What is seasoned firewood and how do I know if it's properly seasoned?
First off, seasoned firewood means that it's been cut and has been sitting long enough for moisture to escape from the wood. This process can vary depending on the type of wood and climate. For instance, ash or maple might season in only half the time as oak. For this reason, I always suggest to my customers that they get a moisture reader to determine the percentage of moisture still retained in the firewood.
I purchased a moisture reader online for $30 and it's been the most useful tool to determine if my wood is ready to burn.
Why is it bad to burn wet wood? The reason being is that the first stage of combustion is moisture evaporation. The longer the wood remains in this stage, the more smoke it will generate ultimately resulting in excessive creosote buildup that can lead to a chimney fire. That's why I can't stress enough that burning seasoned hardwood is the most important part of maintaining a healthy venting system.
There are other ways to determine how dry the wood is, but having a digital readout tell you the exact moisture percentage is the best way.
When taking a moisture reading I like to take an already slit piece of wood and splitting it into an even smaller piece. From there a take a reading from the center and outside of the wood and average those 2 numbers. In my opinion, anything over 20% is too high and you should wait to burn that wood until that number is lowered.
I always carry my moisture reader on me and im more than happy to test your wood during your scheduled appointment.
If you have any questions regarding your chimney needs, please reach us at 248-251-9348 or coachlightchimney@gmail.com
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