3 Year Plan"......
I remember wondering why the fire was so hard to get going and then adding more wood. Once the wet went away, how the fire got crazy. The wet to dry was pretty gradual, but once I finally had dry wood, I started preaching about it. It did dawn on me fairly quick that I was trying to burn wet...which doesn't work well. Can I get an Amen?! Burning dry is so easy to get going.....within seconds, and no kindling most of the time. The splits (big and small) just catch and burn. All the crap clogging the flue with the wet stuff and having to clean more than with dry wood.
I burned a lot of not-so-great wood last year because I was just getting started and sorta-dry was the best I could get. Even though I'm still not years ahead like some, I had decent fuel this year and was pleased to see my natural gas bills drop (my stove's too small to heat the house by itself, and will be unless I do some insulating) despite the winter being much more severe. Fires were easier to get started and behaved more predictably; I felt safe packing the stove full even with black locust, though that's due as much to improved skills as to fuel quality.
i dont truly know what its like since i started correct from the begining. listening to what everybody said on the other site, i started C/S/S quick-to-season woods a year before i even bought my boiler. i was scrounging to get whatever lengths of ash and soft maple i could. next year i will have mostly full length splits for my firebox of oak, BL, and BB. it must be so frustrating for those that dont get it. i have thrown in wood of 25-30% just to compare. man the stack temp drops and the thing just starts billowing out smoke. anybody else ever pull burning splits OUT of thier woodburner?
Dry wood makes burning so easy my wife can do it In all seriousness, it changed reloads from a miserable exercise in frustration to a relatively open and shut 10 minute process. I have gotten pretty lazy about the chimney though after repeated checks of clean pipe
I can't say that I ever had a moment of awakening. Maybe some times of kicking myself in the butt for not having enough dry wood on hand but it was always pretty clear to me that wood had to be dry to burn well.
Just glad I found you guys to get me turned onto this plan. I definitely think/know I will be better off with GOOD DRY wood. Listened to my FIL to much about "oh yeah 6-8 months is plenty dry." No wonder his chimney would bellow smoke. Oh well I don't listen to much else he tells me. Thanks for the site.
But, But, But , The dealer said it was seasoned or dry...... seasoned with bar oil and 2-stroke exhaust, dry on the outside. That said it took a bit to get way ahead, now it just takes a bit more to stay there.
The secondaries on a dry load was enough to convince me to get 3+yrs ahead. Relights on a 2- 3am call out to work with confidence to choke down the air to near closed while I'm grabbing the keys and heading out the door - piece of mind that the flue is clean and the stove will burn clean until the little lady gets out of bed - to a warm house of course That and like solarandwood said above - makes it so much easier for the GF to keep the house warm when I'm working 16+hr days in the severe cold snaps down here
my intentions were to have a better first post (have been lurking for a while and big on first impressions - no pics on first post??...), but had to jump in and echo jon1270 post - im in same spot - trying to get ahead - photos to follow. But nothing like putting in dry red oak split - (2 yrs dont have moisture meter yet...u know the one that sounds like a strike in 10 pin bowling when you hit it with other stick) and having to back the stove down - like new chain cutting feeling - not much like it.... Glad to break the ice - great group of folks on board - hope i can contribute in future - thanks for insight and inspiration so far..
I also didn't go from burning wet to burning dry, at least in my current house. I've burned wet wood in the past and remember the frustration associated with getting a good fire going in a wood stove or fireplace. I think that seeing how easy it can be to heat a 2800 sqft house in NH during one of the coldest winters in history with a single wood stove shows the value of dry wood. No way I could have done that with wood over 20%... My beta test of my wood stove heated kiln worked so well this winter, I'm planning to expand it for next winter and to collect more data for the benefit of all. Taking 20% wood down to 10% over 3 weeks gives quite a boost in BTUs during the coldest of temps... I find myself looking up at chimneys as I'm driving around seeing the smoke spewing out and wondering what the moisture content is of the wood that they are burning and wondering just how long it will be until they have a chimney fire... I feel a sense of pride when I come home, see the smokeless waves of heat rising from my chimney and enter a warm house that was heated with wood from my backyard and not from middle east oil...
I occasionally end up with a piece or two that aren't as dry as I thought. I hear that tell-tale sizzle and I'm sure the neighbors think the Vatican has selected a new Pope (by the white smoke). Usually happens at the beginning of the season, though.
Along with all the good reasons for dry wood already posted, I also get no more black windows on the stove doors. The three year plan is better than sliced bread and indoor toilets.
