Always follow the instructions that come with the wood chipper you use, especially the safety guidelines. If you don’t have a wood chipper, then you can rent one from a hardware store. Chipping the wood increases the surface area for more effective drying. Drying chopped logs takes a long time and the results are inconsistent.
You could also just leave the chips outside to air-dry if you live in a warm climate, but make sure it won’t be raining for at least a few days.
The bigger and more powerful the fan, the better. Large fans above 200 kilowatts can dry out a big pile of wood chips. Household fans are much smaller than this, but if you don’t have a larger fan, this is better than nothing. If your fan is too small to cover the whole pile, you can use more than one. The chips will also dry on their own without a fan, but it’ll take a lot longer.
The drying time depends on how many wood chips there are and how thick they’re spread out. Without a fan, the wood can take more like 2-3 months to dry out fully.
Generally, fresh wood has a moisture content of 30-50%. To burn effectively, the content needs to be 15-20% or less. You can find moisture meters online or at hardware stores. If you’re not using a fan, remember that you’ll have to leave the chips for a lot longer before checking them.
Also make sure the structure the wood chips are in doesn’t have any leaks. Otherwise the chips could get ruined if rain gets in.
If you’re storing the chips on dirt, put a plastic tarp down first so they don’t get wet. In some areas, these heights are actually enforced by law to reduce the risk for fires. [9] X Research source
You can also cover the pile with plastic if the shed or container might have a leak. This should protect the wood if any water gets in.
If you live in a fire-prone area, then storing the wood away from your home or any other structures is a good precaution as well. There may be other local laws in effect if you live in an area where fires are a problem. Always follow these regulations to keep everyone safe.
