1/13/2016
Heating With Wood: Opportunities &
Challenges for Homeowners
Suggested Resources
www.extension.umd.edu/woodland
Woodland Stewardship Education
January 12, 2016
• Educational opportunities
• Free forestry newsletter
Jonathan Kays
Nat. Res. Extension Specialist
University of Maryland Extension
• Events & Resources
Alliance for Green Heat
• www.forgreenheat.org
Hearth, Patio & Barbeque Association
• www.hpba.org
Resources Available!
(List provided)
Website
www.extension.umd.edu/woodland
Fact Sheet Series
 Heating With Wood (FS-926)
 Buying a Clean Burning Wood Stove (FS-939)
 Considerations for your Wood or Pellet Stove Installation (FS-940)
 The Wood Stove Checklist (FS-936)
 Buying and Storing Firewood & Pellets (FS-937)
 Buying a Second Hand Wood Stove (FS-938)
 Best Management Practices for Outdoor Wood Boilers (FS- XXX)
 Hearth Dealer Directory (2013-A)
 Directory of Maryland Firewood Dealers (#2013-A)
We need to get away from this…
Why Heat With Wood?
 Heat quality & warmth
• i.e. (people hate heat pumps)
 Atmosphere & reduce marital strife
 Save money
 Energy security
 Use available wood resources (firewood)
 Take advantage of $300 federal tax credit
 Exercise & recreation
…and onto this!
 Renewable! Being green!
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1/13/2016
Wood is Fastest Growing
Residential Heat Fuel
• 2.1% of families
use wood or pellets
as primary heat
• About 10% use it
as secondary heat
• In Maryland, wood
heat grew 33%
from 2000 to 2010;
today 1.2% use it
as primary heat.
Primary Heat Source by County in Maryland
(2010 Census Data)
Region
Total # of Households
Heating w/wood 2010
Total # of Households % Change
Heating w/wood 2000 2000 - 2010
All States in US
2,382,737
1,769,781
34.6%
All Counties in MD
26,358
19,721
33.7%
Allegany Co.
1,747
1,219
43.3%
Anne Arundel Co.
2,378
1,062
123.9%
Baltimore Co.
1,548
1,075
44%
Calvert Co.
1,875
677
177%
Carroll Co.
2,655
1,960
35.5%
Cecil Co.
1,117
717
55.8%
Frederick Co.
3,066
1,998
53.5%
Garrett Co.
1,425
1,558
-9%
Harford Co.
1,326
1,143
16%
St. Mary’s Co.
1,549
1,117
38.7%
Washington Co.
2,151
1,772
21.4%
Wood & Pellet Stoves Are Leaders in
Reducing Fossil Fuels in US
Most Wood Heating Equipment is
Outdated and Too Polluting
60%
50%
40%
70
% in Use
60
Emissions Average
(grams per hour)
50
40
30%
30
20%
20
10%
0%
EPA Emission Regulations for Wood
Burners – Starting in 1988
 EPA mandated emissions less than 7.5
grams/hr. Result was loss of many
stove manufacturers.
 Lower emissions accomplished by
recirculating of hot gases at high
temperatures.
 Lower emissions = higher efficiency =
more heat from the fuel = savings for
consumer
How to tell if you stove is
pre-EPA regulation?
- Look for tag on stove
10
Pellet Boiler
w/Storage
Masonry
Heater
EPA Wood
Boiler
Traditional
Boiler
Pellet Stove EPA Certified
Wood Stove
Old Wood
Stove
0
New EPA Wood & Pellet Stove Standards –
2015 - 2020
 Previous emission limit was 7.5 grams
particulates / hr
 Starting in 2015, emission limit can not exceed
4.5 grams of particulates per hour
 Starting in May 2020, emission limit can not
exceed 2.0 grams participates / hr.
 Most pellet stove already meet 2 gram limit
but many wood stoves will have difficulty.
 Wood stove more problematic
 Legal challenges to EPA over new standards
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1/13/2016
EPA Burnwise Hangtag
Btu - British Thermal Unit
 Heat created by burning any material. Heat
necessary to raise the temperature of one pound
of water by one degree F.
 All combustible materials have a Btu rating
• Cord of oak wood (20% moisture) = 24 million Btu’s
• Gallon fuel oil = 140,000 Btu’s
• Gallon Propane = 91,600 Btu’s
• Therm of natural gas = 1 million Btu’s
 With wood, higher moisture means fewer Btu’s to
heat your home
Effect of Wood Stove Efficiency (emissions)
on Fuel Cost
Fireplace
10% efficient
$59 per million
Btu’s
Non EPA Woodstove
40% efficient
$14.7 per million Btu’s
Space Heating vs. Whole House Heating
Wood/Pellet Stove Location Important
EPA Wood Stove
70% efficient
$8.5 per million
Btu’s
 Cost per million Btu’s for a cord of oak purchased for $150
 Whether you buy wood or cut it yourself, there are large efficiency savings
and health savings from reduced smoke.
Only heat the main use areas and reduce actual total
heat demand
Put stove where you want the heat.
Pellet stoves
Types of Stove Installations
 Open Fireplace
 Low emission -under 2.5 gr/hr.
 Fireplace inserts – wood & pellets
 Unlike firewood stoves, only require
 Wood Stove – firewood
a small vent pipe
 Pellet Stove - pellets
 May require repair.
 Indoor boilers – wood & pellets
 Very automated but require electric
 Outdoor boilers – wood & pellets
 Storage of 40 lb. bag of pellets
 Chimney Options
• Clay liner
• Stainless steel liner
• Exterior insulated pipe
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1/13/2016
How Pellet Stove Work…
Pellet Stove Automation Improving
Augur meters pellets to the
 Adjust feed rate
burn area
Augur designs vary and some
more reliable than others.
Common problem is clogging
of grate to ash pan
Most hold at least one 40 lbs.
bag
Not all pellets created equal.
Will impact operation
 Auto ignite
Indoor Wood & Pellet Boilers
Eligible for MD Wood Grant
 Thermostatic adjustment
 Loss of electricity – Achille’s heal
• APC backup – 1-2 hours
• Harman surefire – connects to deepcyle battery for about 8 hours
• Small generator for longer periods
Cost of a Wood Stove
Item
Estimated Cost
Available for firewood or
Wood stove
$1,500-3,500
pellets
Hook into hot water or
forced air systems
Can be expensive
Pellet delivery not likely
Pellet stove/insert
* With serviceable chimney
$300-$900 for labor and materials
(permit extra)
* Build a chimney
$2,000 for metal chimney
*Chimney to outside wall
$2,000 - $4,000
$300-$400 for pipe - $300 labor
There are cheaper stoves but usually pays to get a quality product.
Do not buy used stoves that are pre-EPA.
Wood & pellet stove require an
upfront investment – Payback depends on use.
Slides from John
Advice on Buying a Wood Stove
 What type of fuel: firewood or pellets?
 Buy a new stove. Second hand stoves are
usually overpriced.
 Find an experienced dealer who carries
good brands and service. Avoid big box
stores unless…
 Make sure stove is sized for the room and
space that can be heated.
• Will the heat be able to move through the
home?
• Ways to improve circulation
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1/13/2016
Fuel Cost for Heating Season
Based on prices from January 2016
Advice on Buying a Wood Stove
Type of Fuel
Fuel Cost
per unit
Efficiency
(%)
Fuel Cost
$/mBtu
 Consider a pellet stove if you
really want 24/7 heating. More
automation
 Most stoves are non-catalytic
stoves and require less care.
 Catalytic stoves are usually
about 10% more efficient but
require more care.
Fuel Cost
Heating Season
80 mBtu
Firewood stove $225 cord
70%
$16.23
$1298
Natural Gas
furnace
$1.35 therm
85%
$14.75
$1180
Coal furnace
$290 ton
75%
$8.33
$666
Pellet stove
$250 ton
70%
$21.65
$1732
Oil furnace
$2.40 gallon
85%
$30.90
$2472
Propane
furnace
$2.67 gallon
85%
$27.37
$2189
Electric heat
$0.12kwh
100%
$35.17
$2813
Fuel calculator - http://nepacrossroads.com/fuel-comparison-calculator.php
Wood Species Impacts Btu’s Per Cord
Wood Pellets
(60% of firewood users cut their own wood)
 Difference in quality – standardization in
Species
Million
Btu's per
cord
Boxelder
Silver Maple
Gallons of
Fuel Oil
100 cu ft of
natural gas
Gallons LP
Gas
KW hrs
Electric
17.5
125
175
192.3
5147
20.8
148.6
208
229
6118
Red Oak
25.3
180.7
253
278
7441
Walnut
21.8
155.7
218
239.6
6412
Locust
28.1
200.7
281
308.8
8265
process by industry
 40 lb bags & storage issues a problem
 Bulk delivery available in some NE states – not
likely here very soon.
 Occasional shortages – buy early
Wood is renewable, inexpensive, and more
price stable compared to most fossil fuels.
Species matters!
Quality Grades of Pellets
Pellet Fuels Institute (PFI)




Super-Premium - <0.5% Ash
Premium - <1% Ash
Standard - <2% Ash
Utility - <6% Ash
For residential use
Pellet Stoves & Furnaces
 Home pellet systems are
available with various hopper
storage systems.
 Order pellets early to get best
prices. Look for quality, not just
price!
Results of Quality Testing from www.woodpellets.com
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1/13/2016
MD Wood Grant Program
MEA Wood &
Pellet Stove Grant Program
Sept. 2012 – January 2016 (85% Pellet Stoves)
 Rebate of $700 for pellet stoves and $500 for wood stoves
 Must displace electric, non-natural gas fossil fuel heating
systems or old woodstoves, and
 Eligible stick (log) stoves must:
• Be EPA Certified, and Emit no more than 3 grams of particulate matter
(PM)/hr
 Eligible pellet stoves must:
• Be approved by the state of Washington, and
• Emit no more than 2 grams of PM/hr
 Stove must be purchased & installed. Application then sent to
MEA. For full details, visit: http://energy.maryland.gov
County
Allegany
Anne Arundel
Baltimore City
Baltimore
Calvert
Caroline
Carroll
Cecil
Charles
Dorchester
Frederick
Garrett
Harford
Howard
Kent
Montgomery
Prince George's
Queen Anne's
St. Mary's
Somerset
Talbot
Washington
Wicomico
Worcester
Total
Maryland Firewood Survey (2006-2011)
Region
2006
#
2008
$/cd
#
2010
$/cd
#
$/cd
#
$/cd
13
123
9
150
12
192
9
192
C. MD
16
161
17
199
20
210
17
220
S. MD
9
159
14
183
13
178
5
213
E. S. MD
7
164
2
145
3
183
5
208
Average
149
176
195
208
% change
from 2006
0%
18%
31%
40%
Wood
8
219
4
202
169
25
103
33
90
40
62
10
301
61
8
38
57
39
127
26
30
70
93
47
1,862
8
247
4
217
187
28
109
36
101
42
66
12
322
64
9
40
63
41
133
28
30
77
102
54
2,020
 A cord is 128 cubic feet equal to a
closely stock split wood that is 4’ tall x
4’ wide x 8’ long. Or an other
combination.
Face cord ( 4’ x 2’ x 8’)
Maryland businesses likely sell around $19
million by the cord, and $32 million is smaller
packaged bundles
128 cubic feet (4’ x 4’ x 8’
How much does the wood weigh?
Species
Green Weight
Dry Wt (20%)
Million
Btu’s/cord
Oak, Red
4888
3528
24.6
Walnut, Black
4584
3192
22.2
Cherry
3696
2928
20.4
Ash, Green
4184
2880
20.0
Sycamore
5096
2808
19.5
Maple, Silver
3904
2752
19.0
Boxelder
3589
2632
18.3
2250
15.9
White Pine
Total
0
28
0
15
18
3
6
3
11
2
4
2
21
3
1
2
6
2
6
2
0
7
9
7
158
How Much is A Cord?
2011
W. MD
Pellet
Question: Can a half ton truck deliver a cord of wood?
How Much Does A Truck Hold?
Truck Type
Cubic Foot
Volum
Loading
methods
Stacked to Stacked
top of box above top of
box
1978 Dodge
longbed
73 cub. Ft.
Random
Stacked
0.35
0.47
0.44
0.58
1981 Ford
shortbed
62 cub. Ft.
Random
Stacked
0.30
0.39
0.37
0.48
1976 Datsun 39 cub. Ft.
pickup
Random
Stacked
0.18
0.24
0.23
0.31
Point! Pickup trucks hold from a 1/5 to ½ of a
cord Depends how stacked. 30% difference!
Marsinko& Wooten. 1982. Forestry Bulletin
30, Dept. of Forestry, Clemson University, SC
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1/13/2016
Sourcing Firewood
Where? Is it a good deal? Credibility?
Seasoning Firewood
 Hardwood requires at least 6-9 months
after split and covered. Over one year on
MD eastern shore.
 20% moisture desired before burning
 Wetter wood provides fewer Btu’s and
more creosote!
 The more wood surface exposed to air,
the faster it dries.
Freshly cut oak
 Roofs better than tarps.
I year later.
Firewood Study
Delivery Principles
Wood dries after it is split
 Check the Better Business Bureau – yellow
pages, word of mouth, Craigslist
 BEFORE the wood is unloaded from the truck:
• Check the volume - Is it a full cord?
• Check the moisture – buy a moisture meter
 If there is a problem: Refuse, negotiate, act in
good faith!
 If an honest cord and dry you may want to give
Buy a moisture
meter ~ $25
a tip? Tell others!
Seller is required by law to leave a receipt with name, address,
price paid and amount delivered in cords. They should be
registered with MD Dept. of Nat. Resources
Hickory trees cut 3/15/12, split and stacked 7/31/12
After one year split samples were at 20% moisture, unsplit rounds
were still 30-35% moisture
Cutting Your Own Wood
60% of Firewood User Cut Their Own Wood
Bow saw
Ax
Chainsaw
Safety gear
Log splitter
Peavey for
moving logs
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1/13/2016
Cutting Your Own Wood
Firewood Cutter’s Rule of Thumb
Diameter of Tree 4.5’ from Ground
Number of Trees Per Cord
5
46 – 55
6
21 – 33
7
14 – 18
8
9 – 14
9
6–9
10
4-6
16
2
22
1
Which Trees To Cut
Principles to Consider
 Cut trees that give more room
for growth of more desirable
trees.
 Cutting live trees the improve
growth of remaining trees.
 Leave 3-5 dead trees per acre
for wildlife habitat.
 Mark trees with a ribbon
before cutting and then look
it over. What will it look like
after?
Thinning Trees
Rule of Thumb
 Estimate diameter of trees in
forest area (4.5 ft from ground)
 Multiply by 2
 Number of feet between trunks of
remaining trees
Jonathan Kays
Natural Resources Extension Specialist
University of MD Extension
(301) 432-2767 x323
www.extension.umd.edu/woodland
jkays@umd.edu
 EXAMPLE - if the trees average 5
inches in diameter, the desired
spacing would be 10 feet.
 If wildlife is a major objective, add
2–4 feet to the spacing
8