boisdevie1
|
Will damp wood damage my woodburner?Until we get the next wood delivery we have some dampish hardwood. Common wisdom seems to be that this will damage the woodburner. I know it'll leave more tar in the chimney but will it actually damage the woodburner? Seems unlikely to me but I'm open to ideas.
Thanks all.
|
sally_in_wales
|
we always put damp logs by the burner to dry out before putting them in, by the time one load is burnt the next load is toasty dry
|
vegplot
|
I'm not sure about damaging the wood burner itself but it will create more effective corrosive products and creosote. I don't think it will damage it per se but you may find that long term burning of damp wood will mean it will require more maintenance. Damage to the flue is of more concern though.
|
Gervase
|
Your woodburner will be OK, but your flue will not. Damp, unseasoned wood (and particularly resinous softwoods) will drastically shorten the life of your flue liner, even if you have a fancy double-walled stainless liner. The only exception is ash, which will burn well even when green.
If you really have to to burn damp, unseasoned wood, get a good hot fire going with dry wood before you add it, and increase the draught to make sure it burns as hot as possible in the hope that as little stuff condenses on the walls of the liner as possible.
|
Jonnyboy
|
How long does a flue liner last then, and how do you know when it's done?
|
vegplot
|
| Jonnyboy wrote: | | How long does a flue liner last then, and how do you know when it's done? |
Depends on the grade of stainless but between 10 and 20 years is the quoted life. I suspect shorter than this though for wood burders.
|
jag_clarke
|
they should have warrentyies of that sort of length if its a gd quality and fire burns cleanly then should last alot longer. if u do daft things like burn dam wood so that tar builds up on inside and catches fire then will be ruided as soon as this happens. sweeping chimney wont remove the tar/creasoate just sut. only ever burn dry seasoned wood. u wont remove enouth moisture by just leaving it on the stove an hour or two it takes time to dry.
|
alison
|
I think I am confused by all this.
If the wood is seasoned, for 2 years, but is just a bit damp, from the weather will that cause a problem?
I presumed it was only unseasoned wood that leaves a build up in the flew.
|
jag_clarke
|
if its dryied but got damp i wont be as bad as green, but it still wont burn as cleanly so will produce more carbon deposits in chimney. personally id never burn wood unless its been seasoned at least 6 mounths depending on wood type and is dry. i burn ash and bit or horthorn seasoned 6mouths-2 years depending on where it is in pile sweep the chimney at start of winter and its fine for winter as it burns faily cleanly even when air restrictors are shut. if u have damp wood it will need to be burned as hot as possible to minimise problems. its not that hard to season wood and keep it dry just takes a little plannning. although recently we have had a log theaf taking boxes of wood so now have had to lock it away grr.
|
vegplot
|
| alison wrote: | I think I am confused by all this.
If the wood is seasoned, for 2 years, but is just a bit damp, from the weather will that cause a problem?
I presumed it was only unseasoned wood that leaves a build up in the flew. |
Damp wood causes problem whether it's due to not being seasoned properly or has got wet. Wood once seasoned won't soak up as much water as it used to contain unless it's exposed to damp conditions for extended periods. Seasoned wood which has got wet briefly won't have soaked up much and should dry out quickly but ideally it shouldn't be burned until it has dried out properly.
It's wise to store wood under shelter for a further 12 months if supplied from a contractor as it is usually only been felled that year. In general firewood should be seasoned for 2 years but it depends on the type of wood and storage conditions. Sycamore, for instance seems to dry out very quickly, while oak takes a lot longer.
|
