Brother will not conform

[westkywood]

I have to admit, I burned wood for about 6 years and just last year got educated on the proper way to go about it. Mostly due to this forum. My older brother has been burning wood for 15 years. His only source of heat. Hes 52 yrs old and set in his ways. I've educated him on the insulated pipe, flu draw , burning the stove hot etc. His stove ia an old stove and is too big for his house so he rarely burns it to its potential. He has the single wall pipe all the way which I think I've convinced him to change.
He burns mostly Oak and Hickory. He throws it in a pile under a wood shed for one year, then burns it. I told him there is no way its seasoned. He made the statement yesterday, "Well I aint stackin it".. Just doesnt make sense to me. Why would someone not want to season the ood before burning it. How hard is it to stack? He use to stack it but I think it makes it hard to get to the wood in the back so he just throws it in a pile.
He has to clean out his flu about every 2-3 weeks. I almost convinced him to get a new stove, but he wont spend the money and he knows it would take good seasoned wood to use it. He's just stuck in the old way of doing it and will not change.
Anyone else?

 

[smokinj]

It must work for him or he would be force to change theres a lot of ways to do it thats for sure.

 

[burntime]

If he gets the new stove he will be forced to stack and season it. Good news is he will use less wood...

 

[rdust]

He's staying safe and sweeping his chimney on a regular basis, I think you're just going to have to let him stay set in his ways. If the wood is given enough time even in a heap it will season.

People who seek out web forums for what they enjoy are a much different breed then someone who just cuts/splits/burns wood for heat. You will find this site is more the exception then the norm. when it comes to burning wood.

 

[Wood Duck]

It is possible to burn unseasoned wood, and I'd say your brother is not burning the greenest wood around. He piles up the wood for a year? THat is way better than average. Maybe he enjoys chimney cleaning, or at least doesn't mind it too much. Or maybe he doesn't want to let his little brother boss him around.

 

[Gary_602z]

I hate to say it but a chimney/house fire will probably change his ways!

Gary

 

[savageactor7]

“Well I aint stackin it”. LOL...sounds like me.

 

[billb3]

He probably votes wrong, too.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

If he really does enjoy cleaning that stinking mess from a chimney more than he would stacking his wood, let him get dirty.

I learned many years ago there is not much sense in confusing some folks with facts because their mind is made up no matter what the facts are. It is sort of like my neighbor who, for years cursed his log splitter that he hooked to his tractor. It was slow and not very strong and a general pain. Some stuff he could not split at all. I had offered to let him use my splitter many times but he'd just shake his head and refuse.

One day he was here and gripping about some big white oak rounds he had that he couldn't split. Once more I offered my splitter and he said we could never get them up on the splitter. I said, "What?" It turned out that he thought you had to lift the logs onto the splitter to use it I hooked on to my splitter and headed to his place and in just a few minutes had split all of his big white oak. For years he had his mind made up there was only one way. That very day he went to town and bought a new splitter almost identical to mine. That is just the way some folks are.

 

[Gary_602z]

If he really does enjoy cleaning that stinking mess from a chimney more than he would stacking his wood, let him get dirty.

I learned many years ago there is not much sense in confusing some folks with facts because their mind is made up no matter what the facts are. It is sort of like my neighbor who, for years cursed his log splitter that he hooked to his tractor. It was slow and not very strong and a general pain. Some stuff he could not split at all. I had offered to let him use my splitter many times but he'd just shake his head and refuse.

One day he was here and gripping about some big white oak rounds he had that he couldn't split. Once more I offered my splitter and he said we could never get them up on the splitter. I said, "What?" It turned out that he thought you had to lift the logs onto the splitter to use it I hooked on to my splitter and headed to his place and in just a few minutes had split all of his big white oak. For years he had his mind made up there was only one way. That very day he went to town and bought a new splitter almost identical to mine. That is just the way some folks are.

You are right ! As I get older I get more set in my ways. :lol:

Gary

 

[CowboyAndy]

you guys are all describing my father in law...


remember this? https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/44663/

 

[maplewood]

Remember that we, too, were among the lost at one time. While there is life, there is hope!
Be patient, pray, live the good life in front of him, and he may yet see the light.
Brother James said, in his 5th thread, 20th line: Let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.
We take our enlightenment for granted, sometimes. Friend Luke, in his 15th thread, 7th line, encourages us with these words: There will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
Keep the faith!

 

[Duetech]

It might sound backwards going to someone whom you know could do things better but patiently ask advice of your brother "what you could do to improve your system" by giving him options that you have and why one would be better than the other. Then you have not only informed him of other ways of doing things but you have also gotten him to take a position that he is willing to defend. That doesn't mean you have to do what he chooses as the best course of action and you get the gratification of changing shoes.

 

[zzr7ky]

Perhaps over the holidays he will get a chance to help you clean your chimney?

I admit to burning dead standing Ash that is seasoned for several (2) months. By burning fairly hot, especially on the first load after start up, the flue still stays clean. It is insullated 6" rigid, and gets cleaned once a year.

All the best,
Mike

 

[westkywood]

It is possible to burn unseasoned wood, and I'd say your brother is not burning the greenest wood around. He piles up the wood for a year? THat is way better than average. Maybe he enjoys chimney cleaning, or at least doesn't mind it too much. Or maybe he doesn't want to let his little brother boss him around.

Naw, Nothing like that. He knows little brother has educated himself on wood burning and he takes the advice just fine. I stayed over there lastnight ad he said he was ready to go with the straight up insulated chimney. He's got about a 4 foot 45 degree angle single wall pipe.
If I'm going to burn wood, I dont want to have to cut anymore than I have to, clean the pipe anymore than I have to or feed the stove anymore than I have to. He is 52 and has had 2 back surgery's. He cuts all his own wood. If he wants to do more work than he needs to, thats his choice. He now knows the facts and knows what I've told him is true. We live by our choices..

 

[lexybird]

i hear you.,..my cousin runs 14 foot of exposed single wall up the back side of his house ,after about 3- 4 weeks of doing so he had a scary chimney fire shooting embers up into a shower across his property ,that startled him ..now he brushes it often ands gets major buildup
coming out his tee ,seems some people hate to spend money even if its for their families safety .single wall is not for running outdoors
only to connect from the appliance to something else thats insulated ,as soon as that cold air hits the pipe the inner smoke cools and turns to thick highly flammable gunk