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[lindnova]

I'm the opposite of Andy.  I burn the greener stuff when I have more of a demand for heat than usual.  If I burn green wood in the shoulder months my fire will go out due to the longer idle times.

Agreed.  If I burn green or low coaling wood like boxelder it has a hard time holding coals compared to dry elm.

[intensedrive]

What I have noticed so far with green wood is longer burn time overnight,  nice bed of coals.  Green wood isn't that bad to burn IF you have a large bed of hot coals and a raging fire in the burn box.   This means more checking and more filling throughout the day which is hard thing to manage.  The big issue is when you wake up or have unexpected demand on the wood overnight or you can't make it home and you have smaller coals.  Throwing green wood on these smaller coals will pretty much just drop your boiler temp extremely low and in many cases snuff out fire and be left in a situation where you have to nurse the boiler for hours trying to get temps back up.  Burning green wood can be done but is going to cause you headaches and much more time monitoring the furnace, plus burning more wood in the long run.

I will add, if you have a nice fire and bed of coals and throw some large green wood on top.. I'm assured a longer burn time, but wasting BTU to boil off the water on the added green wood.  My lesson so far been to stock up on well seasoned wood, but also having a stash of green wood might not be all bad for long overnight burns in the coldest months.

[hoardac]

Split it small, keep it full and enjoy the chimney fires I usually have a few during the season if I am burning green wood

[intensedrive]

Hi Hoardac,

Yes I have been splitting the larger pieces smaller which helps a bunch.  I have had 2 chimney fires already, looks a rocket engine... Waiting for my boiler to take off to the moon ha.  Every two weeks I pack a good bunch of cardboard into the fire... really burns off the creosote.  The sparks could get a bit scary with dry land.  Luckily here we have snow or wet weather during the burning months.

Split it small, keep it full and enjoy the chimney fires I usually have a few during the season if I am burning green wood

[jamesbodeis]

We have been cutting quite a bit of silver maple. Moisture content is only around 25% according to the tester. Seems to be burniing really well. Been mixing it with ash. Haven't really had to split anything but the big rounds at the trunk.

[dukethebeagle]

agree with hoard.split it small and open her up.
will get goin faster and have a hotter fire then big slow,cold burners

[woodywoodchucker]

When your out looking for wood dont forget the standing dead. Dead dry pipe burns hot and fast. mix it in.

[Log hog]

I often burn half and half. Green in back dry in front. Seasoned wood drys up the greener stuff

[woodywoodchucker]

I often burn half and half. Green in back dry in front. Seasoned wood drys up the greener stuff

  In back? Do you stack it in sideways? Or do you just put it way back and a second stack in front?

[Log hog]

I cut most everything 16 to 18 inches long (stove is 36 deep) because most of the stuff I scrounge is so large it needs to be split. I then it's two stacks in the stove one in the back and one in the front. I just bought a semi of firewood and it's mostly 6 to 8 inch stuff so I think I will cut most of it to 36 long and just have one stack.

[woodywoodchucker]

my dealer told me no more than 24" and Ive done that for 2 winters. works why better.I like what your doing.when the front stack burns do you just pull the other forward?Ill never burn 36 " again.Plus i think throughing big wood in can damage stuff.

[Log hog]

my dealer told me no more than 24" and Ive done that for 2 winters. works why better.I like what your doing.when the front stack burns do you just pull the other forward?Ill never burn 36 " again.Plus i think throughing big wood in can damage stuff.

Yes in the morning I pull all coals and charred logs to the front. I often put a large greener log in the back to dry all day. If I only burned one stack of 24" logs I would never make it through the night when the temps go below 20. I need to fill it up.

[marty]

Good idea about green in back, I'm gonna try this too

[userdk]

I am burning a Heatmaster MF 10,000 and it doesn't matter much if it's green or dry. Don't let it burn out, and you probably won't have a problem.

[intensedrive]

I have noticed since I do not have a blower but natural draft, as long as there is active fire or roaring flame it will dry that green wood in a hurry.  Now If I add a bunch of green wood in the morning on a good bed of coals, it will get going but takes awhile and really hurts your coal bed trying to dry the wood.