How wet wood can become a hazard
It has been raining for weeks - almost daily in many regions of the country, meaning that the rainfall target for fall 2023 has already been exceeded by more than 10 percent. On average across the country, a good 200 liters of rain per square meter have fallen since the beginning of September. However, not everyone has good storage conditions for wood. If the firewood is too damp, this has dangerous consequences for health, for the environment and also for the stove itself. Why is this the case?
Moisture is of course a killer when burning. The damper it is, the lower the calorific value of the wood, because the efficiency of combustion drops. Part of the heat is lost as water vapor. So it simply doesn't get as warm. What's more, an enormous amount of pollutants are produced when burning wet wood. Their increase is not linear, but exponential. These pollutants are not only bad for the stove, they also get into the home.
Wet wood can be recognized by the dark smoke. In addition, far more harmful fine dust is produced during combustion. This can cause cancer and is considered one of the biggest preventable causes of human death in the EU. According to EU estimates, around 240,000 people died prematurely in 2020 due to increased particulate matter pollution.
How should wood be stored?
If you store your wood outside, you should choose a sunny, covered and well-ventilated location. The south-west side of the house is ideal. It is best to place the wood on a pallet. This is because if the wood is placed on the floor, it will draw moisture from the ground. This can quickly lead to mold growth. A layer of air between the wood and the cold floor prevents mold. It is a bad idea to cover the wood with a tarpaulin or foil. Moisture quickly collects under a film, which in turn promotes mold growth. Air should always reach the wood so that it can dry better. It is therefore better to have a roof that covers the space than a film.
Storage indoors can also lead to problems: There is also a risk of mold in a garage because garages are usually poorly ventilated. If you want to store your wood indoors, the best place to do this is in a dry cellar. Here too, it helps to have the wood on pallets.
If you want to know exactly how moist the wood is, you can get a wood moisture meter. The water content of the firewood should be around 15 percent. The wood still has a good calorific value at up to 20 percent. If the moisture content is higher than 20 percent, the wood should be left lying around.
By the way: It makes no sense to buy wood from hoarders, as the wood should not be stored for too long. After three years, the wood is said to be overstored. Then the pest pressure increases and the calorific value of the wood decreases.
What do I do in the event of pest infestation?
Another problem occurs with damp wood: pest infestation. Not only do pests such as nail beetles and longhorned beetles eat their way through the wood, they can also get into the house. These are the larvae of the beetles. You should refrain from using pesticides, as this will contaminate your home with the poison. It is better to take the beetles outside. They have no great interest in remaining in the house or apartment.
As a general rule, the drier the wood, the less likely it is to be infested with pests. The wood has a good chance of staying dry if it is protected and, above all, stored in an airy place.
What will the weather be like?
November will be one of the wettest in recent years, that is already certain. This is bad for the wood if it is not stored in a dry cellar. What will happen during this heating period? Our meteorologist Björn Alexander has taken a closer look:
"The experimental long-term forecasts continue to repeatedly favor low-pressure weather conditions - and that means the rain issue is probably far from over. At the moment, December is expected to be rather wet on average, before January 2024 was even calculated to be significantly too wet.
In terms of temperature forecasts, the very cold solutions are no longer in the trends. Nevertheless, months with above-average temperatures also allow for very cold phases.
The best example of this is February 2021, which initially brought a lot of snow and record cold temperatures, followed by an almost historic jump in temperatures. This meant that minus records were broken at the beginning and warm records at the end, so that the month as a whole ended up being warmer than average."
Considering the damp wood situation, it would be wise to consult an advisor about the appropriate storage and drying methods to prevent health hazards, environmental damage, and stove damage. Additionally, a heating system professional might suggest using a dehumidifier to help reduce the moisture content in the wood, preventing the risk of fire due to its dryness.
Source: www.ntv.de
