OT - Pine tree dying

[TnT]

Since you guys seem to have a diverse knowledge here, I'll try my luck asking y'all.

My parents have a pine 20 foot pine tree in the backyard that is dried up. All the needles are brown and some of the limbs have broken off. It may already be dead, but if not, is there anything we can do to help it recover?

Thanks,
Thien

[Tjalfe]

Water it?... if not, cast a tree healing spell

[Kruzin]

If all the needles are brown, it's dead.
Needles are the leaves on coniferous trees, and if they're all brown, there is no circulation in the tree, and it's dead.
Cut it up for firewood.

[Dr Mordrid]

DON'T cut a pine tree up for firewood if you're going to use it in a fireplace or wood stove.

Pine logs burn cool and form more creosote than hardwood fuel. If you don't remove the bark this is exascerbated by the burning of the pine sap in the bark.

Cresote collects in the flue and chimney and eventually could cause a chimney fire of such intensity you wouldn't believe it.

Dr. Mordrid

[Kruzin]

Which isn't a problem IF a person properly cleans and maintains their fireplace/flue/chimney, something which is well publicised (at least around here), since many people burn pine all winter long in these parts.....

[Dr Mordrid]

Not here....unfortunately. At least not as much as it should be given about every new house has 1-2 fireplaces

Dr. Mordrid

[Kruzin]

Here in Colorado, there are not a lot of different kinds of trees harvested for firewood. There is pine/spruce, which is sold everywhere and aspen, which takes forever to dry enough to burn (so it's not popular with wood sellers). Other woods are imported from other states, and double the price of local pine.
So pine is generally the wood of choice for fireplaces here.
Every fall/winter, the news is flooded with advisories about getting you chimney cleaned, and stories of chimney fires in the homes of ignorant US easterners who haven't had their chimneys cleaned for 5 years ...

[rylan]

Yeah, Pine actually burns nice and hot if you let it age for 4 years too. :P
Over here in the northeast most people burn maple or oak hardwoods, so it leave very little residue and if you keep the stove hot you don't get any buildup in the chimney.

[Kooldino]

Dumb question: How do you keep say...rain and snow from coming down your open top chimney?

[Dr Mordrid]

You don't if it's a bare opening. To prevent it you get a chimney cap. This is a (usually) metal "gazebo" type affair with perforated sides that sits over the opening.

A well designed one keeps out rain, snow and critters.....which is an even bigger problem than the moisture in places like Michigan.

Absent a cap you'll end up with squirrels, raccoons and other such wildlife nesting in the chimney or even getting into the house if you're stupid enough not to close the flue.

Dr. Mordrid

[Byock]

Never heard that here. But then, most fireplaces here are gas anymore.