Never heated with wood before- firepace, green wood?

[DieselTech]

Hey all. I apologize for the stupid questions I'm about to ask, but my wife and I are just entering our first winter in our new home with a fireplace. Aside from my grandfather's workshop when I was a kid, I've never needed to burn wood for heat. I guess we dont 'need' to now, but we want to.

My first question pertains to what we can burn. Recently, a live sugar maple fell on a fence out in the pasture. I cut that into firewood lengths, but still need to split it. We also have a large oak that I have to cut down, which will also be cut into firewood lengths. I also cut down a standing dead oak. I'm assuming I can cut and slit the standing dead oak into firewood and burn it without any issues, but should I cut and split the live oak and maple, then let it season for a year or so, or can we go ahead and split it then burn it this year? I dont mind letting it season if we really need to, but I hate to pay 150.00 for a cord of wood when I'm cutting and splitting at least a cord myself.

Secondly, I need some information of actually burning wood for heat. We tried it for the first time tonight, with some seasoned hardwood. Our fireplace is just a basic stone fireplace, and we burned with the flue and fireplace doors wide open. Not surprisingly, once you got more than a few feet from it you couldnt tell that it was even burning. Aside from getting the blower fan wired up, can I do anything to make it more efficient? We also have a woodstove in the dining room that sits out in the open, about two feet from the chimney that it pipes into. We havent tried burning in it yet- we're hoping it will produce better results, but we really dont know what we might need to do to achieve success.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Ianab]

Not surprisingly, once you got more than a few feet from it you couldnt tell that it was even burning. Aside from getting the blower fan wired up, can I do anything to make it more efficient?

Best option is to get a proper firebox insert that can be mounted in the original fireplace. Much more efficient burning, much less draught up the chimney and generally more heat from the same wood. Then air circulates all around the steel firebox and the warm air circulates out into the room.

Your standalone wood stove will probably do better, at least it radiates heat from all sides and with nice dry wood they will heat a room pretty well.

There are a few woods you can actually burn green from the tree, but you will use twice as much wood for the same heat But generally hardwoods will want at least 12 months drying.

should I cut and split the live oak and maple, then let it season for a year

Yes.

I suggest you buy in a decent load of DRY wood for this winter and start cutting/splitting your own for next year. The dead standing tree MIGHT be dry. Easy way to find out, try and burn some

Cheers

Ian

 

[carvinmark]

Great answers to your questions, all I can add is that you might run a portable fan behind the wood burner to help warm more of your home.

 

[mga]

Secondly, I need some information of actually burning wood for heat. We tried it for the first time tonight, with some seasoned hardwood. Our fireplace is just a basic stone fireplace, and we burned with the flue and fireplace doors wide open. Not surprisingly, once you got more than a few feet from it you couldnt tell that it was even burning. Aside from getting the blower fan wired up, can I do anything to make it more efficient?

since this fireplace has a blower on it, there must be a metal box on the inside? if so, with some air-tight glass doors, you can have an efficient fireplace that produces some nice heat.

there are several items out there that can be added to a regular fireplace to make it more efficient. i've been using something similar to this, altho this particular one is rather expensive, they throw a ton of heat:

http://www.woodlanddirect.com/Firep...Heaters-Blowers/Cozy-Grate-Fireplace-Heater_2

add this to air tight glass doors, and you have one hell of a fire place.

We also have a woodstove in the dining room that sits out in the open, about two feet from the chimney that it pipes into. We havent tried burning in it yet- we're hoping it will produce better results, but we really dont know what we might need to do to achieve success.

fire it up!!! make sure everything checks out OK and you'll be surprised at the amount of heat they produce.

 

[DieselTech]

Thanks y'all. I'm going to start looking for some wood on Monday.

I may not be describing the fireplace right. It's got two metal doors with a seal, and says "Buck Stove" on it. After doing some research I believe it's an 'insert', but I havent been able to find anything on Buck Stoves. Is anyone familiar with them?