Genie82
Wood Stove Master - In Training
Hello! I have been reading several threads on this forum, and I think I have come to the right place for help! This is my first season using a wood stove as my primary source of heat. I was not prepared. We had assumed we would be using a kerosene heater as our primary, with the wood stove acting as a back-up/ambiance enhancement... Then we researched the price of kerosene. I know, I know... I'm a city girl living in the country for the first time, I am learning. BTW, I have loads of outdoor experience, but we always rough it - you know, burn what you find, cook on the fire. We have a propane stove for emergencies, but we never use it.
I digress (sorry, I'm a rambler). Anyway, when the kerosene ran dry, we bought some gas station bundles at a premium while I set to work finding a deal on cord wood. In December. In Southern Oregon. It's been a mild winter and wood is available, but it isn't particularly cheap. I did finally find some (quote)"seasoned"(unquote) madrone, split, delivered, and stacked for the price of the do-it-yourself stuff, which is nice because I don't have a truck or a saw (yet, working on it, folks!). And my guy works dawn to dusk, meaning I'd be stacking while attending to our YOUNG girls. Yeah.
I bet ya'll (who are still reading) want to know my point by now... Ok, ok. The wood. I can't tell how dry it is. I can't tell if it's burning correctly. I have read all that I can find on judging seasoned wood, but nothing is specific to madrone characteristics. Here's what I know about mine - it is all old growth dead fall, trees having been dead at least 18 months - some of this wood was split in June of '14 (7 months ago). It's dampish on the outside, but as I live in So. Oregon, EVERYTHING is dampish on the outside. The wood was left uncovered and properly stacked for seasoning.
I know the stuff from this year won't burn nearly as well as older seasoned wood - dead fall or not, but beggars/choosers. What I need to know is, how do I tell the well seasoned from the rest, and how should it burn? Being that the wood was dead fall and was split over half a year ago, will it be burnable now? I have two babies and pets in a REALLY OLD manufactured home, I can't risk a lot of creosote build-up. ALSO! I have maybe an 1/8 of a cord of some Douglas fir post cuttings from a lumber yard - seasoned and untreated - they burn quite well, but fast. I know I can use those as starters, but can I also use them periodically to burn a HOT fire for creosote clean out?
Finally - and laugh if you must - if I bring a few days worth of wood indoors to dry out before I need it, will I be dealing with a lot of uninvited guests (bugs)? I know madrone doesn't have a lot of bark, but this wood is dead from a fungus spread in the Siskiyous... And I'm pretty sure I see beetle tunnels on a few pieces. I generally dislike creepy-crawlies, but my three year old completely loses her mind over them. Believe me, this is one little girl you want to avoid that situation with!
I really would love any and all advice ya'll can offer regarding wood stove heating. There's no such thing as too much learning! Thank you in advance, and for suffering through my endless diatribe!
I digress (sorry, I'm a rambler). Anyway, when the kerosene ran dry, we bought some gas station bundles at a premium while I set to work finding a deal on cord wood. In December. In Southern Oregon. It's been a mild winter and wood is available, but it isn't particularly cheap. I did finally find some (quote)"seasoned"(unquote) madrone, split, delivered, and stacked for the price of the do-it-yourself stuff, which is nice because I don't have a truck or a saw (yet, working on it, folks!). And my guy works dawn to dusk, meaning I'd be stacking while attending to our YOUNG girls. Yeah.
I bet ya'll (who are still reading) want to know my point by now... Ok, ok. The wood. I can't tell how dry it is. I can't tell if it's burning correctly. I have read all that I can find on judging seasoned wood, but nothing is specific to madrone characteristics. Here's what I know about mine - it is all old growth dead fall, trees having been dead at least 18 months - some of this wood was split in June of '14 (7 months ago). It's dampish on the outside, but as I live in So. Oregon, EVERYTHING is dampish on the outside. The wood was left uncovered and properly stacked for seasoning.
I know the stuff from this year won't burn nearly as well as older seasoned wood - dead fall or not, but beggars/choosers. What I need to know is, how do I tell the well seasoned from the rest, and how should it burn? Being that the wood was dead fall and was split over half a year ago, will it be burnable now? I have two babies and pets in a REALLY OLD manufactured home, I can't risk a lot of creosote build-up. ALSO! I have maybe an 1/8 of a cord of some Douglas fir post cuttings from a lumber yard - seasoned and untreated - they burn quite well, but fast. I know I can use those as starters, but can I also use them periodically to burn a HOT fire for creosote clean out?
Finally - and laugh if you must - if I bring a few days worth of wood indoors to dry out before I need it, will I be dealing with a lot of uninvited guests (bugs)? I know madrone doesn't have a lot of bark, but this wood is dead from a fungus spread in the Siskiyous... And I'm pretty sure I see beetle tunnels on a few pieces. I generally dislike creepy-crawlies, but my three year old completely loses her mind over them. Believe me, this is one little girl you want to avoid that situation with!
I really would love any and all advice ya'll can offer regarding wood stove heating. There's no such thing as too much learning! Thank you in advance, and for suffering through my endless diatribe!