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[slimjim]

You are so right Heat, standing dead trees are nothing more than a sponge, as I understand it, the 2020 EPA rules will require all dealers to supply and train the stove owner on the proper use of the meter!

[tinfoilhat2020]

roxane, i hope you have better luck this year! keep us updated!!!!!

[mlappin]

Another note dead trees standing are like big sponges. Looks are deserving. test with moisture meter . ya its depressing but it will get a person up to speed cutting for next year   ya I don't practice what I preach . but moisture meter a truth teller .  live and learn is the name of the game . 

Heat550

Depends on the tree.

Red elm will stand so long it will crack clear thru to the heartwood and be drier than a popcorn fart when cut.

I’ve cut a lot of standing dead ash that the ash borer got and they were 25% or under in the dead of winter.

[roxann]

Hi all,
Big changes for me and this big old house...

The basement now has radiant heat
I also had an Home Energy Audit done yikes
I had tons of work done  wow I can already feel a difference and have cut back on wood burning bring on the winter.  I have heat set for 70 and its 80 in the house very excited to see what the winter brings if I will be in the 50's ever again.
 
The unit has been started so far so good its been running around 186- 189 outside light still don't work cleaning the unit is a very messy job it right out sucks!!

I'd like to thank this site for all the post and help been a huge help for me

[tinfoilhat2020]

Roxanne,

made sure you stir the coals/ashes around at every loading....this will push all the fine ash through the grates and only leave the bigger coals on top. Make yourself a nice even bed spread out over the grates...and then load your wood. Also, clean the ashes out once per week with the auger (i do mine on Saturday or Sunday). find something you can put uner the auger tube to collect them (i use a 4 inch deep metal pan). If you stay on top of it, maintenance is a breeze. This unit is very easy to clean compared to other stoves i have had in the past.....just be glad you arent shoveling ashes out of the firebox like you have to do on many other stoves!!! now thats a pain!

[slimjim]

Good advice Dylan, I haven't heard from Roxanne at all since spring, I think she is doing better with the unit now. You bring up a good point I have always wondered about though, what is it about putting the auger together, retrieving a pan and placing it under the auger, turning the auger to remove the ash into the pan, picking up the pan and dumping the ash, then removing and storing the auger and pan that is easier than sliding an ash pan out and dumping it or simply shoveling the ash out the front door into a wheelbarrow and dumping it?

[tinfoilhat2020]

i have my heatmor on a 12 inch pad, so its a bit more off the ground....so it is esier for me to catch the ash.....I HATE CLEANING OUT fireboxes with a shovel....i did that for years with a central and a timberwolf....that deep bed of ashes just acts as insulation, and man...the amount of smoke in my face and crap all over...NEVER AGAIN!!!! when i auger my heatmor out once a week, i usually fill up one 12" x 12" x 4" pan with fine ssand-like ash....real easy and simple. I dont get a wheel barrel full of ash and coal every week like i did with the timberwolf and central

[tinfoilhat2020]

as to why they dont use an ash pan...im not sure....the 400 model has a firebox that is almost 5 ft long....and the grates extend the length of the firebox floor....is they were too make an ash pan...man, that would be a beast!!!!! lol

[tinfoilhat2020]

i think any system with grates and either an ash pan or auger system is far superior to having to shovel ash from the firebox....thats just my opinion....now my buddy have a 2009 WD model 800 that doesnt have a grate system and he is able to get better fine ash b/c of the forced draft....he takes a few shovels full out every weekend and throws them in his garden. the two natural convection units i had in prior years just didnt get fine ash like that

[slimjim]

I still have my old WD 14,000 and it is pretty simple to drive the Cat bucket up to it, shovel a wheel barrow of ash out into the bucket and dump it on the compost pile 3-4 times a season

[tinfoilhat2020]

lots over average home owners arent  fortunate enough to have any kind of loader with a bucket on it!!!lol I use to use the old wheel barrel and i had to do mine ever week or two or there would be a 12 inch bed of ash/coal and my recovery times and wood usage went up

[mlappin]

Ditto here, skid steer or the loader with the yard bucket on it, keep the coals and ash stirred up often and they’d burn down so fine it would almost act like water and spread out to cover the bottom of the bucket, usually only had to clean it a few times thru the winter. An aluminum grain shovel worked best.

[roxann]

I have an update...

The circulator crapped out.... A big white glob came out.  I will take a photo to share... Anyone know what that could be and what caused it...

Phoned my dealer to order a new circulator left message  unfortunately I missed his call back  voice mail  call the office number .. I did so who answers the phone 1. guess
still haven't been able to reach him... I was able to have the circulator cleaned and put back on.

I can't believe & feel silly I am even writing this but any  advise on how I can cool my house down its 87 way to hot... I am sleeping with three windows  and still hot I turned the pumps on low


d5knapp I also clean my ashes out once a week. I clean the flues once a month I hate it bang my hands up get really dirty

[hondaracer2oo4]

Why is your house 87 degrees? This makes no sense, your thermostat on the wall only runs your circulator in the house if your house is below the set point that you set, set 70 degrees on the thermostat, house drops below 70 it turns on the circulator for that zone, house rises above 70 circulator turns off. Sounds like your circulators in the house are running all the time?

[roxann]

I don't know whats going on.. I have the heat set at 58 up stairs and its 89 and downstairs set at 74 its 86 right now  the temp on the unit is 184