firewood question..

[brin]

For over 30 yrs. we have used whatever wood we had in our fireplace, pine , poplar, oak , hickory and have had no problems...chimney is clean as can be..wood is wood and there are many miths out there....urban ledgends or country ledgends..burn your poplar and enjoy it. By the way Hickory is my favorite wood to burn...can't beat the smell.

 

[Egon]

[..wood is wood and there are many miths out there....urban ledgends or country ledgends./QUOTE]

What! Are you kidding us?

 

[brin]

[..wood is wood and there are many miths out there....urban ledgends or country ledgends./QUOTE]

What! Are you kidding us?

No Egon I am not kidding..I don't kid ....There has been a persistent legend that burning pine or any soft wood causes creosote build up in chimneys...I am here to tell you it is not true. If you know how to build a fire then your fire will burn hot and clean. If you are trying to burn damp or green wood then you will have a problem. There are many myths out there..if you want to believe them go right ahead.

 

[charlz]

I use Poplar my shop at times (grows like a weed around here). I like it because it's almost always a 'cold stove' deal and it heats up real fast. This year I got a cord of hardwood and it takes much longer to get up to temp... but once hardwood gets a bed of coals going it will run me right out of the shop if I am not careful and put too much in there

 

[brin]

I agree charlz I had a wood stove in my shop and same thing with me..it will run you out of there, amazing how the shop can be so cold and then so hot..LOL - Just have to know how to establish the coals and burn a hot fire..

 

[Egon]

[No Egon I am not kidding..I don't kid ..../QUOTE]

Bob; that was a tongue in cheek statement. Most of my life was spent in an area where only poplar, pine or spruce was available as firewood.

The pine and creosote always make me grin. I just love watching the bursts of flame from the pitch as pine burns.

 

[Lloyd_E]

Yup. I agree with Brin.

I burn anything... ash, oak, poplar, spruce, pine, hackmatack/juniper etc. I make sure it is dry. At least 12 to 24 months. I also clean my SS chimney twice a year. I watch the temp gauge on the stove as well.

Safe burning and happy new year....

Only difference between soft and hard wood is how many trips you make to the stove!!!

Lloyd

PS: remember - burning wood leaves no carbon foot print = carbon neutral.

 

[dave1949]

For over 30 yrs. we have used whatever wood we had in our fireplace, pine , poplar, oak , hickory and have had no problems...chimney is clean as can be..wood is wood and there are many miths out there....urban ledgends or country ledgends..burn your poplar and enjoy it. By the way Hickory is my favorite wood to burn...can't beat the smell.

Could be a difference between an open fireplace and an air-tight stove in creosote formation. I am pretty sure most people don't give their air-tights enough air and put in too much wood at once.

I think the best way to get overnight heat from a stove is to build up a deep bed of coals during the evening, then add just a couple sticks before bedtime. I hear people say they load up their stoves with wood for overnight. They have to shut down the air or it would overheat, that is a mistake in IMHO. It's that situation that creates creosote.

Never tried burning softwoods, so I have no data on that.
Dave.

 

[Egon]

I hear people say they load up their stoves with wood for overnight. They have to shut down the air or it would overheat, that is a mistake in IMHO. It's that situation that creates creosote.

I'll agree with you on that. Creosote is formed from unburned gasses which condense out on the chimney walls. Or, in other words, incomplete combustion of the wood.

The soft woods will do the same thing and coal will also do the same.

 

[jimmyj]

Sometimes I load up with "all nighters" and turn the air down on the stove even though I know it is not ideal for creosote. But, our wood is really seasoned and I but the stove hot all day. I clean the chimney a couple of times a year (SSteel) and feel like a fool doing it because it's always as clean as a whistle.

There is nothing like the smell of burning wood though, sweet and smooth.