Columbia Installation and Operation Manual
13
3.2.5 How to Dry Firewood
Firewood that is not dry enough to burn is the cause of most complaints about wood
inserts. Continually burning green or unseasoned wood produces more creosote and
involves lack of heat and dirty glass door. See Section 5: Maintaining your wood
heating system for concerns about creosote.
Here are some things to consider in estimating drying time:
•
firewood takes a long time to dry
•
firewood bought from a dealer is rarely dry enough to burn, so it is advisable to buy the
wood in spring and dry it yourself
•
drying happens faster in dry weather than in damp, maritime climates
•
drying happens faster in warm summer weather than in winter weather
•
small pieces dry more quickly than large pieces
•
split pieces dry more quickly than unsplit rounds
•
softwoods take less time to dry than hardwoods
•
softwoods like pine, spruce, and poplar/aspen can be dry enough to burn after being
stacked in the open for only the summer months
•
hardwoods like oak, maple and ash can take one, or even two years to dry fully,
especially if the pieces are big
•
firewood dries more quickly when stacked in the open where it is exposed to sun and
wind; it takes much longer to dry when stacked in a wood shed
•
firewood that is ready to burn has a moisture content between 15 and 20% by weight
and will allow your stove to produce its highest possible efficiency
