Actual cost of firewood

[2ndhalf]

There is a major misconception about creosote and what causes it...
Hardwood can cause creosote buildup just the same as pine...I know people that have only burned oak and had a flue fire because of creosote...

It is all about moisture content...a live tree cut and split can (depending on ambient temp.and humidity) take over a year to get an internal MC of 15%.
Trees that were downed or dead standing will be different depending...

Green or wet wood will burn but the moisture is going to be released as vapor along with carbon elements and will condense as creosote as it cools...

Moisture meters will not give accurate readings on a typical split etc...a partially seasoned split may read 15% or less on a meter but toss it on a fire and watch as the outer 1/3 burns like seasoned wood should but then it just starts to smolder...

Yes, agree they all can and will build up and at times may catch fire... seen many chimney fires and we seldom burned pine. But we did burn some and especially to get a fire started.

This is a good link that has some good info.

Burning Pine in an Indoor Wood Stove | Home Guides | SF Gate

 

[4570Man]

There is a major misconception about creosote and what causes it...
Hardwood can cause creosote buildup just the same as pine...I know people that have only burned oak and had a flue fire because of creosote...

It is all about moisture content...a live tree cut and split can (depending on ambient temp.and humidity) take over a year to get an internal MC of 15%.
Trees that were downed or dead standing will be different depending...

Green or wet wood will burn but the moisture is going to be released as vapor along with carbon elements and will condense as creosote as it cools...

Moisture meters will not give accurate readings on a typical split etc...a partially seasoned split may read 15% or less on a meter but toss it on a fire and watch as the outer 1/3 burns like seasoned wood should but then it just starts to smolder...

The outside is the driest part. You need to split a piece in half and measure the fresh split edge to get an accurate measurement.

 

[s219]

There is a major misconception about creosote and what causes it...
Hardwood can cause creosote buildup just the same as pine...I know people that have only burned oak and had a flue fire because of creosote...

It is all about moisture content...a live tree cut and split can (depending on ambient temp.and humidity) take over a year to get an internal MC of 15%.
Trees that were downed or dead standing will be different depending...

Green or wet wood will burn but the moisture is going to be released as vapor along with carbon elements and will condense as creosote as it cools...

Moisture meters will not give accurate readings on a typical split etc...a partially seasoned split may read 15% or less on a meter but toss it on a fire and watch as the outer 1/3 burns like seasoned wood should but then it just starts to smolder...

Agree 100%. I don't like pine because it has low BTUs, but if dried properly it doesn't make any more creosote than other woods of comparable moisture content. Creosote is all about moisture content, steam, and cooling down the smoke.

 

[4570Man]

Black pine is pretty decent wood. It’s as dense as soft maple or any similar wood. It has viscous pine cones though. White pine is pretty much useless and has a lot more sap. That’s about the only pine that grows here aside from decorative evergreen trees.

 

[ultrarunner]

Each year I would pick wood for the Christmas fire... it was a tradition and I became known for my Holiday fire before the burn bans.

The key was really dry hardwood... that was it.

I would place the selected wood in a warm/dry place for 8 to 9 months...

On the other side... I have lots of problems in rentals with fire places... just because it "Burns" doesn't mean you should burn it... subject for another thread.

 

[4570Man]

There’s plenty of people those of us that burn responsibly can thank when wood stoves are banned entirely. I like to think that it’ll be a ways out here, but those you in more blue states are running that direction. It doesn’t even matter if it’s hardwood. And in lumber terms really dry isn’t important either. Unless you leave live in the desert wood will never season without a roof and will never season un split.

 

[goeduck]

Agree 100%. I don't like pine because it has low BTUs, but if dried properly it doesn't make any more creosote than other woods of comparable moisture content. Creosote is all about moisture content, steam, and cooling down the smoke.

I try to burn my poorer wood in the shoulder months where I don’t need as much heat. I toss it to the side during the fall and winter and then burn it in late winter and spring.

 

[4570Man]

About 90 percent of of my firewood is oak. The rest is whatever I come across and white pine is the only one I toss on the brush pile. I burn the “softwoods” and irregular shaped pieces when I’m at home to put more on shortly after. I burn the straight oak piece when I’m going to bed or work. That’s just the general plan. I’m not a firewood police that gets bent out of shape if a softwood piece gets in my night load or a straight piece of oak gets burned when I’m home.

 

[ultrarunner]

I try to burn my poorer wood in the shoulder months where I don’t need as much heat. I toss it to the side during the fall and winter and then burn it in late winter and spring.

Are you burning mostly Fir?

 

[PILOON]

Well my neighbor just had a 'chimney fire'. He said that the wood was real dry but I know that it was all 'crap wood', like spruce or balsom.
Well he had so much creosote build up that the flue ignited and as a result the rafters caught fire and the damage is so extensive that I believe his house might be a total loss. All his exposed rafters are charred, the metal roofing was ripped up by the firefighters and the insulation totally soaked. Even the fireman's water ran down the walls and the siding is water bulged.
Naturally he never had the flue swept either.
The downside is as luck would have it the firefighters only took 20 mins to respond thus the building is still standing along with their carnage, (they love to chop and hack, don't they)
With winter totally set in and the fact that first thing they did was cut the hydro power his entire water system is now totally shot from plumbing to water tank and pumping system.
My comments to him was that hopefully the insurance would be able to declare it a total loss.
Sad as they really did a nice job to update a questionable DIY cottage.
(I know that cottage well as the previous owner asked me to do some additions which I refused to do as I honestly believed he would have thrown good $$ after a bad situation. (I could go on))

Moral is if you burn wood, know what you are doing. Sweep often or burn hot* but get rid of that creosote as it can cost you your house.

*occasional 'hot' can actually burn off creosote under controlled conditions. (been there done that LOL)