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Five
essentials to getting the most out of your
woodpile
By Ike Johnson , reprinted
from Back
Home Magazine.
There are several reasons for choosing wood
heat over the few available alternatives.
Not the least of these reasons is economy.
In New England where I live, for instance,
11.4¢ per kilowatt electric rates can give
your mortgage a run for its money if you're
unfortunate enough to have electric heat.
Wood burning boasts advantages other fuels
can't mimic: an evenness, quietness, and aesthetic
appeal truly unique to wood. There are many
who relish the rituals of self sufficiency
involved with getting in their own wood. That's
not to say that more is necessarily better.
No matter how much you admire the sight of
a cut and split stack drying in the autumn
air, you owe it to yourself to get by with
as short a stack as is prudent for the winter
in your locale. Here, then, are five strategies
for milking the most Btu's out of every stick
you burn.
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Cut Ahead and Burn Dry
Green wood contains up to 50 percent of its weight
in water. The first stage of combustion involves
bringing this mass of water up to its vaporization
point. The energy expended in doing this does not
heat your home. And, while steam heat has its place,
that place is definitely not in your woodstove.
Worse yet, green wood gives off far more creosote
than seasoned fuel, which further robs a stove and
chimney of efficiency. On top of that, creosote
produces the hazard of chimney fires, which have
laid many a home to ash. Therefore, by cutting firewood
a full year or more in advance, you theoretically
could halve the amount of wood required to heat
your home. Buying or cutting two years' worth of
fuel may take some up front money and discipline,
but it' s an investment that pays for itself quickly
in dollars, effort, and safety
Keep
It Dry
As obvious as it may seem, let me emphasize that
wood cannot dry out beneath a mantle of snow, under
a tight fitting tarp, nor pressed three inches into
the mud and grass. Many businesses discard used
pallets; these can serve as excellent platforms
to get each and every precious stick up off the
ground where it can dry. Keep stacks of wood separated
so that air can flow easily through them. Avoid
the temptation to pile row after row end to end,
because the wood in the center will not have enough
circulation to dry properly. If you have much choice
as to where to place a stack, orient it with sun
light and prevailing winds working to your advantage.
Likewise, avoid if possible over hanging eaves,
trees, and structures that can funnel rain onto
your fuel. If the stack is against a wall, provide
shelter from the dripping roof. Better still, build
a woodshed. It would probably take less effort than
chasing your windblown tarps after every gale. Here'
s a money saving tip for those who do rely on tarps
to protect their woodpile from the elements: use
old ragged tarps to cover the newer ones and thus
shield them from destructive ultraviolet light.
Of course, the best strategy for those who enjoy
plenty of room is to get all wood indoors before
the rain and snow starts to fly. An attached garage
or a basement not only spares the seasoned wood
from the elements but spares you those midnight
trips outdoors in your nightclothes and galoshes,
all the time allowing your firewood to continue
drying throughout the winter.
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