Keeping Your Firewood Dry

It is important things to know on how to stack firewood so it air dries quickly. The first thing to do is to split all the firewood to the size you intend to use when you burn it. Be sure when it's cut that it's the correct length to fit in your fireplace, wood stove or fireplace insert.

It's best to store the firewood off the ground. If you can afford some treated lumber 4-by-4s to use as runners, these work great and can last decades. If you have access to some younger straight trees such as birch, you can cut those to make runners that are about 14 inches apart center to center. If you use trees, it's very important they be the same diameter. You want the stacked wood to be plumb so your pile doesn't tip over.

If you can't afford the treated lumber or don't have access to the trees, then at least store the wood on well-drained gravel. You just don't want the wood in contact with damp soil. That will cause the lower row of firewood to rot over time.

Think about the prevailing wind direction at your house. It's ideal to stack the wood so the long rows are parallel with the prevailing wind direction. Once the wood is covered, the piles act like a miniature wind tunnel as the wind blows through and across the wood.

At the end of each row of firewood -- there is usually have three stacks next to one another -- you want to stack each successive layer at 90 degree angles to one another. This tower of firewood offers pretty good stability at each end so that the weight of the pile doesn't cause the wood at the end to tumble off the row.

Also keep about 6 inches of space between each row to promote air circulation. If you stack all the wood tightly, it takes longer to dry. If you do three rows of wood, try to make sure the center row is higher than the other two by about 4 inches.

 

Once the woods all stacked, then cover the wood with two long pieces of overlapping tar paper. The higher center row of wood help ensure any water drains to the sides of the pile. Then cover the wood with a fiberglass tarp so the top is covered and it extends partially down the sides. Also try to keep the ends of the rows uncovered as much as possible to promote great ventilation.

Don't cover the stack of firewood completely with a tarp. This traps water vapor and makes it nearly impossible for the wood to dry.

It's vitally important that you do everything possible to promote the movement of air through the wood if you want it to dry rapidly.

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Proper Firewood Storage Improves Efficiency

It is good for us to keep enough firewood before the winter season. Using the freshly cut of firewood are not recommended for burning due to their high moisture content. The seasoned firewood contains the ideal moisture which is about15% to 20% of moisture and will provide us with an efficient fire that produces low emissions. Normally, firewood can be ready for burning in six months, but it never hurts to save the wood you cut and split this year for next year's winter fires.



Firewood Storage Shed



There are a few ways for storing your seasoned firewood. But the most important is how to keep your firewood in the right way to make them quick ready for use especially before the upcoming winter. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when deciding how and where to keep your seasoned firewood.

Easy to Access and Insect Deterrence

It is must be easy to access and pick up the firewood but storing logs against an outside wall of our home is not recommended because firewood can attract insects. By storage the logs inside your home building also is not a good idea because pests can enter your home or cause damage to your home's exterior. The best option is build an outside storage shed or building. Firewood can be damage by critters but be careful in spraying with pesticides due to burning these logs will create harmful toxic vapors.

Moisture Protection

Protection from moisture is also very important in storing of firewood to make our firewood burns efficiently. The best way is keep them in a large outdoor shed or storage building. But if you have no enough space, using a simple tarp to cover your firewood is recommended to prevent it from taking in moisture from rain or snow. Make sure the tarps are properly tied down to prevent them from blowing away.

Proper Air Circulation

Avoid storing the logs directly on the ground because firewood can soak up moisture and attract insects. It is recommended to store firewood in a rack because it will keep your logs elevated, promote air circulation, and deter pests and wood rot. The firewood rack can be hand made either from wood or steel tubular.

Seasoned firewood should be properly stored to ensure the effectiveness with long-burning and low emission fires throughout the winter season.

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Basic Knowledge To Repair Firewood Processor

Sometimes your firewood processor need to be repaired. If the firewood processor still under warranty, you still can ask store's technician for service but if the machine is no longer under warranty, you may want to repair your firewood processor by yourself.

There are just a few basic components to a firewood processor. These are, in addition to the steel frame and wheels for ease of moving, a hydraulic cylinder, an oil pump, a control valve and a gas powered engine. It's may little bit vary between the models of the firewood processor but in general, it’s good to have a few basic items on hand.

Tools and Materials required:

1. Screwdrivers, flathead and Phillips head
2. Ratchet and socket set
3. Crescent wrench
4. Insulated pliers
5. Length of plastic hosing
6. Oil filter

Step 1: Troubleshoot – Oil Pump

Knowing precisely what is wrong with your firewood processor is the first step to repair. If you keep enough hydraulic fluid in the reserve tank, the oil pump should be in good working order. You may need to replace the oil filter if it is old and worn out. Additionally, the hosing that channels the high-pressure and low-pressure fluid to and from the cylinder might need replacing.

Step 2: Engine

Check the engine. Make sure there is both fuel and fire getting to the motor. If it’s not starting, check the spark plug. If you can look into the carburetor and see gas, fuel is getting there. If it is, it’s probably not getting fire. The plug and points wear out after time and will need replacing. Pull the plug wire off and with insulated pliers, hold it about ¼-inch from the tip of the plug and pull the rope starter. If no spark is seen, the points need replacing.

Step 3: Hydraulic Cylinder

Assuming the cylinder is not severely damaged, that is, has not swelled, cracked, and the piston rod is not damaged, a faulty seal or piston ring inside the cylinder is usually to blame. To replace the seal, you may have to dismantle the whole cylinder. Never use a sharp object to remove the seal, and be careful not to scratch the shaft or you could have problems later. Obtain a diagram of the cylinder if you do not already have one for specific instructions on dismantling it.

Step 4: Valve

The valve is the switch you use to control the pressure into and out of the cylinder. It is the control that applies force to the cylinder which in turn pushes the log onto the splitting wedge. Check to see that the valve is operating properly. Making sure the hosing is not damaged and that the seals are all tight will go a long way in letting you know what’s wrong.

Both a horizontal and a vertical firewood processor can be gas powered hydraulic machines. There are only a few parts to a hydraulic firewood processor, making it one of the simplest hydraulic tools in use. Troubleshooting possible malfunctions involves checking each of the component parts: valve, oil pump, engine, and hydraulic cylinder and all of the connecting seals and hosing. Once isolated, you can focus on the specific component and get your log splitter working properly again.

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