What's left of the stack/winter supply

[DavidV]

Haven't gone through half of my 2 cords left, but then again, I don't do 24/7 burns and I don't burn when I'm not home for the most part. I'm typically out weekends hiking and of course, I'm at work for most of the day so I burn about a milk crate full of splits per day.

Jay

a milk crate is about what I stuff in the stove every time I load it. maybe more. I have been going thru 1 large storage bin of wood every night and then dipping into another in the morning. We keep 2 of these and then a mondo huge one on the screened porch, filled all the time. Since we have snow/ice coming today I over filled all three bins and tightened down the plastic coversing on all the wood piles tonight. I woke up 30 minutes ago and came down to check the fire. Could have let it go till morning. it was 65 in the house and the heat would have come on at 5 to take it back up to 67 but I figured I'd stuff the stove full and check my mail, etc. might as well burn the wood. Don't want it to go punky.

 

[jtcedinburgh]

The real neat thing about wood stoves is that the colder it gets the better the stove works. A stove that seems sluggish at 40°F in the fall can have you opening windows when it is -10°F in January.

Anyone know why this is - I've noticed that our stove seems happier when it's cold outside too - is it a draft thing? In which case I'd expect much shorter burns - but they don't seem to be any shorter really...

 

[kevinlp]

Started out with about 11 cords. Have about 7 now, but at least 3 were pine and Kevin and Steve have stopped by.

More Kevin than Steve. Kinda thinking Steve doesn't like me. Either that or the fatwood pine nearly melted his stove.

Thanks to the Kindness of Warren and his pine. I should be able to make it thru the winter. I've used about 0.6 cord of Warren's pine. Used about a cord of my stash which is mostly black locust and some other very hard wood. Got about a half pallet inside, got two pallets left of what I planned for this year outside. (So about a cord remaining.)

3 pallets more are available is seasoned enough. They were planned for next year. Split a pallets worth one evening this past month for next year's stack.

Seeing the supply dwindle a little faster than expected, I am taking a day off next week to cut up all my scrounging so I get get to splitting it and work on getting some more logs out of the woods.

Just found a bunch of pallets on my way to work this morning, so now I have plenty for stacking on...

 

[Andre B.]

Anyone know why this is - I've noticed that our stove seems happier when it's cold outside too - is it a draft thing? In which case I'd expect much shorter burns - but they don't seem to be any shorter really...

I think it is do to a number of things.

The colder air does make for a larger difference in temperature so the draft is more responsive.

The combustion air in colder weather is dryer, the moisture is all that snow on the ground. Dryer air makes for better burning, water in liquid or vapor form takes a lot of energy to heat up and all the energy goes right up the stack. I think the next big step in wood stove efficiency improvements will come from stoves that are designed to condense the water vapor in the exhaust, such a stove will need a black water treatment and disposal system and will only operate with a forced draft.

The wood also tends to be dryer, from freeze drying a bit more moisture out or because we have burned our way back to a pile that has been stacked for a few years. Back on topic.
And many people conchesly or unconchesly reserve the "good" wood for when it gets colder.

More continuous operation means the stove is more often up to operating temperature and working at it optimum.

Also habits and skills that faded over the warm season have been relearned and honed back into shape.

 

[Jay H]

The real neat thing about wood stoves is that the colder it gets the better the stove works. A stove that seems sluggish at 40°F in the fall can have you opening windows when it is -10°F in January.

Anyone know why this is - I've noticed that our stove seems happier when it's cold outside too - is it a draft thing? In which case I'd expect much shorter burns - but they don't seem to be any shorter really...

Colder air is also denser with O2 and less humidity (i.e. drier) which means the air feeding the fire is drier...Can't say precisely that is the reason but it does help..


DavidR: I only have 2 cords for this winter so I'm being very meager.. Don't have to use the gas boiler this winter at all if I can help it. Right now with the cold winter finally upon us, my house is between 43-48 when I get home after work and then I'll start a fire and it'll be about 60degs when I go to bed and then in the low 50s in the morning when I wake up. It's fine for me and I don't need to wear a t-shirt.

Jay