the joys of burning dry wood

I have been doing my usual Fall deal of burning all the crap, unstackables, etc out of pile for the last 6 weeks. Last night I didn't have a lot of time as I got stuck at work and it is Beer Week in Syracuse and they had just broke out the Lagunitas Maximus cask and then we had tickets to a show. So, I threw in a few nice big 3 year old lovelies out of the shed onto what was left of a 24 hour burn cycle, watched them go poof, closed the door, watched the cat immediately light off and headed out the door. Man I love dry wood.

 

Yeah, two years ago was my first venture into the land of "this chit is actually dry" and last year was even better. This year I have a bunch of dry pine for shoulder season. My wife loves it since it's light to carry and heats up quickly. She's been more active keeping the stove in the living room going when needed. Sure is nice not wasting time babysitting a stove while it heats up.

 

I was just checking out a local LI brewery's website (Great South Bay Brewing), and noticed they were going up to the "Beer fest" in Syracuse... I went to school in Cortland for a few years, and hit up Syracuse now and then. Would love to check that out now.... been many many moons!

 

Yea
Lots of talk about dry wood
Whe you experience burning dry wood ,
You finally understand all the hype.

So good , you have to experience it to understand

 

Dry wood and big stoves make life a lot easier when trying to heat this place.

 

And insulation....don't forget the insulation.
But yeah, dry wood, DRY wood, makes burning much less work.

 

Insulation is all good but its all about air sealing on this exposed windy ridge and oh do I have a long way to go Rebuilding the shell of my house with 3/4 ply, felt, foam board, tyvek, wood siding and new properly flashed windows cut my wood consumption in half. For me the biggest/cheapest comfort improver/wood saver has been the $20 investment in window film every year. Interior storms are on my wishlist.

Dry wood and a big firebox stove with near perfect combustion control gives you a lot of freedom in addition to being a lot less work. I'm not sure I would have succeeded in my quest to be rid of the evil propane man without it. It will be 5 years in March

 

Im getting there last year was not good at all we stayed warm but it was a struggle this year is a little better but stil not quite there yet Im hoping that next year will be much better Im trying hard to get ahead on my supply.

 

Anymore, I just think of airsealing as part of the insulation equation.
I remember that pic. I thought the story of you hauling it to the "curb" was pretty dang funny.
Love it.

 

Somehow a couple wheelbarrows worth of red oak splits have gone unburned beyond 3 years now. It is noticeably lighter and ooooh, boy - does that stuff ever burn lovely.

 

Still a struggle once you get ahead, but it's easier.
Took me 4 years.
If I knew then what I know now, I would have had at least 2 years of c/s wood delivered to get ahead, then also got the log load like I did.
Then, I would have immediately started the stacks in the field and c/s/s wood like a madman.

 

I have some oak that's at the back of my open shed. Its been in their for 3 years and I think it been split for 4 yrs. There wat at the back of the stack and the leaves were oiled against the wood. The back ends are getting punky so this yr it gets burned.i

 

Its really good stuff I highly recommend looking into it and quit using that green stuff you split this morning.

 

Uh, ok.
Mr. smarty pantaloonies.

 

There may be one downside to burning dry wood...you don't turn on your furnace. Seriously though...it has been over 19mos since I've turned on the furnace and am just a bit concerned about everything being in working order...

 

Once again, you've put me at ease Dennis!