I was outback in my wood lot and it was really windy today as I walked about. A thought hit me as I wondered what the average wind speed is in my area. Wind speed for 12302 my zip code is 7.9 mph. Yet New York City is 12.2 mph. So the average wind speed make a big difference in each areas drying time? I believe it would.
It might but I doubt there would be a huge difference in drying time based only on wind speed. It still takes time for the moisture to come out based only on the factor of wind speed, not so much difference. But wind speed and temperature plus humidity will give a better idea.
New York City is well known for its seasoned firewood! Just kidding - I do think wind speed could be a factor - more wind, more drying, makes sense to me. But it is only one factor to go along with sun, rain, humidity, and so on.
I think wind speed can make a difference. Heck it is always blowing around here. 30 mph winds seem like the norm. The wood dries out very fast here. I have not come across anything yet that has not seasoned in a year here. But I have not had any oak to burn here either.
I suspect that is not quite correct. Moving dry air will certainly dry wood in the stacks more than still dry air. If for no other reason than it "penetrates" the stacks, moving the moisture-laden air out.
Also, wind certainly helps evaporation as well. Get out of a pool on a breezy day, and you feel cold. Why, when any other day with the same temperature you don't feel cold? Because the breeze is causing the moisture to evaporate quicker, chilling you.
I'm not sure about this seasoned wood, I've tried lawrys seasoned salt, garlic salt, steak salt, poultry seasoning, paprika, pepper, heck I even tried a marinade and all it does is smolder and fizz and pop but at least it smells good!
Guess it does mean " Squat " The first picture is the room temperature in my prep area. The second is a wet cloth just hanging from a rack and the third is one of a wet cloth same size hanging in front of a fan on low. I started them at 6:13 p.m. and the one in front of the fan was dry at 6:34 the hanging one is still wet at 6:49 p.m. As long as the RH and the temp are the same it will increase drying time.
I read ya loud and clear Air movement is important- agreed...... But air doesn't move across the interior cells of any given split, just the ends/exposed grain. A firewood kiln heats THE ENTIRE piece, causing internal moisture to migrate to the ends, where air can assist evaporation.... Yes? (At a certain temp that is) A wet/green/ high MC split in a fire does what? Pushes internal moisture out to the ends as the split heats up, where it bubbles and sizzles, robbing heat just to convert that moisture to steam. I'm a proponent of increasing the temp of the wood mass where the end goal is reaching a desired MC, quicker. That's only in the case that such a need actually is required. Now for some more
There's lots of airbags and wind bags going off in NYC. On the other end of the country, Why is the Columbia River Gorge so windy? Because The Dalles sucks so much.
So.....if someone was to cut down, say a dead standing tree on a windy day, it would be even drier that what it would normally be? And thenceforth, even more ready to burn??
A side note to add to this mix: My friends have been "sugaring" for generations, they say a southwest wind (during sap season) will stop the flow. I believe the wind going through the wood pile does speed drying up.
That is because a SW wind brings warmer air. Usually stops the night freezes and that is why it stops the flow. Nothing to do with drying...
