It’s competition time! For a chance to win a bag of extra dry firewood from Dalby Firewood, just like our Facebook page and share the competition status over on our Facebook page. If you want to buy from the site, use code ELB10 for an exclusive discount.
Burning good firewood is the difference between a fully functioning stove and one that needs frequent servicing, cleaning and maintenance.
Wood that is unsuitable for burning can lower the heat created inside your stove or fireplace, and produces excessive tar, which can cause blockages in the flue.
Making sure your stove or fire functions at its best, means paying attention to the wood you are burning.
However, identifying good firewood isn’t particularly difficult if you follow the following steps:
Dryness
Burning wet or green wood wastes energy trying to burn the excessive moisture – this will result is blackened stove glass.
Invest in a decent wood store. This should be kept away from the house and should come with a roof to protect the wood from the rain, and an open side to allow for airflow and excess moisture to escape.
Cut your logs into smaller bits to dry out quicker – and leave for around 12 months to 18 months before being ready to use.
Well-dried wood should result in darkened ends and cracks. The dried logs will be lighter in weight than wet logs and will make a hollow noise when hit.
A wood moisture monitor is a handy gadget, which can tell you whether a piece of wood is below the moisture level which is deemed to be fine to burn.
Wood type
Different timbers all have different densities. This means they will burn at different speeds. Generally, there are two types of wood – softwoods and hardwoods.
Softwoods are timbers like pine, fir and cedar. They will give an intense and short burn.
Hardwoods like oak, willow and birch will slow for longer, give off more heat and are better for warming homes in the winter.
Condition of wood
Make sure your firewood is completely untreated. This means avoiding wooden crates, painted wood or timber in anyway impregnated or treated.
Finding a local supplier will be the best source of firewood and consulting the instructions on your stove for the best type of wood will ensure you get the best out of your fireplace.
