Drying firewood »When, how long and how?

Why do you have to dry firewood?

If the wood has a high level of residual moisture, it will not burn completely. In this case, the combustion produces substances that can damage the environment and the heating system. For example, acetic acid is increasingly formed which, together with other combustion residues, attacks the chimney and chimney. Since significantly more soot is deposited when moist wood is burned, it clogs underneath Under certain circumstances, the stove pipes and it can lead to the formation of shiny soot, which can lead to dangerous soot fires can lead.

Last but not least, the energy yield drops to a third, as the water in the wood first has to be evaporated. So there is a kind of wood drying in the kiln, which wastes fuel unnecessarily and drives up costs.

How can wood be dried?

Usually, the wood is dried through correct storage in the open air. Proper storage is also important to prevent mold and rot. It also prevents pests such as house billy or sapwood beetles from nestling.

The storage place

This should be designed in such a way that no additional moisture gets to the wood. Therefore, pay attention to the following points:

• Air supply: The air should also reach the back of the firewood. This means that moisture cannot collect anywhere, which could lead to mold growth or rot.
• Exposure to sunlight: If the sunlight reaches the pile of wood, the drying effect of the storage is intensified. The residual moisture evaporates faster.
• Protection from the elements: The firewood, on the other hand, should not be exposed to rain and snow, as this will allow additional moisture to penetrate.

For example, the following are well suited for drying wood:

• A house wall facing south or south-west. Be sure to stack the wood at a distance of 15 centimeters to the rear so that the back of the stack is also ventilated.
• It is ideal if the fuel is protected from above by a roof.
• Alternatively, you can pile the wood to dry in a traditional rental, a free-standing pile of wood. Due to the special shape, the water can drain off while the heating material is dried by the sun on nice days. An optional roof protects against the weather from above.

However, the basement or a closed garden shed is unsuitable for drying. The air exchange in rooms is far too low and the still damp wood inevitably begins to rot or go moldy. For the same reason, you should insist on covering the pile with a tarp.

How long does it take to dry?

There is no general answer to this, as the weather conditions play a major role in storage in the air. Depending on the type of wood, the process of drying outdoors takes about two to three years. Under optimal conditions, the heating material can even be used after a year.