Softwood tarring up flues?

[Woodworks]

Is there any evidence to the above? I have always believed it to be a fallacy but as I almost never get any softwood I don't know for sure. I have a load of Monterey pine to move and offered it cheap and green to a local to process for next season. Now they don't want as they have read that it would be bad for the flue.

 

If dry is it any worse than harwood?

Thanks

[Stubby]

I think that if its seasoned properly then no , not a problem . Pine is probably one of the most resinous but Scandinavia and north America don't seem to have a problem .

[hardtop110]

If it's seasoned it'll be fine.

Scandinavia and north America don't seem to have a problem

 

Exactly

[SteveA]

Shouldn't cause any problems at all, so long as it's properly seasoned. Chances are that e.g, oak is more likely to cause problems due to the amount of time it takes to season properly/ high amount of tannins.

[Woodworks]

Pleased to hear it doesn't but has anyone seen any studies to prove it as I would like to persuade this chap that it will be OK

Edited March 6, 2014 by Woodworks
crap spelling as per usual

[SteveA]

Pleased to hear it doesn't but has anyone seen any studies to prove it as I would like to persuade this chap that it will be OK

 

Now there's a question.

Hmmm, I'm sure I've read something about this, something scientifically orientated from the Forestry Commission, but not sure which document it was in? (there's lotsa docs on all sorts). Could be worth contacting them for a pointer.

 

There's a lot of mis-information on forums, if that's where your customer got his info source from? And I've also noticed some companies misinforming the public about wood fuel pollution.

 

May help, fairly simple to understand : Pdf from Forestry Commission: Wood as fuel end users guide: http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/eng-woodfuel-woodasfuelguide.pdf/$FILE/eng-woodfuel-woodasfuelguide.pdf

Edited March 6, 2014 by SteveA

[10 Bears]

This is purely anecdotal, but my chimney sweep says that in his experience, if you leave the fire on tick-over during the night, you will be more likely to get tarring/blockages.

 

Now, I do burn softwood when I just happen to get it in which is probably only 10% of the time, I never burn any fossil fuels, and I do use tick over - but not every night. What I do burn mostly is hardwoods, and the sweep says that he will only come back every other year as my flue is always clear - he gets very little out when he sweeps. So, there *could* be something to the idea that less softwood means less build up - which is the null hypothesis to the idea that more softwood causes build up.

 

As I said - purely anecdotal, but that's my experience of it!

[SteveA]

This is purely anecdotal, but my chimney sweep says that in his experience, if you leave the fire on tick-over during the night, you will be more likely to get tarring/blockages.

 

Now, I do burn softwood when I just happen to get it in which is probably only 10% of the time, I never burn any fossil fuels, and I do use tick over - but not every night. What I do burn mostly is hardwoods, and the sweep says that he will only come back every other year as my flue is always clear - he gets very little out when he sweeps. So, there *could* be something to the idea that less softwood means less build up - which is the null hypothesis to the idea that more softwood causes build up.

 

As I said - purely anecdotal, but that's my experience of it!

 

Starving the oxygen supply will always result in more tar build-up; much the same with a car.... starve it of oxygen and it will smoke; hold a rag over the exhaust and you'll see it easy enough!

 

May I suggest trying fully seasoned softwood for a year, and chucking in 10% hardwood....

[Stubby]

Pleased to hear it doesn't but has anyone seen any studies to prove it as I would like to persuade this chap that it will be OK

 

Just point this chap to the Scandinavia North America thing .........

[difflock]

running a Morso feeding into about 8m of 8" flue.

Since 1996, burning 24/7 for 6 or 7 mths of the year.

Occassional chimnay fires when running on Birch, but I was banking the fire up at night and screwing the knobs tight to burn all night.

This past say 5 or 8 years running on pure Conifer, a mix of Sitka and Lodgepole.

Absolutly no chimnay fires, flue "pulls like a train" , but I no longer attempt to burn the fire overnight.

The bone dry conifer burns hot and clean.

PS

The flue has NEVER been cleaned, since 1996.

Regards

Marcus