This will be my first time heating with wood in 20 years. I have a mix of wood that I cut 2 years ago. I only split stuff that was 6" or larger around. I stacked all the wood under "car port" with 1' between the rows for a bit of air movement. Next to my boiler room I have a 10' by 12' room that I plan to stack wood in for the winter. The wood storage room has 2 ceiling fans, has radiant heat, and was planning on putting in a dehumidifier. It's been a very humid summer and was wondering when you would bring the wood in?
First, I would like to say welcome to the club gravelroad Second, I would like to say........ I don't have an answer for you but you're in the right place. All kinds of wisdom here. I'm just gonna wait for some opinions cause I'm wondering the same thing.
Welcome to FHC gravelroad How does late September/early October sound? Provided there’s a good dry spell a week or so before the move (regardless of having your stacks covered by a carport), the dehumidifier alone will help things. BTW, mind if I ask whereabouts you are in VA?
Hey gravelroad, nice to have you here and welcome. I have a couple of racks in my basement near the woodstove (about 8 feet away) and I have already filled them with dry Ash that was cut earlier this spring. I keep air flow moving and run a de-humidifier in the warm months here to keep the basement from getting that musty smell even though we have very good drainage here. Each of the racks hold 7 days worth of wood in the coldest times. Even though it is pretty dry already, once the woodstove gets started, the racks almost get "kiln" dried as they are getting direct radiant heat from the stove and I have measured them in the high 90s* with the IR gun. Sounds like your set up should be just fine as long as there are no wet walls or water backing up anywhere. Basements can be finiky, and my Dad always told me to "build on a hill" and I usually listened to him. However, there were moments... Eric nailed with the dry spell.
I only bring wood inside about 20 seconds before it goes in the stove....unless I'm going out of town for the night and.need to set my wife up. I keep 1/2 a cord on the enclosed porch though. Keeps the bugs frozen
Two years seasoned, you could move it anytime I think. I'd bet it's plenty seasoned unless it's Red Oak. With the de-humidifier I think that'll be some primo firewood. Nicely planned & welcome to FHC!
I have a Garn boiler that's above grade and about 50' from the house. From what I have read about Garn's, they love supper dry wood. I wish I had started cutting wood 3 years ago, but it did not happen. I so badly want to fire it up for the first time. I know what you mean about building on a hill. I built on a little hill and have dual 75' runs of 4" pipe that runs out the back of my house to drain the water from around my foundation. I don't have to play the sump pump game like a lot of people play. I kinda wish I would be able to do a basement bathroom some times, but I can live with out one.
If I understand correctly, the boiler room is above grade and seperate from the house? Go ahead and load it up. This will also free up room under the carport for you to work on the following years wood. 3 year plan is optimum for a steady supply of nicely seasoned wood. And welcome to FHC!
I usually store some near the house and bring it in as needed in a log carrier or fill a tote. Don't like the idea of any wood being in the house for an extended time. If I were you I'd wait til Sept/Oct. And after a dry spell if possible. Welcome to the FHC gravelroad Some great folks on here with knowledge and humor!
Primer on Woodburning by Backwoods Savage I'm another one who is not fond of bringing wood inside until you are ready to burn it. Bugs and millers are the reason for that. But if you have to, then if it were me I'd stack it inside sometime in October.
It will not be in a house. I built a cinder block building about 50' from the house that has my Garn and for storing wood. It's made of block so bugs are not as much of an issue. I'm with you on not bringing wood into a house. As a kid we would keep about 2 cords in the basement during the heating season.
I keep a rack two steps away through an exterior door, that opens from the room where the woodstove is. It's an 8-foot rack, 1/3 a cord.
Welcome FHC gravelroad !! I avoid bringing into the house as well unless it will be going into the stove soon thereafter, way to many bugs especially termites around my way. I have a nice covered outdoor porch that I stack about a half of cord on for easily loading in the AM. Just out back on my patio I have a wood shed that holds about 1 1/2 cords that is already full and ready for winter. I'll move some dry cherry and pine I have on the porch probably in Sept early Oct they will make nice for getting stove back up to temp early in the AM.
Welcome aboard gravelroad . Burner outside in it's own room, dehumidified, fans, and radiant heat........move it in there now. Heck, if it's got all that, make it a man-cave with a recliner, mini-fridge, etc.
Welcome. Getting a lot of good advice. Just so ya know, we like dogs, beer and pics, a bunch of pics. Show us your building.
