How To Choose and Season Firewood ng and drying firewood.

Effective do-it-yourself tips for choosi

There are several reasons for choosing wood heat over the few available alternat ives. Not the least of these reasons is economy. In New England where I live, fo r instance, 11.4 per kilowatt electric rates can give your mortgage a run for it s money if you re unfortunate enough to have electric heat. Wood burning boasts ad vantages other fuels can t mimic: an evenness, quietness, and aesthetic appeal tru ly unique to wood. There are many who relish the rituals of self sufficiency inv olved with getting in their own wood. That s not to say that more is necessarily b etter. No matter how much you admire the sight of a cut and split stack drying i n the autumn air, you owe it to yourself to get by with as short a stack as is p rudent for the winter in your locale. Here, then, are five strategies for milkin g the most (BRITISH THERMAL UNITS ARE A MEASURE OF HEAT RELEASED BY THE FIREWOOD WHEN BURNT) Btu s out of every stick you burn.

"Green wood contains up to 80% moisture by weigh t" Green wood contains up to 80% moisture by weight, and doesn t always season proper ly due to improper storage. Also, seasoned wood will not always stay that way if improperly stored. That being said, to properly season your firewood, remove the bark, when possible, as this will speed up the drying/seasoning process and red uces the woods ability to re-absorb moisture. Note: Pitchy woods, such as Douglas Fir, needs more time to season before it is dry enough to burn properly. Firewood Drying Time

The firewood drying process takes anywhere from 9 to 12 months depending upon the species of wood, the amount of airflow, and the humidity and temperature of the storage area. As moisture evaporates from the wood, air circulation is necessar y to carry it away.

"Unseasoned wood can use of the heat it produces just to boil off the mo isture and keep the fire burning."

Many people burn wood as a source of heat for their homes. Many more are conside ring doing the same. I d like to talk to you about two common problems you may fac e when selecting and seasoning firewood. One problem is how to choose the best firewood. Many people buy the cheapest wood available, and that s understandable in these ec onomic times. But in doing so, you may be sending your hard earned cash up the f ireplace chimney in a puff of smoke. The other problem is how to properly store firewood and dry (also known as ing ) firewood. season

The solutions to those problems in just a minute, but first a bit about how airt ight wood stoves extract heat from wood and the problems associated with burning green unseasoned firewood.

"How does a wood stove extract heat from firewood?" The primary source of heat from a wood stove is from the combustion of the wood. The secondary source of heat is from the combustion of the gasified resins and unburned wood particles that result from the primary fire. This all occurs effic iently, providing you re using dry seasoned firewood. When you use unseasoned, wet wood in your stove, the water contained in the wood heats up and turns to steam. Unseasoned wood can use of the heat it produces ju st to boil off the moisture and keep the fire burning. This production of steam will cut your heat output by up to 50%. Burning unseasoned wood results in cool waterladen smoke, filled with unburned particles and exhaust gases. All bad. You see, this wet, heavy, high-density smoke travels very slowly up the chimney, where it cools even further, condensing onto the inside walls of the chimney an d causing excessive creosote formation. Also bad. Therefore, unseasoned wood produces less heat, creates more creosote, and increa ses the likelihood of a chimney fire. Solution: to get the most energy efficient heat for your money and efforts, star t by using high density dry seasoned firewood. Doing so is like upgrading your c lothes dryer to a high efficiency model, it uses less gas or electricity to prod uce the same heat.

"six months of normal storage" Wood for burning in a wood stove must be "dry" to burn with maximum efficiency. "Dry" means the wood must be aged, so it is not "green," and also not "wet" from rainwater. When a tree is cut down, the wood is "green," or saturated with wat er through the normal capillary action needed to keep the tree alive. Depending upon the exact tree specie, it can take well over six months of normal storage f or the wood to "season" and no longer be "green."

"Firewood should be stacked off the grou nd so air can pass beneath it" Firewood should be stacked off the ground so air can pass beneath it, or the bot tom layers will stay wet and moldy. It is relatively simple to lay down long, st raight branches, and stack the wood on them -- just be sure the branches (or old 2 x 4's, whatever is available) are parallel to the stack and near the outer si des of each row or rick...in other words, about 15 inches apart. That way the st acks will still be stable. The entire stack of firewood may then be covered with a tarp to keep it dry. Lashing a tarp over a stack of firewood does not work well, as wind will enter somewhere and tear at the tarp. Weights tied to the grommets on the tarp work va stly better.

"For best results, air-dry firewood for at least six to eight months after cutti ng. This should bring the moisture content down to 15 to 20% by weight" Firewood preparation Firewood should be dried as much as possible before burning. Properly seasoned f irewood has about 7,700 BTU maximum usable energy per pound versus only about 5, 000 BTU available from green firewood. For best results, season or air-dry firew ood for at least six to eight months after cutting. This should bring the moistu re content down to 15 to 20% by weight. The best time to cut firewood is during the winter or early spring before the sap runs. If the tree is felled when fully

leafed out, let it lie until leaves have become crisp to allow leaves to draw o ut as much moisture as possible from the tree before further cutting. Drying time is greatly reduced if wood is cut into firewood length and split, es pecially pieces larger than 8 inches in diameter. Splitting is easiest when fire wood is frozen or green and should be done before firewood is stacked. Firewood must be properly stacked for satisfactory drying. The greater the surface area e xposed to air, the more rapid the drying. Therefore, stack wood loosely and keep it off moist ground. The stack should be located in an open area for good air c irculation-avoid stacking in firewood lots for seasoning. Store firewood outdoors, under partial or full protection from the elements, and no closer than 25 feet from the house. Keep area around firewood clear of weeds , leaves, debris, etc., to discourage rodents, snakes, insects, and other unwant ed pests from making their home in the stacked firewood. Avoid storing large qua ntities in the house, warm garage or basement because the heat will activate ins ect and fungi or spore activity and bring about hatching of any insect eggs in o r on the firewood. Building a better fire Before lighting a fire, make sure the thermostat is turned down so air heated by the central furnace will not go up the chimney. The easiest and best fire for e ither a stove or fireplace is achieved with a mixture of softwoods for easy igni ting with hardwoods for longer burning and good coaling qualities. A cardinal ru le of fireplace management is to keep a thick bed for glowing coals that drop th rough. The coals yield a steady heat and aid in igniting fresh fuel as it is add ed. Keep the fire burning by adding small amounts of firewood at regular interva ls. A small, hot fire is much better than a large, roaring blaze because it burn s more completely and produces less creosote. Wet, green wood, or highly resinous firewood should not be burned because of the large amounts of wood tars, creosote and wood extractives given off which can c oat chimney flues and cause serious chimney fires if ignited.

"This explains why it is so difficult to burn freshly cut trees" It is also useful to note how these concepts apply to un-seasoned (green) wood f uel. If only seasoned a short time, 50% moisture is a realistic figure. Then a t wo-pound piece has one pound of wood fibers (worth 8660 Btu). There will be 1.54 pounds of water to vaporize and heat up (taking away 2200 Btu). The two-pound p iece has a net available energy content of 6460 Btu or 3230 Btu/pound. This is o nly HALF of the available energy present when burning seasoned wood. Green wood consumes the bulk of its energy just to keep itself going, and is obviously subj ect to easily going out. A freshly cut tree has even higher moisture content, often above 60%. Similar ca lculations show that this fresh wood has only 2000 Btu/pound of energy available

. This explains why it is so difficult to burn freshly cut trees.

... Drying time is greatly reduced if wood is cut into firewood length an d split, especially pieces larger than 8 inches in diameter. ...

Store firewood outdoors, under partial or full protection from the elements, and no closer than 25 feet from the house. Keep area around firewood clear of weeds , leaves, debris, etc., to discourage rodents, snakes, insects, and other unwant ed pests from making their home in the stacked firewood. Avoid storing large qua ntities in the house, warm garage or basement because the heat will activate ins ect and fungi or spore activity and bring about hatching of any insect eggs in o r on the firewood.

Building a better fire Before lighting a fire, make sure the thermostat is turned down so air heated by the central furnace will not go up the chimney. The easiest and best fire for e ither a stove or fireplace is achieved with a mixture of softwoods for easy igni ting with hardwoods for longer burning and good coaling qualities. A cardinal ru le of fireplace management is to keep a thick bed for glowing coals that drop th rough. The coals yield a steady heat and aid in igniting fresh fuel as it is add ed. Keep the fire burning by adding small amounts of firewood at regular interva ls. A small, hot fire is much better than a large, roaring blaze because it burn s more completely and produces less creosote.

Precautions Coal should never be burned in a stove or heater designed for wood. Artificial o r manufactured logs, which are composites of sawdust, chips, colorful chemicals, starch binders and wax should be burned only in open brick fireplaces. The wax burns at too hot a temperature for metal stoves and chimneys. When using manufac tured logs in fireplaces, never crumble the burning log with tongs or poker. Avo id using firewood salvaged from poles, posts, and lumber that has been treated w ith wood preservatives such as creosote or pentachlorophenol. These chemical com pounds may vaporize upon combustion and cause respiratory problems for those bre athing the fumes.

Cut Ahead and Burn Dry Green wood contains up to 50 percent of its weight in water. The first stage of combustion involves bringing this mass of water up to its vaporization point. Th e energy expended in doing this does not heat your home. And, while steam heat h as its place, that place is definitely not in your woodstove. Worse yet, green w ood gives off far more creosote than seasoned fuel, which further robs a stove a nd chimney of efficiency. On top of that, creosote produces the hazard of chimne y fires, which have laid many a home to ash. Therefore, by cutting firewood a fu ll year or more in advance, you theoretically could halve the amount of wood req uired to heat your home. Buying or cutting two years worth of fuel may take some up front money and discipline, but it s an investment that pays for itself quickl y in dollars, effort, and safety

Keep It Dry As obvious as it may seem, let me emphasize that wood cannot dry out beneath a m antle of snow, under a tight fitting tarp, nor pressed three inches into the mud and grass. Many businesses discard used pallets; these can serve as excellent p latforms to get each and every precious stick up off the ground where it can dry . Keep stacks of wood separated so that air can flow easily through them. Avoid the temptation to pile row after row end to end, because the wood in the center will not have enough circulation to dry properly. If you have much choice as to where to place a stack, orient it with sun light and prevailing winds working to your advantage. Likewise, avoid if possible over hanging eaves, trees, and stru ctures that can funnel rain onto your fuel. If the stack is against a wall, prov ide shelter from the dripping roof. Better still, build a woodshed. It would pro bably take less effort than chasing your windblown tarps after every gale. Here s a money saving tip for those who do rely on tarps to protect their woodpile fro m the elements: use old ragged tarps to cover the newer ones and thus shield the m from destructive ultraviolet light. Of course, the best strategy for those who enjoy plenty of room is to get all wood indoors before the rain and snow starts to fly. An attached garage or a basement not only spares the seasoned wood from the elements but spares you those midnight trips outdoors in your nightclothes and galoshes, all the time allowing your firewood to continue drying throughout the winter.

Burn Efficiently Another great energy saving potential lies in upgrading your stove. While the in itial outlay is high, you can be certain that the payback from increased efficie ncy will be seen within a reasonable time. As of 1994 the EPA has required that all woodstoves sold in this country meet emission control standards. The way mos t stove manufacturers have complied is through the use of catalytic converters, similar to those in a car. But unlike those in automobiles, catalytic converters in stoves make them run more efficiently, as well as discharge fewer pollutants into the atmosphere. A new woodstove with a catalytic converter is rated at nea rly 76 percent efficiency. Other stove makers rely on high tech designs that are s pecially insulated and engineered to use airflow and secondary combustion to bri ng efficiency up and particulate emissions down. These burners typically are com pact and not quite the performers that catalytic stoves are, but they re not as ex pensive, either. Compare the efficiency of the new models with your current stov e and decide whether it s worth the expense of upgrading. If you re now using a home built variation of the barrel stove, for example, as much as 75 percent of your fuel could be going up and out of your chimney as dirt and heat. Another robber of fireplace efficiency is a clogging accumulation of ash. On the next warm day , let the fire burn out so you can remove those built up ashes. Also keep in min d that a small vigorous fire is more efficient than a large smoldering one, both in terms of heat output and creosote production.

Keep the Heat In Naturally, a well insulated home requires less fuel than a poorly insulated one. There is much you can do to control this form of heat loss even after the home is built. You could hire an energy auditor with gadgets galore to come tell you where you are losing heat, or you can try the barefoot test: the next time a col d wind is blowing, take a stroll barefoot around the perimeter of your interior. Your cold feet can provide a valuable input on where heat is escaping.The remed ies are beyond the scope of this particular article, but a local hardware store can counsel you on what can be done at what price. It may be as simple as stuffi ng loose insulation in your attic or as involved as replacing your windows with insulated casements. In any event, try to convert the anticipated cost into cord s of wood over the lifespan of the improvement. If you re trying to talk yourself into a given project, factor in convenience and comfort. If not, leave it on a d ollars and cents basis. Burn the Best Another way to get the most out of your wood is to be a snob; all trees are not created equal. Go for as good a grade of fuel as possible. Assuming 90 cubic fee t of solid wood per cord (and remembering that an actual 128 cubic foot cord has lots of air space in it), dry hickory has 24.8 million Btu of energy compared t o a tepid 13 .5 million for dry fir. A neighbor once observed that burning popla r in the old days usually resulted in pregnancy, referring, of course, to another popular method of keeping warm on a winter s night. Nonetheless, his point about p oplar being a poor choice heatwise was valid: given the limited amount of time I had to spend on gathering and processing wood, and the limited amount of storag e space, the free poplar I was splitting was no bargain. Ask various wood supplier s what kinds of wood they offer (see the heat comparison chart) and in what prop ortion. Insist on a standard unit of measurement. Face cords, ricks, racks, and tons are all in use, but for comparison use true 4 x 4 x 8 ( 128 cubic foot) cords. Determine what is meant by seasoned. The dealer may mean a single season (i.e., o ne winter; not much drying time there) or a full year, which is a decent period for split wood to cure to its full potential. Also, consider the characteristics of the wood in regard to cutting and splitting. The same neighbor with his popl ar observation claimed that a cord of elm would last half a lifetime. By then, h e maintained, you d have given up on ever getting it split. These recommendations are not speculative. In the nine winters we have spent in our home, we have pare d down our wood usage from a whopping 6.5 cords to precisely 4. The mess stays d own in the basement, and the house is much more comfortable than it was in the o ld days. The benefits are tangible and real . . . in dollars, comfort, trips to the chiropractor, and wear and tear on the saw. And best of all, our savings no longer leave the house via the chimney.