Doesn’t it look nice? I mean just look at it. Using the naturally occurring trees at the disposal of keeping your stacked wood in order sounds too good to be true… and it is. I wouldn’t do it. All this does is cause unnecessary harm to the trees, in particular bark, and also – the…
It’s hard to say exactly, as there are some variables to think of, but a good idea to follow is that hardwood may produce less ash than softwood. Hardwood such as oak burns hotter than the softer kind of firewood, like pine. So it makes sense that the former is going to have an easier…
You probably should not, as this may void the stove’s warranty, and for a good reason. Legs are designed to be of such height not just for looks – they elevate the wood stove off the ground just enough to reduce the heat output, particularly coming towards the floor, that is, hearth. The hearth in…
It is certainly better than stacking on plain ground, but still not the best solution. Properly laid gravel, crushed rock or what have you, will provide good drainage… but that is not what’s important when the topic is about firewood. Split wood contains a lot of moisture. If most of its surface area stays in…
If your wood stove is installed correctly, then no, you do not have to crack open a window for venting purposes. Stoves draw indoor air for oxygen – if there’s too little of it, sure, opening a window a bit can do wonders. A telltale sign of a wood stove that is starving for air…
It is a matter of personal preference. But if I were to put out a number, it would be about 16 inches (40.7 cm) long. 16 inches is the standard round size (this is a term for logs that have been cut to size; the wood you’ll actually split). So all you would really need…
You may only install a wood burning stove in sleeping quarters if your local jurisdiction and the stove manufacturer allow it. Finding out whether a stove you’re looking for is allowed to be fit in such place is the first thing to do. Why are manufacturers leery? There is extra safety concerns to take care…
As soon as possible. Wood does not dry much, if at all, when left unsplit. When you leave those rounds, (that’s what we call logs which have been cut to size), just like that, well, they stay just like that. Their moisture content might get lower over time, but its, at best, marginal. I mean,…
Excess coal builds up because you do not allow the wood to burn down fully. In other words, you reload the stove with more firewood sooner than needed. Normally folks do this to keep the temperatures high – for example, during a period of more-intense-than-usual cold. How to combat it Work the air intake The…
Covering your firewood supply is important during the heating months – though you should be doing so no sooner than fall. But here’s the thing – going cheap here doesn’t work. Let me explain. Buy cheap, buy twice Heard of the saying “buy cheap, buy twice”? The same rule applies to covering your firewood stacks….