# Safe to burn pine?



## Bwhunter85 (Jan 24, 2012)

I am new to burning.  I have an add-on burner (Hotblast 1557m).  I have heard it isn't safe to burn pine due to creosote build up.  Is this true?


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## firebroad (Jan 24, 2012)

No.  Pine is perfectly safe UNLESS it is not dry.  Pine actually burns hotter, but it also burns quicker.  Just make sure it is not green (wet).
Welcome!


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## firebroad (Jan 24, 2012)

Are you burning pine exclusively?


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## ProjectX (Jan 24, 2012)

Yes I burn it all the time. All wood burns fine if its properly seasoned ( One year cut,split and stacked with pine). 
Burns hot and fast just don't let it get out of control on ya and make sure you sweep the flue regularly (as with all wood). 

X


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## Bwhunter85 (Jan 24, 2012)

firebroad said:
			
		

> Are you burning pine exclusively?



Nope, I just cut a big pine down and had the wood from it.  I burn mostly Ash, Elm, and Oak.  I do throw in some black walnut as well.  I like the aroma it gives off.


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## firebroad (Jan 24, 2012)

Bwhunter85 said:
			
		

> firebroad said:
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> 
> 
> ...



Free is even better!  Cut it, split it and let it sit a year, it will be wonderful.  I had a huge limb of cedar from last year, I hate to see it disappear, the aroma is heavenly.  Also, makes the best kindling around, since my other wood is less than ideal.


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## Kenster (Jan 24, 2012)

After becoming educated by reading this forum for a few years I am no longer hesitant to burn pine.  I took a thirty foot trunk section from a neighbors front yard where it had been laying for a couple of years.  It was already very dry.    I c/s/s'd it and use it for the start up of a cold stove.  Gets things going very quickly.  Once I have some good coals I throw my oak on there and I'm good to go.   Dry pine, besides being aromatic, puts out a hot of heat quickly.   I've got my eye on a huge tree down the road that was taken down a couple of weeks ago.  Already nicely bucked up, just sitting there waiting to be hauled away.  I need to stop by and see if I can have some.   

Like was said above.... give it plenty of drying time.  A year should do it-  once it's split!


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## Jags (Jan 24, 2012)

Burning pine will cause male pattern baldness and a runny nose.  Other than that, get it nice a dry and burn baby burn.


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## firefighterjake (Jan 24, 2012)

Jags said:
			
		

> Burning pine will cause male pattern baldness and a runny nose.  Other than that, get it nice a dry and burn baby burn.



Maybe burning the pine in your neck of the woods causes the runny nose . . . the eastern white pine here in Maine causes male pattern baldness, bad vision and a protruding gut . . . at least that's what I've found while burning pine.


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## PapaDave (Jan 24, 2012)

Become part of the new crusade to eliminate this crazy old wives tale.
Like any other wood, get it DRY, then burn it. 
If you'll read some more posts on this (I noticed you've been a member here for 1.5 years), you'll notice that those of us (not me) who live in areas where there is pretty much nothing BUT pine, who have no recourse BUT to burn pine, .....burn pine.
I burn pine, but mostly during shoulder seasons. 
Happy burning.


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## firebroad (Jan 24, 2012)

I personally am not on any crusade to dispel the notion that pine is not good for stoves and fireplaces.  That way, I get first bag on the downed scrounges!! ;-)


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## CTYank (Jan 24, 2012)

Funny how we have to go 'round on [pine as fuel] every couple of weeks.

Like nobody's yet discovered Google- our friend.

IOW DAGS [burn pine creosote site:www.hearth.com] or whatever variant pleases you will search all such wisdom whizzed here, so far.

In some quarters, you'd be instructed to RTFM, about reading the docs first before asking questions you'd have answered from your reading. (Read the bleeping manuals.)


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## madrone (Jan 25, 2012)

90% pine through the stove this year. Balding at the normal rate so far. No additional palm shaving.


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## Brogan007 (Jan 25, 2012)

In my experience, just walking through pine trees, causes premature baldness.  Thus, all pine should be cut and burned immediately.


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## HotCoals (Jan 25, 2012)

Since I started hanging those little pine tree smelly things in my truck..hair has been growing out of my nose.
Pine maybe evil..I dunno.


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## NH_Wood (Jan 26, 2012)

I'm tossing the pine I stacked for next fall - I still have a covered scalp and I don't think I'll chance it!  :lol:   Cheers!


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## begreen (Jan 26, 2012)

Jags said:
			
		

> Burning pine will cause male pattern baldness and a runny nose.  Other than that, get it nice a dry and burn baby burn.



Oh, well that explains a lot!  :-/  :lol:


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## ruserious2008 (Jan 26, 2012)

As I had a great score of about 5 cords of cut pine that we just had to split (the guy even let me use his trailer and loaded the chunks on it with his tractor!) I read here and other places I goggled and I joined the group that says "pine is fine". I hear your concern as even the USDA web site says "do not burn pine". But then think "we're form the government and we're here to help"!  
The two things that most convinced me was an article I think published by a forestry school about a study they did that showed oak produces more creosote than pine and the other salient fact was in places like Colorado and I think large parts of Canada pine is mostly the Only firewood you can find for sale and they do not have greater incidences of chimney fires when compared to hardwood burning areas. 
My own unscientific theory on why many fear pine is that it does burn fast and hot and it you have a chimney with large creosote deposits you are probably more likely to ignite it with a hot pine fire than with a less hot fire. I use a Soot Eater (its like a large weed whacker that attaches to a drill- you need a good strong drill to spin it properly- battery power ain't gonna cut it) to clean my chimney monthly just because its easy and I like to be sure I'm not going to have any problems.  
Do some research around the web and you too may join the "pine is fine" crowd 
Good luck


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## bogydave (Jan 26, 2012)

Don't tell anyone, but lots of the wood pellets are made of pine. They don't change the wood, just grind it, make it into pellets & dry it. 
"Pine is fine" & like any other wood, it needs to be dry.


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