How to Check Firewood - Moisture Meters
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- čas přidán 5. 02. 2023
- Dry logs make good fires. Never assume your logs are ready to burn - know they are!
On the open hearth or in a wood burning stove, it has never been more important to use properly dried firewood. Bought-in delivered logs, bagged firewood and those you've harvested and stored yourself should be checked.
For me, wood is the most beautiful renewable heating fuel and my responsibility is to make sure it is harvested sustainably and burnt efficiently. It is my tiny contribution to not burning a fossil fuel like heating oil or gas, nor increasing the demand for nuclear energy. And those of us living with wood fires must do all we can to burn cleanly. This is becoming increasingly important as attention focusses on smoke and PM2.5 fine particulate matter. I am proud to use this ancient and benign heating fuel, and, in doing so, not release fossilised carbon into the atmosphere nor create more radio-active waste!
eagerly awaiting more videos winter is coming and just starting to light the burner ...... lovely
Thank you - I have plenty of ideas and, like you, I am pleased that my fire will be lit again soon! I have one more gold prospecting trip and then I will get filming! Have a great winter. Vince
I completely learned how to reverse hit and split a log just now... that BAFFLED me... i've been splitting logs for my grandfather since I was 8 years old... and now he's gone and i'm mid 30s and missing him... would have absolutely loved to share this video with him. Wood stoves and chopping wood were one of the many, but most special fun things we did
It is great that you have these good memories. I think a key to life is stopping for a moment when things are good and sort of recording it all, really noticing it, and embedding clear memories of the good times . . . the bad times seem to record themselves! My three children started splitting wood at about 8 years, seems about right for most maybe, but they did over-hit logs a lot and I needed a store of new handles! All best. Vince
"Antiquated and inconvenient heating fuel", you are so wise. This sums it up. Have heated with wood for 33 years. Just bought your book. You've got it right. Thank you.
Thanks Charles, I have just heated my bathwater with some dead Christmas trees and elm from the hedge - all free and I enjoyed gathering it all - woodfires are a great lifestyle for those who choose it!
I stumbled across this channel a couple of days ago and I absolutely love this channel. All very good information. Thank you
Thanks Matt - wood fires are a fascinating subject, and we never stop learning. All best, Vince
More videos please Vince. Just reading your book and I'm really enjoying it thank you.
Thank you - I hope there are a few useful things in the book for you - it's a great subject!
So happy to have found your channel. Just started reading your book. I've been burning/heating with firewood my whole life, but always looking for new and interesting firewood tricks and technicians. Only just purchased a moisture metre about 2 months ago.
Happy winter, from Canada.
Thanks John. It is great that living with wood fires is as simple, or as complicated - in a good way - as we want. I too am always listening out for new ideas and tricks for better fires. The birds are singing here like winter is nearly over - shame, I will miss my fires! All best. Vince
Your videos are an absolute delight to watch. I have watched them all a few times now, eagerly waiting for more.
Thanks Ben - I have more ideas than I have the time to make them, but I enjoy it all and will make the time!
last year my wood was 15% this year it's around 6% after having a very dry fall and it's burning so much better, thank you for your videos and I love your book
That is impressive! The driest I have ever got split logs is about 12%. And the extra heat energy you will have got not having to boil away the moisture will be noticeable and welcome!
So you got me thinking I did something wrong so I split a piece of split wood and tested the inside of that and you are right it was 15%, even though the split wood test 5% outside or on the end, where the wood was split a year ago, so how many years does it take for 20" stove wood to dry out after being split? Will it ever get below 10%.@@WoodFiresWithVince
Hi Nathan, really good that you tested the inside of your logs. My main thought is be happy with logs that are 15% mc on the inside and have an outer 'shell' of 5% mc. I would say that this is fine - as a general rule. Most log species, if split and stacked with good airflow, get as dry as they are going to in a year. If the logs are big or a very dense species it will be longer. A good friend of mine would get his split birch logs dry enough to burn in 6 to 8 weeks of summer weather. Unless you live in an unusually dry area, I would not have a personal target of 10% mc - that is drier than most of us could ever get. Or, as the outer log dried to 5/6% mc, you could split your logs smaller to catch the benefit of a really dry fall. All best. Vince
Always appreciate your work sir
Its great to see someone with such a passion for burning wood. After reading your book I decided to burn Alder which is plentyful around my river bank when dry it is a good starter for my heaver woods.
Hi Patrick, I have two friends who burn mostly Alder and get on fine with it - they too both live near rivers! Thanks for your comment. Vince
Your content is really high quality. Thanks for this
Thanks Martin, I hope a few bits of the videos are helpful! All best, Vince
Love your videos. I use a moisture meter.
Thank you - the MM is such an important piece of kit, dry logs are key to efficiency and clean burning. All best. Vince
Great video, Vince 👍🏼. How true is it with all the different moisture meters and their similar readings. I have one very similar to your new one and use it all the time. I’m so glad I found your channel, Vince👍🏼, finally found someone that I totally agree with, cheers.
Thanks Wayne, Always nice to find someone who agrees with us - shows we have not drifted off too far! Vince
Thank you for your videos. I’m glad I found them, it’s a subject I am also passionate about. I burn mostly oak which is very common here in Connecticut in the us. I mark sample logs with an x on each end when I’m splitting my firewood. I then weigh them on a small kitchen scale and mark the logs with their green weight in grams. I can check back on them to see how the drying is progressing. I supplement that with th meter
Hi Jeff, that is interesting, very thorough and I have not know anybody do that before. The two measurement systems will give you a moisture content figure you can have real confidence in. Nice! All best. Vince
That is a really smart way to check drying
Wonderful video 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 as normal
Thank you!
Hi Vince, love your channel and book. How about a video on how to identify which tree a log is from? You did it so easily on this video - I dont have a clue!
Hi John, A very interesting idea, but really difficult to do . . . but, it is now on my list of possible future videos! The boring truth is that all seasoned wood is fine in a woodstove - but, yes, how much more satisfying to know what you have been sold and are burning. All best, Vince
@@WoodFiresWithVincethanks for the reply Vince. Anything you could do to help me with tree / wood identification would be awesome. I agree that most wood will burn once seasoned, but I have no idea how to identify a tree. It would just be great to know which tree is which, even if you have to do it by leaf shape. You do it so easily. Keep up the good work
@@oddpodd701 Thanks John, your idea is now firmly on my 'to-do' list!
Justome across your videos and enjoying them immensely have you tried a painless meter if so what are your thoughts
No, I have never tried a pinless meter - it would be good to test one against normal pin meters - a good thought, thanks.
Excellent video....thoroughly enjoyed it - thank you.
Hello, I've just come across your channel while looking for info on using moisture metres. Your video was very interesting and I shall enjoy seeing the rest of the channel. In the meantime, I do have a couple of questions: (1) The logs we have delivered are generally a mixture of woods but I can't identify them so wouldn't be able to select a specific wood on a moisture meter - in which case would the measurement be wildly inaccurate? (2) We store logs in our barn - is there likely to be enough air flow inside a barn? Thank you.
I think that checking for moisture content is not a perfect science. I would say that if you are not sure what wood you have, decide if it is a conifer or hardwood and use one of the middle settings and then be consistent in how you take the readings so that you have some relativity to check how the wood is drying out. Secondly, air flow to dry logs is a really big deal - if the barn is fairly air-tight I would only store logs that are already dry enough to burn. If they are not dry, then I think it's best you create some good airflow with windows, shutters, doors open a bit - whatever might help - or make a drying woodshed outside somewhere. Good luck, Vince
You're meant to test with the grain, not across it.
Additionally, did you adjust the new meter's settings based on timber type? There is a potential large range of results based on the setting chosen.
Interesting points. I know it is usually said to test along the grain - but did you notice it made almost no difference with either of the two good moisture meters if used along the grain or across the grain. And yes I did change the species mode. I did not film it, possibly I should have, but I thought showing the new meter in close up (at about 3.50 for 7 seconds) with the four tree species settings in full view was hopefully enough. Thanks for your thoughts. Vince
great vid, new to wood stove heating . i bought a moisture meter, i noticed logs already split are fairly dry inside, but the bark is attached and very high moisture 30% - 40% measuring on the bark on the logs on the bark . i see these videos, people don't measure the bark? i assume that's not ok to use?
Interesting observations! The logs will dry faster on the split face and I would say that your logs are probably not yet fully seasoned. The bark itself usually has more heat energy per kilo/pound than the actual wood - so once dry it is good to burn. Mastering you logs is probably the secret to enjoying good wood fires - I hope it all goes well for you. Best wishes, Vince
I don't think you've done a video about where to dry your wood/place your woodpile? Other channels almost claim you have to dry it in full sun, but you seem to be sucessful drying it in a shady spot (as long as airflow is ok that is, although you stacked a lot tighter than I expected)
Good point - and you are right. I believe that 'rain off and air through' are the most important - the wood will dry to the ambient moisture content then, and fairly evenly. If you have a climate with lots of sun and very little rain, fine use the sun - but I do not believe that that is the case for most people. My tight stacking is as I have limited space, and as my home is totally wood heated I want a decent reserve in case I can't get wood for some reason. And I have pallets all around the stack for good airflow.
Hi fella, ive burnt most wood over the years and have recently been given some Monkey puzzle rounds that ive never tried before. Would you bother with splitting and storing for a couple of years taking up valuable space in the store? Thanks
Morning, well, this is a tree species I have never burnt before. All dry wood works in a wood-burning stove, and I think Monkey Puzzle has an open fibre structure so I would expect it to dry fairly quickly when split - quicker than two years certainly. If it was me, I would use it and see how it works out - you might be offered more one day! Vince
Hi - what’s your view on using air purifiers inside with a wood burner with HEPA filters ? Help with harmful particles etc ?
Hello - yes wood burners are getting such a bad press just lately in the UK. For years we have been told that oil and fossil fuels are the enemy, and then suddenly it is our wood stoves! I would like to get hold of the original research as being told that stoves cause 27% of PM2.5 pollution in the UK, when they are not even lit for most of the year, seems very odd!?? I did read a while back that the research was done during a very cold winter period when most people with any form of fire had it lit.
To your question - Firstly, good technique means that you should not be getting any significant smoke back into your room. So only if somebody has bad asthma or something would I think about air purifiers. I have just bought an air testing meter (for PM2.5) to see how my stoves compare with other things I live with - candle lit dinners, burnt toast, frying anything, vacuum cleaners, joss sticks, etc. Data is only meaningful in context - and I want to know the PM2.5 levels in my home just from everyday living - you might try that too before looking at an air purifier. Best of luck whatever you choose to do. Vince
If the government says it, I don’t trust it
Im new to wood burning, is it ok to store wood in the house, under the stairs where it's dry and dark,?
Hi, I would say it's probably best not to store logs there. Two reasons, first there is no air flow and the damp logs may actually just sit not drying, secondly you may well bring a whole load of unwanted insects into the house. If you can, build even the simplest wood store, maybe just with pallets. Air through and rain off is all that is needed. I hope you work something good out. All best, Vince
When are you going to put more video on
Soon I hope, when the gold prospecting season is over. All best, Vince
You habe to press Mode with nee moisture Meter! And select the correct Wood Type
Yes I did that with the new one. Not obvious with the old one - I'll look at it again.
This has made up my mind not to bother with moisture meters
Pity the firewood suppliers can't be bothered to buy one. I frequently buy wood which is far too wet to burn and despite stating
That is so wrong of them - it is not a difficult thing to check.
We are getting a lot of totally wrong flack recently about smoke, and our best first defence is to burn cleanly, and that means dry logs!
P r o m o S M