Softwood tarring up flues?

[nepia]

Beau, we burn 95% conifer here and have no problems. I skipped cleaning the flue last year; I never got round to it and anyway I get so little from the job I don't worry about it.

 

I open everything right up for the first 20 minutes or so after lighting and again when we go to bed.

TCD's dead right; dry conifer's the greatest. Lightweight to handle, catches light from a match almost and gives good heat.

We just have to teach the World...

[ballibeg]

Just store it well! Does tend to absorb rain, leaks etc quickly.

[SteveA]

Thanks for the link Steve. I sent it to them but sadly lost this battle as they only want hardwood.

 

No worries mate. They'll be changing their thoughts when the price of burning hardwood goes through the roof.

[Cosmiccrofter]

Will you guys please stop bigging up softwoods as firewood, pretty soon everyone will want it. Stop it!

[SamWhiting12]

Will you guys please stop bigging up softwoods as firewood, pretty soon everyone will want it. Stop it!

 

What wrong with people wanting to buy softwood firewood?

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

No worries mate. They'll be changing their thoughts when the price of burning hardwood goes through the roof.

 

quite right

 

Will you guys please stop bigging up softwoods as firewood, pretty soon everyone will want it. Stop it!

 

What wrong with people wanting to buy softwood firewood?

 

We're trying to keep a trick up our sleeves. Sshhhh!

[SamWhiting12]

Oh sorry I was being a bit dull there Your secret safe with me!!

 

Anyone got an artic of softwood firewood??

[ThrustSSC]

We burn 2 cube a day some days on our outdoor central boiler.

The hardwood we first used wasn't a problem. Once a month we would open back up.

Place special tool in the flues and pull up and down with chain provided.

Was bit hard going but after few passes a dry dusty soot comes out, prob a good shovel full from the 8 flues.

After burning softwood that was originally very seasoned and barn stored(6-8% moisture)

Then was put outside in big heap so got wet although burnt very well and used no more per day than pure hardwood after a month couldn't get the tool in the flues at all which are about 6"x1".

We had to make special tool up to fit on drill to bore the tarred up flues out..

 

Nick hits the nail on the head. It's the moisture that matters - when vapourised it kills the secondary burn; that then condenses as tar; flue clogs up; fire risk starts.

 

Sadly few folks seem to realise this, and hence the cowboys get away with selling damp wood. Some even think that if it's sat in the stack for two years they can process it straight into the pickup and sell it as "well-seasoned"...

[WMC]

Funny how everyone's on about softwood. No one wanted it. It will be the main source of log burners within 3 years.

[Alycidon]

Nick hits the nail on the head. It's the moisture that matters - when vapourised it kills the secondary burn; that then condenses as tar; flue clogs up; fire risk starts.

 

 

Agreed.

 

The thread starter talks about softwood generally, all woods except possibly one will not give an issue if dry, ( below 14%).

 

The one I have reservations about is Pine. Put in on a stove and you can see the resins coming out of the log after about 5 mins, burns like fury, clags up the glass like billyo ( I did post on this subject) even when the stove is correctly set up.

 

I have burnt quite a bit of Pine earlier in the winter, as far as I am aware I have no issues with tar but I wont know for sure until I sweep the flue in a few weeks. I would not be surprised to find some tar present.

 

A