I have a pile of old firewood on a property that we're trying to sell. It's up on pallet skids, but uncovered. In our move, I pulled the tarp off of it and never covered it back up again. It's been like that for about a year. What should I do with the stuff? It's pretty good wood, and I was thinking about bringing it to our new place and putting it under shelter. I don't see why it wouldn't dry out in another 6 mos. under shelter. Take it or leave it? Any opinions?
Depends on the wood....pine, poplar a year out in the weather, and you haven't got much ( not that you had much to start with....ahahahaaa ), but a good hardwood, maybe. Pick up a few pcs and examine.....feel "punky" ( soft, falling apart ) ? forget it. Still heavy, and fairly hard ? Take it.
+1 on the above. If any of it's birch with the bark still around it, harvest the bark for tinder. The wood will rot fast with the bark around it because it holds the water in and never dries out. But the bark lasts a good long time is fantastic for fire-lighting.
I'd say it would depend on; How much wood are you talking about? How far is the move and how much trouble/expense would be involved? Will you be heating with wood at the new place? Does the place you're selling heat with wood? Would it be a selling point for a buyer to have firewood as part of the deal? I personally like to have some old weathered wood for starter or for those times in spring and fall when you just need a quick hot fire to take the chill off.
How do you like that thing? They seem like a great idea, but I've heard a lot of negatives. Especially regarding creosote and over consumption.
WELL I'M NO EXPERT-- well enough for the disclaimer. I fired mine up for the first time last fall, I would get creosote on the door between fills. ( I was using it to heat my hot water for my house which in turns heats the coils in my basement.) I ended up adding a heat exchanger in the plenum of my furnace which works just like the heater in your car/truck. Once I did that the furnace ran more ( mine has a forced draft) and hotter, it wasn't sitting idle (building creosote). As far as consumtion, In the coldest months ( Dec- Feb) I filled it once in the morning before work and when I got home I'd top it off. I mix hard and soft woods in it, between trees and scrap pallets. I went through 4 cord of wood last year + pallets. By fill it I mean add wood until you can't fit any more, one weekend I packed it full and it burned from Saturday morning until Monday morning. Do they make creosote YES, do the smoke YES, do they heat you damn right I kept my house at 70/72 all winter. Just prepare were you want to set the boiler and which way the winds blow during the winter, I also set my loading door into the wind so the wind will blow the smoke up the stack. Hope I helped.
yes. Thanks. I always like the concept. Wood stoves are nice, but a wood furnace gives you central heat capability. For me, it's out of the question with my snobby neighbors. But someday - when we G.O.O.D., it will be the way I heat my earth sheltered, solar powered refuge (I can dream right?)
You bet you can dream, we all have the dream of the perfect shelter, just needs the funds to do it. Until then..
Take it. Take it all. Wood is expensive in terms of labor. If some is creosote ridden pine, I would separate it out and use it for any outdoor fires (summer cooking fires) that you may want to have. The hard wood I would store under a good roofed wood shack/shed whatever you want to call it. You can probably find enough pole wood on the property to build the frame. Check for scrap wood around time to finish it off if you don't want to rip your own boards. That will make for a low cost project that will last. If I was there, I would give you a hand.
Thanks man. It's more like a year and a half now. I haven't checked on it because it's behind a shed. I'm there every other week to cut the grass and maintain the place and I scratch my head wondering why. This economy is so pathetic. I've had about 4 showings in a year! If it still looks good, I'll just take a bunch back with me every time I'm out there. It's not so bad when you do the work piecemeal. I may end up renting the place (after pouring thousands into renovating it ) So might as well take it for myself rather than give it to my tenants.
