Firewood won't burn :(

[fishhuntcutwood]

I had a guy at work ask the same exact thing just the other day. Just remember the fire pyramid-fuel, oxygen, and heat. The wood is the fuel, so you're good to go there. But if you're not getting it hot enough, either with coals/embers or plenty of kindling and smaller pieces to start with it won't burn. Likewise, if you don't have sufficient airflow, not just TO the wood, but THROUGH the wood it won't burn. The fire needs to breath, so make sure plenty of air can get into the bottom of the wood pile. I don't mean just opening the doors. If you set the wood flat on the bottome of the stove, that's not enough air. It needs to be up on top of kindling, or a grate or built into a little lattice or something to get airflow through the pile. Without enough heat or oxygen, the wood will just sit there, smolder and go out.

And make sure you familiarize yourself with the basics of burning a fire-no wet wood, burn hot every so often to "clean" your chimney and keep creosote down, don't burn a slow, dirty fire all the time, again for creosote. I heat my house 100% with wood and I love it, but if you do it wrong you can get yourself in trouble really quickly.

Welcome to AS.

Jeff

 

[bytehoven]

I also have that "heatilator" design fireplace, with the electric fan option. It's a little loud when running but does a nice job once the box warms up.

My unit recommends keeping the glass doors closed, to reduce the excess airflow running up the chimney, which can cool the rest of the house by drawing in cold air from outside.

It feels like you are getting more heat when the doors are open, but this radiant heat doesn't overcome the increased airflow/draft in the rest of the house.

My fireplace manual had specific instructions about how to use the doors. The biggest no-no was having the doors positioned other than fully closed or fully open.

When trying to help heat the house, I keep the doors closed.

When letting the kids come into the room fresh out from their tubby time, I have the doors open because the radiant heats feels wonderful.

Wasn't it Benjamin Franklin who said "... a fire place is a wonderful thing"?

 

[MtnBikerChk]

And make sure you familiarize yourself with the basics of burning a fire-no wet wood, burn hot every so often to "clean" your chimney and keep creosote down, don't burn a slow, dirty fire all the time, again for creosote. I heat my house 100% with wood and I love it, but if you do it wrong you can get yourself in trouble really quickly.

Welcome to AS.

Jeff

are those csl logs a waste of money?

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

Here ya go, I thought I'd put some pics in for ya.

First, my "kindling." I don't waste time with tiny stuff. I'd only use branches and the such if you don't have any proper kindling around. I do use BONE dry cedar though. This stuff burns hot and fast.

Then I stack it. Some use a "teepee" or whatever. Just something to get air through the wood stack and let it flow and breathe. Like I said, putting the wood directly on the stove bottom won't work. So it's stacked, and stuffed with paper. White paper works, newspaper is awesome. Magazine paper doesn't work that well. This is it with a fraction of the paper I use. I left it out for the pics so you can see the stack. I put tons of paper in. I save my paper and cardboard all year long to burn throughout the winter.

I light it. Add cardboard to get the heat up, and let the wood catch. This is it full ablaze and warming up. Most of the flame you see is cardboard and paper.

Here it is within just a few minutes. The wood is hot, it's caught, and is burning on it's own now. My stove has either a door, or an open front. To get it started, I'll leave the door off so I can watch it, but once it's going, the door goes on to really put out the heat, and give me the control over it I need.

Dry wood, plenty of heat, coals, air. You're good to go.

Jeff

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

are those csl logs a waste of money?

I don't know if they're a waste, but you certainly don't want to solely depend on them to keep your chimney clean. I've never used them because I burn a proper fire and when I get up on my roof every couple of months, theres very little build up. In fact, I was up there last night, and it was almost clean after burning for the last two months. The build up that was there was just soot, and not actual creosote. It was more like powder than the tarry creosote.

Chimney fires are real, and it's nothing to climb up on my roof and check it out, run a chimney brush up and down a couple of times and sleep well that night.

Jeff

 

[MtnBikerChk]

I don't know if they're a waste, but you certainly don't want to solely depend on them to keep your chimney clean. I've never used them because I burn a proper fire and when I get up on my roof every couple of months, theres very little build up. In fact, I was up there last night, and it was almost clean after burning for the last two months. The build up that was there was just soot, and not actual creosote. It was more like powder than the tarry creosote.

Chimney fires are real, and it's nothing to climb up on my roof and check it out, run a chimney brush up and down a couple of times and sleep well that night.

Jeff

so tell me how to burn a proper fire - or linky?

cool - another toy to buy - my husband will be thrilled with me climbing in the roof!

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

so tell me how to burn a proper fire - or linky?

Hmm... I guess by proper, I just mean that I'll burn it hot initially, or at least hot a couple of times a day to keep my chimney warm and to bake out as much of any creosote that may have formed. And then afterwoord, I don't like to turn it all the way down where it's burning "cooler" and slower. Cool and slow equals dirty. Wet wood also equals dirty. Dirty means creosote. Creosote forms when you're burning wet wood and it's byproduct goes up the chimney, or even when perfectly good, dry smoke goes up and cools enough to condense before it gets all the way out. It condenses in your chimney and builds up. At least that's what I was taught. I've never formally looked it up, so I'm sure others here will have a definate answer for you. I'm sure there's stuff online you can look at, Google may have something for ya.

Alot of burning a stove it just getting to know how your particular stove burns for you and then using it accordingly. Of the stoves I've had, they've all burned differently and had different temperments.

 

[MtnBikerChk]

Hmm... I guess by proper, I just mean that I'll burn it hot initially, or at least hot a couple of times a day to keep my chimney warm and to bake out as much of any creosote that may have formed. And then afterwoord, I don't like to turn it all the way down where it's burning "cooler" and slower. Cool and slow equals dirty. Wet wood also equals dirty. Dirty means creosote. Creosote forms when you're burning wet wood and it's byproduct goes up the chimney, or even when perfectly good, dry smoke goes up and cools enough to condense before it gets all the way out. It condenses in your chimney and builds up. At least that's what I was taught. I've never formally looked it up, so I'm sure others here will have a definate answer for you. I'm sure there's stuff online you can look at, Google may have something for ya.

Alot of burning a stove it just getting to know how your particular stove burns for you and then using it accordingly. Of the stoves I've had, they've all burned differently and had different temperments.

thanks. I burn it HOT AS HELL (or not at all) LOL :biggrinbounce2:

 

[Firewood Guy USA]

Firewood Won't burn !!

we don't really have any kindling - we've been using "cheater logs" (duraflame firestart).

pics:
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c132/MtnBikerChk/IMG_5321.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c132/MtnBikerChk/IMG_5320.jpg

By looking at your photos, It looks like your firewood had been cut and split the same day of delivery. Due to it looks like its freshly cut and freshly split. The photos does not show any aging process like having a weathered look on the cut and split surfaces. The wood does show some punkyness. I would say the wood is from a dead standing tree or the log has been sitting around for quite some time, due to the photo's seems to show some loose bark. Seasoned firewood is usually logs that been processed (cut and split) and been aging for 3 to 9 months while in a finish product (cut and split) form. I guess every firewood dealer has a different version of what seasoned firewood is, but the consumer only has one version of what seasoned firewood is.

 

[manual]

Seasoned is seasoned

I have a hard time understanding people telling me it takes three to what six mounths to season wood. Sure maybe Green wood.
Whatever, I fell this two days ago. We call it Gray back Oak.

 

[aarcuda]

I have a hard time understanding people telling me it takes three to what six mounths to season wood. Sure maybe Green wood.
Whatever, I fell this two days ago. We call it Gray back Oak.

sure it will burn and it will produce heat BUT some of the energy will be wasted converting the water in the wood to steam. and thats not so good. plus, theres more creosole getting stuck in your flue.

BTW, the fireplaces with the 4 vents, metal firebox can be either a heatilator or a brickolator fireplace (depending on the size of the firebox with the brickolator having a larger deeper firebox) and to get thos vents to work well, you need to fire that baby up nice and hot and get the heat to soak intothe brick, then the air going thru the passages heats up really well. And after the fire goes down after a bunch of hours, the brick remain hot for a long time throwing off heat still. I LOVE MY BRICKOLATOR

 

[Freakingstang]

I have a hard time understanding people telling me it takes three to what six mounths to season wood. Sure maybe Green wood.
Whatever, I fell this two days ago. We call it Gray back Oak.

Anything will burn, but the wetter, green wood takes more of the possible heating BTU's to dry out the wood before it burns.

I like Red and white oak. It produces a ton of heat, with minimal coals when dry. I won't burn it green. I split it and let it dry 6-12 months before burning.

I cut some this summer and tried burning it a week or so ago when it was really cold. It didn't burn well, just hissed and pop'd. I like to load the stove and go, not worry about milking it all day to get heat out of it.

Differant stoves will react differant to wood being green. Grandpa burns everything green. Just like saws, everyone has their favorite method. Do you notice a lot of creosete buildup burning green wood?

 

[STIHL-KID]

It's really amazing how some people depend on those anti-creosote logs you can buy at the store for cleaning chimneys. Nothing beats a thorough cleaning and just plain inspecting your chimney system. Last year some college kids made the news in my town concerning a chimney fire. They had just moved into a rental house with a fireplace. I guess they figured that a few store bought cresote logs would desolve years of buildup. WRONG! They burnt the house to the ground. Some people's kids........opcorn:

 

[olyman]

and that wood--looks like its from sort of pine--not the best wood---hope didnt pay a lot----

 

[Firewood Guy USA]

I have a hard time understanding people telling me it takes three to what six mounths to season wood. Sure maybe Green wood.
Whatever, I fell this two days ago. We call it Gray back Oak.

From reading your reply, Then I guess you agree that commencing from a living green tree (aka Green wood) , it would take aprox 3 to 6 months to season (e.g.; " Sure maybe Green wood" ). If thats the case, what part of that don't you understand or " hard time in understanding" ??? You answered your own question !! Part 2 ; It seem that you stated " you cut down a gray black oak, two days ago". Is this a quessing question for me ????
I guess you have to put the shoe on the other foot. If you ordered seasoned firewood from a firewood dealer, what would you knowingly expect to recieve ?? Would you expect to have the wood cut down for a few days and cut & split and delivered to you the same day and have it classified or sold to you as "seasoned firewood" ??? Hellooooooooooo !!!

 

[Biketrax]

depth of FP too!

The owner's manual on mine specifically states not to close the glass doors if a fire is burning. My sister had a glass panel break on her after closing the doors on a dying fire at bedtime. Boils down to different models, It seems..
-Ralph

I have the same rig and mine is rather deep! when I used to use it (dont any more Wood stove downstairs) always closed the doors. my .02 cents worth

 

[manual]

From reading your reply, Then I guess you agree that commencing from a living green tree (aka Green wood) , it would take aprox 3 to 6 months to season (e.g.; " Sure maybe Green wood" ). If thats the case, what part of that don't you understand or " hard time in understanding" ??? You answered your own question !! Part 2 ; It seem that you stated " you cut down a gray black oak, two days ago". Is this a quessing question for me ????
I guess you have to put the shoe on the other foot. If you ordered seasoned firewood from a firewood dealer, what would you knowingly expect to recieve ?? Would you expect to have the wood cut down for a few days and cut & split and delivered to you the same day and have it classified or sold to you as "seasoned firewood" ??? Hellooooooooooo !!!

OK every body that look at my post did not look close enough.
Thats Gray Back not gray Black Oak, Meaning the bark has falling off and is decaying, Or there is standing dead Oak, Meaning what it means Dead.
I have sold Fire wood for many years and have always heated my house for many years. I bought this house in 1993 so I know what burns and what don't.
No I don't burn Green wood, as a primary wood heat source, I don't recommend anybody to do so.
I sell wood that I just cut down the same day. I don't even stack it and will burn the same day I cut it. Dry and ready to go,
you bet your bottom dollar its seasoned wood. I have people calling me back wanting more. This year I sold just over 100 cords. Last year almost 300 cords.
Just dropped off five face cords this week and the neighbor seen what I sold and wanted some too.
I wish I had may camera last night to show what happens when you don't have a fireplace maintenance program.
I am a Volunteer Fireman. We were up till 2:30 in the morning putting out a house fully engulfed.
Yes there is people out there that sell green wood as seasoned but only once. around here you will get a bad name fast

 

[manual]

we don't really have any kindling - we've been using "cheater logs" (duraflame firestart).

pics:
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c132/MtnBikerChk/IMG_5321.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c132/MtnBikerChk/IMG_5320.jpg

That wood you are showing looks like Aspen. not the best in in the world to burn as a heat sourse. We call that gofer wood. once you get it burning you "go fer " more.
That wood looks dry by the way the bark is falling off and the stains on the ends.

 

[fishhuntcutwood]

I sell wood that I just cut down the same day. I don't even stack it and will burn the same day I cut it. Dry and ready to go,

I guess I don't know what we're arguing about. Who cares how long between cutting and selling? It's a matter of how long it's been dead and drying or "seasoning." It can either dry standing as a snag or stacked on the ground. Maybe I'm missing your point.

But yes, you can burn wet wood. In survival school we burned logs we pulled out of a lake. Anything will burn.

 

[PA Plumber]

FHCW,

I would like to hear/read more about the "lake wood" burning!