Wet wood is the bane of care-free wood-burning, as well as the bane of hearth retailers who try to ensure wood stoves are working properly to satisfy their customers. Most consumers don’t understand wood moisture content and its affect on stove performance, and most wood-burners don’t have a clue how wet their wood really is. After all, wood is wood, isn’t it?

No, it isn’t, and with wood moisture content so critical to the performance of a wood stove, Travis Industries is tackling the problem head on. The company is including an easy-to-use, hand-held moisture meter with each of its wood stoves and fireplace inserts, and has been doing so since the end of 2012.

“The biggest customer complaint we get is that the stove won’t heat,” says Alan Atemboski, Travis’ director of Research & Development. “The consumer may say he or she is using dry wood, but the dealer’s moisture meter says it’s wet. Now the consumer has a tool to check wood moisture when the wood is delivered. To date, we’ve put tens of thousands of these moisture meters in the hands of wood-burning Travis customers.”

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is a strong proponent of burning properly-dried firewood. After discussions with the EPA, Travis president Kurt Rumens and Atemboski agreed to give out free moisture meters for one year. 

“It was an experiment, but it turned out to be a good thing, a positive thing,” says Atemboski. “Now we’re all for it.”

In addition, Travis sales representative Kip Rumens, at the end of 2014, produced a short on-line video explaining to consumers the benefits of the moisture meter and how to use it.

“We look at this as a real opportunity for the wood stove industry,” says the EPA’s Larry Brockman, team leader for the residential wood smoke reduction initiative. “We want wood stoves to work well for fewer emissions and more satisfied customers. These moisture meters are a great tool to do that.” Recommended moisture content of firewood is 15 to 20 percent.

Although Travis apparently is the only manufacturer including moisture meters with its wood stoves and inserts, some other manufacturers are offering them or are considering it. Included is Stove Builders International (SBI) which is offering meters as an extra-cost accessory and using them as a freebie in special sales promotions during the season. SBI does include moisture meters with its wood-burning furnaces as required by the EPA.

Blaze King is “considering” putting meters in its wood stoves since it’s required to include them in its wood-burning forced air furnaces. 

“I think we should all do it,” says Chris Neufeld, vice president, “and we’ve recommended that to the EPA.”  

Blaze King purchased and tested six different moisture meters with retail prices ranging from $9 to $450 and submitted that survey to the EPA. One of the highest-rated for performance, accuracy and price was the model being given by Travis and the model being offered by the EPA as part of its Burn Wise program to educate consumers on how to properly burn wood.

The accuracy of moisture meters has been a concern of some wood stove manufacturers. But the EPA points out that one of the greatest benefits of using the meters is getting wood burners to think about the moisture content of their firewood. Wet wood can create excessive smoke, which is wasted fuel.

Atemboski says that Travis’ moisture meter is accurate to within plus or minus five percent. Larry Brockman points out that you won’t get an accurate reading with any meter unless that meter is used correctly. 

“You need to split it and stick it,” he says, referring to “sticking” the meter pins into a freshly split section of the wood. “Looking for cracks on the end of the wood to judge its dryness sometimes can be misleading. Some wood cracks even when it’s green.”

“This is a great idea, and I think a decent number of them are actually being used,” says Roger Sanders, president and owner of Fireside in Bend, Oregon, and a Travis dealer. “This model is easy to use, reliable and the nine-volt battery lasts a couple of years. This is a valuable sales tool for us. Most customers have never heard of them. We think all wood stove manufacturers should include them for free.” Sanders also sells another moisture meter as an accessory for a $60 suggested retail price.

“When the consumer has a moisture meter, it sheds new light on the wood he’s burning, and that is undoubtedly a good thing,” says Scott Ongley, president of Lisac’s Fireplaces & Stoves, Portland, Oregon, and a Travis dealer. “Offering a moisture meter won’t seal a deal, but it’s a subliminal thing. It shows that the manufacturer cares and wants that stove to perform at its best. Every manufacturer should include them.” 

Ongley sells moisture meters as an accessory, for $38 retail. “We sometimes sweeten the pot on a sale by throwing one in,” he says.

A strong wood-burning area – Medford, Oregon – has even taken action against the sale of wet firewood. The city now has an ordinance and a civil penalty against advertising wet wood as dry firewood.