How To Dry Firewood; Judging Firewood Moisture Content - PSG CADDY ADVANCED WOOD Series Installation And Operating Instructions Manual

10.4 HOW TO DRY FIREWOOD?

Firewood that is not dry enough to burn is the cause of most complaints about wood burning appliances. Continually
burning green or unseasoned wood produces more creosote and involves lack of heat and dirty glass door. See section
18 FURNACE MAINTENANCE for concerns about creosote.
Things to consider in estimating drying time:
Firewood takes a long time to dry.

 Firewood dries mostly from the exposed ends. Long pieces of wood should be cut to "firewood" length if expected
to dry.
 Firewood bought from a dealer is rarely dry enough to burn, so it is advisable to buy the wood in spring and dry
it yourself.
Drying happens faster in dry weather than in damp, maritime climates.

Drying happens faster in warm summer weather than in winter weather.

 Small pieces dry more quickly than large pieces.
 Split pieces dry more quickly than unsplit rounds.
 Softwoods take less time to dry than hardwoods.
 Softwoods like pine, spruce, and poplar/aspen can be dry enough to burn after being stacked in the open for
only the summer months.
Hardwoods like oak, maple and ash can take one, or even two years to dry fully, especially if the pieces are big.

 Firewood dries more quickly when stacked in the open where it is exposed to sun and wind; it takes much longer
to dry when stacked in a woodshed.
 Firewood that is ready to burn has a moisture content between 15 and 20% by weight and will allow your furnace
to produce its highest possible efficiency.

10.5 JUDGING FIREWOOD MOISTURE CONTENT

You can find out if some firewood is dry enough to burn by using these guidelines:
 Utilisez l'indicateur d'humidité pour le bois de chauffage fournit avec votre appareil afin de valider que l'humidité
se situe entre 15% et 20%. Pour obtenir une valeur plus précise, tester le milieu d'un morceau de bois
fraîchement fendu.
Des fissures apparaissent à l'extrémité des bûches au fur et à mesure qu'elles sèchent.

En séchant au soleil, le bois passe d'une coloration blanche ou crémeuse à gris ou jaune.

 Frappez deux morceaux de bois ensemble, le bois sec sonne creux et le bois humide sonne sourd.
 Le bois sec est beaucoup plus léger que le bois humide.
 Fendez un morceau de bois et si la face mise à jour semble chaude et sèche au toucher, il est assez sec pour
être brûlé; s'il est humide au toucher, il n'est pas prêt.
Brûlez un morceau de bois, le bois humide chuinte et grésille dans le feu, pas le bois sec.

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