Dry Your Firewood Faster

Piling stacked firewood near the stove for even a week or two prior to burning it can remove as much moisture as months of drying. Even a drop of just a few percentage points in moisture (measured by a handheld moisture meter) can make a big difference in the energy available from your firewood. This being because wetter wood consumes more of the energy that should be given off as heat to instead steam off the moisture in the wood. Not to mention it creates dangerous creosote buildup. For those of us in northern climates with short, humid summers, sometimes the conditions are not ideal to get firewood seasoned during the warmer months. Having the wood near the stove for even just a few days before burning can dry up the remaining excess moisture of only slightly dried cordwood.

As an added bonus, the moisture from the wood will help humidify the air, which is a huge benefit to many of us who suffer from dry air in our homes during the winter!