Burning seasoned wood – moisture content 30% advice?

My last batch of seasoned wood is reading (thanks to my new moisture meter I was giving for xmas) a moisture content around 30%?

I am sure I have read somewhere that seasoned wood needs to be around 20% or below before burning, to stop creosote build up?

So do I risk burning it or store it for next year to burn?

Stoner?

30% is way too high.

I usually dont put anything above 10% on the fire. I have some fresh wet willow that Ive just cut that’s showing 35-37%

The stuff I cut and seasoned this year went on the burner <5%

let me find a useful link for you…

http://www.cosi.co.uk/HeatingAndChimneys/LOGSBioFuelPriceComparisons.html

To burn wood properly you should dry it to at least 25% moisture, preferably 20% but better still 10-15% to increase the efficiency and reduce pollution.

Wood at 15% moisture has 50% more energy than fresh cut logs.

To achieve this, logs need to be kiln dried or cut to length split and stored under cover. The drying time will vary according to you storage. From 1 year, just out side, to 4 weeks in a greenhouse or solar kiln. (Please ask for details).

To calculate the volume of the load of your trailer: width x depth x length.

All wood has roughly the same calorific value (energy/Kg)

Soft woods are approximately half the density of hard wood, so you burn/need twice as many logs, (same weight) as hard woods

Just bringing in a weeks supply to your sitting room or conservatory can increase the energy value of the wood by over 5%.

Yeah second that, >30% will be hard to burn and give off steam unless your burner is about to go into melt down.

Have you an aga? stick as much of it in the bottom oven as you can, t’is what we do..

Thanks Stoner, looks like I am on the hunt for some proper seasoned wood to burn 😉

Where and how long has it been stored? Meter readings can be very misleading even if the meter is accurate. Is the wood wet through or is it dried wood that’s just damp on the surface? Bring a couple of logs indoors for a day or two and measure again. If the meter reading stays high it really is damp through.

It’s pretty obvious when you burn it, if logs hiss and steam when you throw them on they’re too damp. I’ve burned damp wood I just wanted shot of because it had capricorn in it. Creosote wasn’t a problem but I had to put about twice as much wood on and leave the air supply fully open to get the stove up to temperature.

you should always freshly split the log and test from the heart of the wood to get an accurate reading.

One learns something every day. 💡

The desired water content of wood aside, this

Wood at 15% moisture has 50% more energy than fresh cut logs.

is at best misleading. The drier wood may have 50% more energy per kilo but that is only relevant if you are buying the wood. If you are drying it yourself then that piece of wood does not magically gain energy just by being dried.

what he means, gonefishin, is that the net energy output is 50% greater because less of the gross energy inherent in the wood is needed to vapourise the water in the logs.

Edukator – Member

Where and how long has it been stored? Meter readings can be very misleading even if the meter is accurate. Is the wood wet through or is it dried wood that’s just damp on the surface? Bring a couple of logs indoors for a day or two and measure again. If the meter reading stays high it really is damp through.

It’s pretty obvious when you burn it, if logs hiss and steam when you throw them on they’re too damp. I’ve burned damp wood I just wanted shot of because it had capricorn in it. Creosote wasn’t a problem but I had to put about twice as much wood on and leave the air supply fully open to get the stove up to temperature.

Good point Edukator, the meter reading varies quite a bit, if I spike the wood in the centre of the log, its hitting 30%, where its been cut or split then it drops to 20-25%, which still seems high, not noticed much change in logs I have brought in to warm up tbh, it looks seasoned, but not sure if its been sat in an open pile of wood getting wet?

Not going to risk it, I know a neighbour who has some two year old properly stored that I am sure he will lend me to tie me over (I hope) 😉