For those who burn wood............

jp_2

chimney fires!!! old stove shut down too far burning green wood.

only takes two things to cause such problems.

Steve Ebels_3

A tale of two Garns

We installed and fired up a couple Garn WHS 2000 in the last month. One went to a guy who had good seasoned wood and the other has wood that while cut for about a year, was left in 8 foot sticks until 2 weeks ago. Needless to say, that wood leaves something to be desired.

We fired up the first one and it took the 2000 gallon load of water from 45* to 176* in just over 5 hours. Figures out to around 400K output. The one with the green wood only raised the water temp about 100* in the same time period.

Moral of the story. If your wood burner isn't doing the job, check your wood first.

Mark Eatherton

Chimney fires...

That is one experience I don't EVER want to have again...

As John Paul said, air tight stove, and greenish wood creates creosote, which under the right conditions will catch on fire, and then Katy, bar the door...

The fire department couldn't really do me any good. Said if they sprayed water on the hot chimney (brick and mortar construction) that it would probably explode and catch my whole house on fire. It took it 4 hours to burn itself out, and all I could do was watch and hope it didn't bridge over to the framing surrounding the chimney. I got lucky... Most people don't get so lucky. I quit burning green wood.

I choked the air ports completely off, and it STILL burned like a steam engine, with sparks and fire shooting from the chimney...


Bad news.

ME

fatty_2

reminds me of that old ditty

Beechwood fires are bright and clear
If the logs are kept a year
Chestnut only good they say
If for long it's laid away
Make a fire of elder tree
Death within your house will be
But ash new or ash old
Is fit for a Queen with a crown of gold

Birch and Fir logs burn too fast
Blaze up bright and do not last
It is by the Irish said
Hawthorn bakes the sweetest bread
Elmwood burns like churchyard mould
Even the very flames are cold
But ash green or ash brown
Is fit for a Queen with a golden crown

Poplar gives a bitter smoke
Fills your eyes and makes you choke
Apple wood will scent your room
With an incense-like perfume
Oaken logs, if dry and old
Keep away the winters cold
But ash wet or ash dry
A king shall warm his slippers by.

(elder tree is larchwood types - they send sparks)

Leo

Chimney fire extinguishment

Putting water to a chimney fire may not necessarily cause it to explode but it is usualy a guarantee of cracking and destroying it. Dry chemical is often used from both extinguishers to dropping plastic bags of it down the chimney. The fear of a chimney fire is a super heated chimney or a chimney with leaks allowing the fire to travel into the building. After 22 years of police work and over thirty as a call firefighter I have seen many homes ruined this way.

Leo

hot_rod

the manufacturers of gasification wood burners

are very clear about burning only seasoned wood. they suggest 12- 18 months drying.

Some brands even supply moisture meters to check your fire wood.

I think of all those OWF that only burn 40- 50% efficiency with dry wood. Now use wet or green wood and I suspect a 30% or less burn efficiency.

If you need to buy firewood that's a poor return on your heating dollar. Not quite free heat like many advertise.

Good data Steve. glad to get it first hand.

hot rod

Steve Ebels_3

A bit more specific

The first boiler using properly seasoned wood, achieved an output of approximately 390,000 btu/hour and I would guess that we burned about 200-230 pounds of wood in that initial 5 hour time frame.

The second boiler only managed a 100* rise in the same time period which equates to an output of about 330,000 btu/hour. Along with that I'd guess that it took an additional 60-80 pounds of wood.

Off hand I'd guess the second guy is wasting in excess of 100,000 btu's per hour evaporating the moisture out of his 50% moisture wood pile.