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a different stove) the chimney should be checked frequently (after 2 weeks, then after a month, then after another 2 months,
etc.) until it is clear how frequently cleaning is usually needed.
The preceding is an excerpt from “THE WOODBURNERS ENCYLOPEDIA” published by Vermont Crossroads Press,
Inc. – Dec., 1976.
WOOD IS A SAFE CLEAN AND ECONOMICAL FUEL
Species Approx. Wt.
Per Cord
BTU Per Air
Dried Cord
Equivalent Value #2
Heating Oil Litre
Cost at 70.0
cents
Cost at 75.0
cents
Cost at 80.0
cents
Hickory 3595 30,600,000 827.4 $579.18 $620.55 $661.92
Hard Maple 3075 29,000,000 784.6 $549.22 $588.45 $627.68
Beech 3240 27,800,000 752.4 $526.68 $564.30 $601.92
Red Oak 3240 27,300,000 738.7 $517.09 $554.03 $590.96
Yellow Birch 3000 26,200,000 709.2 $496.44 $531.90 $567.36
Elm 2750 24,500,000 662.8 $463.96 $497.10 $530.24
Soft Maple 2500 24,000,000 649.2 $454.44 $486.90 $519.36
Tamarack 2500 24,000,000 649.2 $454.44 $486.90 $519.36
Cherry 2550 23,500,000 635.5 $444.85 $476.63 $508.40
Ash 2950 22,600,000 611.4 $427.98 $458.55 $489.12
Spruce 2100 18,100,000 490.1 $343.07 $367.58 $392.08
Hemlock 2100 17,900,000 484.1 $338.87 $363.08 $387.28
Aspen 1900 17,700,000 483.2 $338.24 $362.40 $386.56
White Pine 1800 17,700,000 462.8 $323.96 $347.10 $370.24
Basswood 1900 17,000,000 459.6 $321.72 $344.70 $367.68
Note: To change litres to US gal. multiply by 0.264
For the least amount of wood handling, the wood with the highest heat content is most desirable.
An open fireplace can actually refrigerate a house because it sucks in so much cold air, which is only partially used for
combustion. A carefully designed fireplace makes use of perhaps 10 – 15 % of the heat available; most still going up the flue.
The well-constructed potbellies get perhaps 20 – 25 % and the automatic, draft regulated, tightly sealed wood heaters get
perhaps 50 %.
Notice that the percentage efficiency goes up as the combustion process becomes more and more controlled. The roaring fire
is a complete waste of fuel. The best situation is one where the combustion chamber is gas-tight. This allows a controlled fire
that toasts the wood and puts the right quantity of wood gas in the right place and at the right temperature for optimal
combustion and heat transfer.
The NEWMAC COMBINATION OIL AND WOOD FURNACE toasts the wood to charcoal and the charcoal and the charcoal
burns to dust leaving a minute amount of residue. From the above heat values, it can be seen that a cord or Hickory wood is
equivalent to $ 248.22 (@ 30.0 cents litre) worth of oil, over twice as much as you would pay for a cord of wood.
Without taking into account all the free wood that is available, EFFICIENT WOOD HEATING cuts your heating costs in half.
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