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Installation and Operation Manual - HES 240
ENGLISH
3.5 Drying Time
Firewood that is not dry enough to burn is the cause of most complaints about wood burning
appliances. Continually burning green or unseasoned wood produces more creosote and involves
lack of heat and dirty glass door.
Firewood with a moisture content between 15% and 20% will allow the stove to produce its
highest possible efficiency.
Here are some facts to consider in estimating drying time:
− 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 a damp climate;
− Drying happens faster in warm summer
weather than in winter weather;
− Split pieces dry more quickly than
unsplit rounds;
− Softwoods like pine, spruce, poplar,
and aspen take less time to dry than
hardwoods. They can be dry enough to
burn after being stacked to air dry only for 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 outside in a location exposed to sun and wind; it takes
much longer to dry when stacked in a wood shed.
Use these guidelines to find out if the firewood is dry enough to burn:
− Cracks forms at the end of logs as they dry;
− The wood turns from white or cream colored to grey or yellow;
− Two pieces of wood struck together sounds hollow;
− Dry wood is much lighter in weight than wet wood,
− The face of a fresh cut feels warm and dry;
− The moisture content read by a moisture meter is between
15% to 20%.
