Does a warm sugar house help??

[West Sumner Sugar]

Last season I'm not sure if it was just me but on the warmer/less windy days we seemed to have a much better boil. We usually keep the shack closed up as much as possible but on a windy day the cold air would come right in and it seemed like we just wouldn't get up to temperature that well. On Maple Sunday all the door are wide open and it takes forever and a day to get a pull, which to me is due to all the cold air blowing in.

This fall we have been working on sealing up all the soffits, new board and batten siding, etc to help keep the heat in as much as possible. Does anyone other than me feel that if you sugar shack is nice and warm you will get a better boil? If not, Im at least looking forward to working in just a shirt rather than being bundled up.

[Michael Greer]

Your observations seem right to me, and it sure is nicer to work in a warmer space, especially early in the season. You will need some open air though, just to make up for the combusion and chimney draft. Crack the door or window a bit somewhere that doesn't freeze your butt off.

[Cake O' Maple]

Generally, a clear day with little wind has higher barometric pressure than a cloudy, windy day. Higher barometric pressure means water boils at a lower temp.

I have 2 double size hotel pans, and boil off 8-9 gallons/hour on low pressure days, and 11-12 gallons/hour on high pressure days.

I think that makes a lot more difference than sealing the cracks in your sugar shack, but you'll be warmer for sure!

[maple flats]

Generally, a clear day with little wind has higher barometric pressure than a cloudy, windy day. Higher barometric pressure means water boils at a lower temp.


That is opposite to how I understand the barometer vs. boil temp. As the pressure falls the boil temp falls, also, as elevation goes up boil temp falls. Water boils at 212 at 29.92" merc., at 28" it boils at a lower temp.
Dave

[red maples]

As far as the sugarhouse what ever I need to open to get the correct air draft to get the steam column working good. From my limited experience it seems to be better if air is coming form a lower point. But it comes down to pressure. sometimes it just seems like there is a raccoon in the stack. Once I added AUF it never had that problem anymore.

[Super Sapper]

I would think that high pressure days have a lower humidity (dew point) than low pressure days. Lower humidity would allow faster evaporation, look how much faster the direveway or road dries up on high pressure days versus low pressure dreary days.

[Cake O' Maple]

That is opposite to how I understand the barometer vs. boil temp. As the pressure falls the boil temp falls, also, as elevation goes up boil temp falls. Water boils at 212 at 29.92" merc., at 28" it boils at a lower temp.
Dave

Well, that makes sense when you consider elevation, :confused: but when I check the barometric pressure in my area during boiling season, I get fantastic boils when it's over 30, and not so good when it's under normal (29.6 or .7). I can't explain it, still learning I suppose; I thought I had it down.

Supersapper, lower humidity may play a part, but I have a hard time thinking the air can absorb enough of the liquid we're boiling off to make a significant difference, without constantly blowing that air out of the shelter and sucking new in. But what do I know??