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Read below some easy ways to check whether your firewood is dry or not
When it comes to firewood it is important to ensure that it is adequately dry, correctly seasoned, and ready for burning your stove. Firewood that has a moisture content of less than 20% is essentially considered dry. Here are a few proven ways to check the dryness of firewood.
Importance Of Dry Firewood
- For an efficient and clean burn in your stove, your firewood must be dry. Correctly seasoned and well-dried firewood is also important for avoiding various health hazards such as congestion and carbon monoxide poisoning.
Testing The Dryness With A Soap
- The simplest way of testing the dryness of the firewood is by the use of regular washing-up liquid. All you need to do is add a small amount of the liquid to one end of the firewood. For more convenience pick a small log from the supply. Now on the other end of the log put your mouth and blow through the log.
It is however advisable to clean away the debris on the wood before performing this experiment. If you see bubbles when you blow through the log, your firewood is dry.
Water Channels
- Wood naturally has some channels inside it which are used for transporting water. The channel remains present even when the wood has been cut and dried.
So when you blow through the log whose water has been dried air can pass through these channels. This gives rise to the appearance of bubbles.
The Use Of Sound Test
- There is another simple yet ingenious way to check the dryness of the wood. Take two pieces of logs from the wood supply you want to test and bang them together.
If the firewood is dry you will hear a hard and ringing sound by banging the logs together. Wet and moist firewood on the other hand will produce more of a dull sound.
Limitations Of The Sound Test
- However, beware of the accuracy when it comes to the sound test of the firewood. When the weather is frosty and cold even a wood that has not been dried yet will give a loud ringing sound.
Sound test only gives a superficial idea of the dryness of the wood therefore it is wise to use it in conjunction with other methods.
Appearance Of The Firewood
When it comes to assessing the moisture content or dryness of the wood, appearance can play a huge role. Sufficiently dry firewood should:
It looks clean and hard.- It should be dry to touch.
- It should not have any moldy growths or moss present on it.
- It shows dry cracks on the ends.
- It should have visible signs of growth rings or circles.
- Dry wood should not smell of resins and wood juice.
- Prolonged exposure to the sun makes the wood yellow. Dry wood is always light in color.
- Firewood that does not meet the above-mentioned criteria is probably not dry enough. However, appearance can vary
- according to the type of wood you are intending to burn.
Testing The Dryness With A Moisture Meter
- The use of a moisture meter to check the moisture content of the wood is by far the most accurate method to determine the dryness of the wood. A moisture meter can be bought from several online retailers and firewood showrooms. It provides precise information about the moisture content of the wood.
Although a moisture meter is the best method for determining the dryness of the wood if you do not have one on hand then you have a few other options to consider.
Bol Design Inc. produces high-quality firewood kilns that efficiently remove the moisture from the firewood and make it drier. To get more information about our lumber kilns and other equipment, call us at 828-754-7001. Our office is located in Hudson, NC.