On the Humorous side

How to measure a cord of wood

Splitting and Stacking Firewood

Splitting and stacking firewood:

Splitting logs speeds up the drying. The key to seasoned wood is that it has been split. Splitting exposes the wet interior and increases the surface area of each piece that is to be air-dried or seasoned.

Stack split wood or small round logs to allow air circulation and leave it under cover for 10 to 12 months, if possible. This will provide the best heat yield from the wood when it is ready to use.

Remember, refueling with wood that has moisture on it or in it, will create damp smoke that shuts the combustor down once the bypass has been closed.

Storage:It isn’t necessary to store wood in a garage because a simple covering will suffice. The idea is to keep the moisture off the wood while drying to allow proper ventilation.

Store the wood away from the house, as it can become a home for insects.

Selecting the right type of wood to burn

Hardwoods or Softwoods?

Softwoods like fir, spruce, and pine are less expensive than hardwoods. Softwoods are easier to ignite and burn rapidly with a hot flame.
If you want a quick-warming fire that will burn quickly, softwoods are your best choice. However, if you’re a serious wood burner using a catalytic wood burning stove, hardwoods are the best choice.
Hardwoods such as oak and birch provide a longer-lasting fire with a shorter flame.
A mixture of softwoods and hardwoods can be used for easy starts and long lasting burns.
All woods should be season dried before burning in order to provide the cheapest, cleanest, and safest fire.

Note: Never burn rubbish, chemically treated wood such as discarded railroad ties, utility poles, and old yard fences. All emit poisonous fumes and could add to those materials that collect in the chimney, increasing the possibility of a chimney fire.

Note: Never burn coal in your catalytic stove. Never burn artificial or manufactured logs, which are composites of sawdust, chips, colorful chemicals, starch binders, and wax.
They might do harm to the catalytic combustor.
“Burn only season dried wood”

So why buy a catalytic wood burning stove?

An EPA Phase II catalytic wood burning stove delivers 72% or better heating efficiency. This means that 72% of the energy available in wood is delivered into the surrounding living area.
In addition to the 72% heating efficiency, the catalytic wood burning stoves of today:

1. Reduce air pollution by up to 90%.

2. Reduce creosote build-up. (Up to 90% reduction)

3. Generate up to 50% more useful heat from each log.

4. Generate longer burns per load.

5. Saves the consumer up to 1/3 on fuel cost. (One less cord out of every 3)

What is an EPA certified Wood Stove?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires manufacturers of wood stoves to produce clean-burning wood stoves. New wood stoves (those built after July 1, 1988) cannot produce smoke-related pollutants beyond certain limits. New wood stoves must be affixed with the following two labels:

A temporary label with information on the compliance status of the model, the particulate matter emission rate, overall thermal efficiency, heat output range, and possibly the overall efficiency of the model.

A permanent label with the month and year the wood stove was manufactured, model name or number, and serial number. If the wood stove is equipped with catalytic combustors, the permanent label also should indicate the catalytic combustor's inspection and maintenance needs. If you own a wood stove, do not remove this label. If you are looking to purchase a wood stove, check to make sure this label has not been removed.

Common causes for poor draft

Several things can cause poor draft:

1. Top of the chimney is too low, not extending above the top of the pitched roof or surrounding trees.

2. Dirt, creosote or soot lodged in corners or along the flue walls.

3. Loose mortar or cracks in the brick-work cause draft leaks.

4. Spaces between liner tiles.

5. Dislodged bricks or tile wedged in the chimney.

6. Connecting stove pipe projects too far into the chimney.

7. Chimney clean-out door too loose.

8. Leaks around chimney connector pipe.