Burning unseasoned wood

[Cantrellc123]

I'm set up with storage area so that I cut my firewood 2 seasons before I burn it. I've begun cutting downed trees on the farm. What I normally do is cut the tree top limbs to length and load into the pickup. Then load the logs onto a trailer and carry them home to be cut,split,and stack at my leisure. I'll normally burn the limb wood and any irregulars as i bring them in.With this being my 3rd season to heat with an OWB it seems I'm still learning as I've noticed I'm getting longer burn times by mixing in some green/unseasoned wood, 50/50 approx.

Does anybody else do this on a constant basis to increase burn time and/or decrease wood consumption?

Where I sit in my recliner I can see my OWB and I'm not noticing a more dirty burn with the unseasoned wood mixed in. I will see a good amount of steam coming out by the way, which is to be expected.

 

[flyboy553]

Your getting a longer burn time because the fire has to burn the moisture out of the wood before it can burn the wood. Of course this takes longer so you end up with a longer burn. Your also getting a cooler burn, therefore using more wood than you would really need if you were to burn only dry wood.

Ted

 

[peakbagger]

Yup, Bone dry wood is nominally 7 to 8 K buts per pound, wet wood can be down in the 4 K range and it barely will burn enough to cover the amount of energy required to vaporize the water in the wood. You cant get to bone dry by air drying but the dryer the better. The trade off with OWB's is that many folks want to load them and forget them so they don't mind a wet burn as it extends the time between reloads. They end up using more wood but its more convenient

 

[branchbuzzer]

If I were you I'd eliminate the wood altogether and just use water alone.

Might get a bit nippy inside the house, but the burn time will be even longer.... Do you see where we are goin with this? C'mon, you know water doesn't burn right?

Where I sit in my recliner.......

Aha!!! LLLLLLLLLLLLLazy eh? : )

 

[Cheesecutter]

Where I sit in my recliner I can see my OWB and I'm not noticing a more dirty burn with the unseasoned wood mixed in. I will see a good amount of steam coming out by the way, which is to be expected.

I can honestly say I have never seen steam come out of mine.

 

[rmotoman]

I can honestly say I have never seen steam come out of mine.

Yeah but if you listen you can hear the wood hiss as it burns. I've burned green wood it always gives the hiss.

 

[Cantrellc123]

I can honestly say I have never seen steam come out of mine.

You know it's steam when it vanishes within 10' or so from the flue. Smoke is visible a 100 yards or so from the flue.

 

[Cantrellc123]

If I were you I'd eliminate the wood altogether and just use water alone.

Might get a bit nippy inside the house, but the burn time will be even longer.... Do you see where we are goin with this? C'mon, you know water doesn't burn right?



Aha!!! LLLLLLLLLLLLLazy eh? : )

Oh contrar, I forgot to mention that my OWB will extract the hydrogen from the water and burn that. The water soaked wood is just a means to provide a controlled release of the water.

 

[Cantrellc123]

Your getting a longer burn time because the fire has to burn the moisture out of the wood before it can burn the wood. Of course this takes longer so you end up with a longer burn. Your also getting a cooler burn, therefore using more wood than you would really need if you were to burn only dry wood.

Ted

That's my point, I seem to have wood left in the firebox in the morning vs a pile of coals. It seems as though I'm actually burning LESS wood in a 12 hour cycle when part of its unseasoned. I'll be paying closer attn in the next few months.

 

[Cheesecutter]

I'll have to check that out, I've never looked for it I guess.

 

[flotek]

Get a hot fire going and dump a pale of water on it and that's the same thing happening . You smoldering and only getting maybe half the heat of the units rating by using green wood plus it's an irresponsible way to burn because it smokes up the neighborhood and then it won't be long before burning bans in your area creep up . Using moisture to lengthen a burn has serious trade offs and often poor results

 

[aokpops]

I heard one time that burning green wood is like gas with water in it . I believe it .

 

[fuzz1500]

Unless its an emergency.....I would never burn unseasoned wood . I wouldnt like to season my wood for more than a year either in my neck of the woods. Lots of airflow all the time . Stuff gets too dry.....means more trips to the wood stove ! Sometimes things are done a certain way for a reason I have found

 

[Cantrellc123]

Unless its an emergency.....I would never burn unseasoned wood . I wouldnt like to season my wood for more than a year either in my neck of the woods. Lots of airflow all the time . Stuff gets too dry.....means more trips to the wood stove ! Sometimes things are done a certain way for a reason I have found

The one year of seasoning plan would seem like the best idea I've seen as it appears my wood may indeed be to dry. All I'd read before had me thinking 2 years of seasoning would be great. Now I'm not so sure.

 

[CTYank]

"Seasoned" has nothing to do with it. (I prefer basil & oregano, m'self.) Firewood is either air-dried, or no. Quantified by moisture percentage. Some woods (e.g. northern red oak) are close to half water (wet basis) when freshly cut. Good luck with that.

 

[Cantrellc123]

Get a hot fire going and dump a pale of water on it and that's the same thing happening . You smoldering and only getting maybe half the heat of the units rating by using green wood plus it's an irresponsible way to burn because it smokes up the neighborhood and then it won't be long before burning bans in your area creep up . Using moisture to lengthen a burn has serious trade offs and often poor results

I'll bet my house against a tent you'll not stick your hands in my firebox for more than a few seconds, 1 hour or 10 after I've loaded it. I'm sure that would be safe to do after your pouring water logic has ANY merit. As I said earlier I've got a clean burn so my only 2 neighbors within a mile of me won't notice I'm sure.

 

[Cantrellc123]

"Seasoned" has nothing to do with it. (I prefer basil & oregano, m'self.) Firewood is either air-dried, or no. Quantified by moisture percentage. Some woods (e.g. northern red oak) are close to half water (wet basis) when freshly cut. Good luck with that.

If you'd care to confirm my use of the word "seasoned" in the dictionary you'd see that I indeed used the word correctly.
It's much better to be silent and appear stupid than speak up and remove doubt.

 

[fuzz1500]

"Seasoned" has nothing to do with it. (I prefer basil & oregano, m'self.) Firewood is either air-dried, or no. Quantified by moisture percentage. Some woods (e.g. northern red oak) are close to half water (wet basis) when freshly cut. Good luck with that.

What the heck are you even talking about ?
K.I.S.S

 

[fuzz1500]

If you'd care to confirm my use of the word "seasoned" in the dictionary you'd see that I indeed used the word correctly.
It's much better to be silent and appear stupid than speak up and remove doubt.

I can agree with that !

 

[branchbuzzer]

I'll bet my house against a tent you'll not stick your hands in my firebox for more than a few seconds, 1 hour or 10 after I've loaded it. I'm sure that would be safe to do after your pouring water logic has ANY merit. As I said earlier I've got a clean burn so my only 2 neighbors within a mile of me won't notice I'm sure.

I probably wouldn't stick my hands in a pot of boiling water on my stove top either, but that doesn't mean I didn't use extra energy to get it that way from room temperature.

If all you care about is the length of your burn time, then just keep on doing what you're doing. We've tried to help you use your wood supply more efficiently, but if you think you've found some magical new method that flies in the face of science and common sense you are mistaken.