ridemgis
Feeling the Heat
If you can't stand a spoon up in the coffee it ain't strong enough!
2022-2023 BK everything thread
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I think a contributing reason for the longevity of said way of life is included in the approach described in the post.
Nearing 25 yrs here. My approach is to switch off the drier myself before reloading (both stove and drier are in the basement). I tend to believe I have enough skills for that particular action.
Nelson
Feeling the Heat
Sorry, just getting through the thread for the year! I needed to see this reply today. Been burning for a week or so - I clean my pipe through the bypass (at least up until where my pipe goes through wall) as well. I had been noticing a small amount of smoke coming out of my stack 2-3 hrs into my burn. Cat is plenty active during this time (1-2pm on the cat probe) and everything else would indicate that all is well. Now I'm thinking I may be seeing some creosote burning off of the dome as I am almost certain I'm not getting it all cleaned out. I will continue to monitor and see if it eventually goes away. Thanks BKVP!
Nelson
Feeling the Heat
I agree with this. That said, I would measure your indoor humidity first to determine if humidification is actually needed. I think some people just assume they need it when some actually don't. I was in this camp until I started measuring and realized my indoor humidity readings were within the range of normal for my climate - only dipping below during very cold weather. In that case, hanging laundry or not running the bath fan during showers tends to help just enough. If not properly maintained, I think it's been shown that humidifiers can contribute negatively to indoor air quality.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
Good point. I suspect those not running outside air kits on their stoves are always going to be very dry, mine would hover around 19% - 23% RH, but those with tighter or smaller houses may find that cooking and general occupancy add enough moisture to the air to keep it in a reasonable range.
My humidity is 30% inside right now, but is in the mid 20’s during the winter. The lowest it got last winter was 19%.
My dad uses a pot of water on his woodstove and maintains around 50% humidity in his house.
Re the wife: I take the approach mentioned above. I’ll turn off the dryer myself before I load the stove. I’ve only been married 15 years, but so far it’s been pretty smooth sailing.
My dad uses a pot of water on his woodstove and maintains around 50% humidity in his house.
Re the wife: I take the approach mentioned above. I’ll turn off the dryer myself before I load the stove. I’ve only been married 15 years, but so far it’s been pretty smooth sailing.
kennyp2339
Minister of Fire
Ashful
Minister of Fire
This is why we went with an evaporative type (over warm mist, cool mist, or the ubiquitous ultrasonic). In an evaporative type, all minerals stay in the wick, not blown all over your house. You do need to change the wick every 1 - 4 weeks, depending on just how "hard" your water is, but knock-off brand wicks are cheap on Amazon. I'm pouring about 5 gallons per day into our humidifiers, no way I'd want to be carting 35 gallons of distilled water home from the store every week!
ratsrepus
Minister of Fire
At what out side temperature? as long as it stays above freezing , IM getting 24.down at 0 I go 12 hr reloads
What do you guys consider a comfortable inside humidity level? Those who are running humidifiers.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
40 - 60% is the generally-quoted range. I run 50% in most weather, unless the windows start to frost up, and then I I'll back down to 45% or even 40%.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
I know 20 hours isn’t that good for a Princess, but I’m still a cat noob
The age-old monthly debate, in each yearly BK thread. @Highbeam will tell you that burn time has absolutely nothing to do with outside temperature or your home's heating needs. A Princess should be able to go 30+ hours on a full load of any good wood, every day, any day, in any house, at any outside temperature.
Now @bholler will ask you if that's actually heating your house at that burn rate, which it very likely is not if it's cold outside, but the stove can still do it!
If you're unable to get 30 hours out of your Princess, it's time to check your draft (optimize to 0.05"WC steady-state high burn rate), or get some better firewood. BK cannot advise anyone to install a key damper, because of EPA regulations that preclude them from advising any deviation from the rig under which these stoves were tested, but their manual clearly states they (at least BK30's) are optimized for 0.05" water column, and should never be operated on anything above 0.06" water column.
Nelson
Feeling the Heat
We are generally in the 40-45% range, in the winter, which has been comfortable for us. Depending on weather conditions, it might go a little above or below that at times.
Dieselhead
Minister of Fire
Less than 30 and we start to zap the poor dog every time we go to pet him.
I often see 8-10% RH indoors in the winter. I am thinking about hanging laundry in the stove room. When I can achieve and maintain 18-20% RH indoors the dry hacking coughs and nose bleeds tend to clear up. I _think_ I remember that households molds need 40%RH and up to reproduce.
I do prefer the kind of humidifier with a dip filter so I can fill the reservoir with tap water and let the filter catch the minerals.
I do prefer the kind of humidifier with a dip filter so I can fill the reservoir with tap water and let the filter catch the minerals.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
That's insane
Even at 20%, I'm perpetually dehydrated, just can never seem to drink enough water. Winter dehydration is believed to be one of the many reasons cold and flu spread in winter, more than summer, due to inflamed and irritated nasal passages.
What's funny for me sitting down here near Philly is that you're happy to get your RH% up to the number that I'm trying to get up from.
I’m sitting here at 26% humidity inside today. We do dry a lot of laundry inside during the winter. That helps some. Basically I was looking for a free/easy way to bump up the humidity. Something to sit on top of the stove and let it do it’s thing..... But I might have to get an actual humidifier.
Yeah 8-10% sounds crazy low. Even 25% bothers me.
Yeah 8-10% sounds crazy low. Even 25% bothers me.
Nealm66
Minister of Fire
It’s so dang wet around here. I’ve never used a humidifier but I’ve used a couple dehumidifiers. Says it’s 31 inside but I’ll take a dry spot to be in for a minute
It’s humid outside right now (91%). Has been since summer was over and it started raining more. But it’s dry inside because of the wood stove.
During the summer the inside humidity was pretty close to the outside. It was more stable inside, and slower to change of course. I do not have an air conditioner in my house.
I have one of the indoor/outdoor weather stations with a sensor in both places. The outdoor sensor is mounted about 40’ away from my house under the shed overhang. Usually the numbers for both temp and humidity match what the weather app says to 1-2 degrees or %.
During the summer the inside humidity was pretty close to the outside. It was more stable inside, and slower to change of course. I do not have an air conditioner in my house.
I have one of the indoor/outdoor weather stations with a sensor in both places. The outdoor sensor is mounted about 40’ away from my house under the shed overhang. Usually the numbers for both temp and humidity match what the weather app says to 1-2 degrees or %.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
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