Know Your Wood's Moisture Content - Video Vignette

Wet wood is a waste of wood. To make sure your wood pile is dry, remember to split, stack, cover and store it, so you save money and help keep the air inside and outside of your house clean. Split the wood at least once. Stack it in a pile that has plenty of air flow. Store wood in an open air shed, or cover the pile for at least six of the drier months so it dries properly.

If you are buying wood, select a dealer who is participating in the Moisture Disclosure Program sponsored by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. This program requires participants to follow requirements which include using a moisture meter to measure the water content in the wood and provide documentation to the buyer. Registered sellers can be found online at Burn Wise Alaska

With a little practice and these five tips, you can judge the moisture content of firewood accurately enough to tell the difference between green wood and seasoned so you are always burning the right wood.

Split a piece of wood. If the exposed surface feels damp, the wood is too wet to burn.
If you’re still not sure, burn some of the wood you are testing. Dry wood ignites and burns easily. Wet wood is hard to light and hisses in the fire.
Cracks in the end of the grain usually indicate dryness. Examine the ends of a sample piece, looking for cracks that radiate from the core to the bark. Big, deep radius cracks indicate well-seasoned wood.
Dry wood weighs much less than wet wood and has darkened from a white or cream color to grey or yellow.
Finally, knock two pieces of wood together: dry wood sounds hollow, while wet pieces sound solid and dull.

Burning the right wood that has the right moisture content is the first step toward building a fire that is hotter, cleaner and more efficient. Know the difference between different types of wood and how they burn differently and learn to identify the moisture content in your wood supply.

Burn wise and breathe easy by burning the right wood, the right way, in the right stove. For more tips on burning wisely visit Burn Wise Alaska.

View: Part 1 - Know Your Wood

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