A wood burning fireplace and wood stoves are economical ways to heat your home. With the cost of firewood steadier than the rocketing price of heating oil or electricity, many homeowners are switching to wood burning hearth appliances. But it is important that you burn the correct fuel, in order to produce the safest conditions and create clean, efficient heat.
Seasoned Firewood
Available at established firewood suppliers all across the country, seasoned firewood typically comes in a cord – 128 square feet of cut logs that have been dried and are ready for use as an efficient fuel. Most suppliers will have logs from 12″ to 18″ in length. This fuel is easy to transport, fits well in your fireplace or wood stove and burns cleanly.
Slab Wood
Often available from the sawmill, this wood is thin and burns very quickly. It does come in a wide variety of sizes, but most often contains large quantities of bark. When burnt bark creates creosote, a dangerous substance that is the leading cause of chimney fires.
Any money that you may save from buying slab wood will likely be spent on cleaning up the chimney to create safe conditions. It will also be very difficult to attain the long burns that you want during the cold nights of winter.
Avoid the quick savings and opt for higher quality seasoned firewood. Your wood burning fireplace or wood stove will operate as it is meant to and keep your family safe and comfortable.
The quality of the firewood burned in your fireplace or wood stove will directly affect the cleanliness and efficiency of your hearth. Follow these quick tips on how to buy firewood to ensure a safe, affordable heating season this year.
1) Only buy seasoned firewood. This means it will have been cut into the appropriate sizes soon after being chopped down and should have been dried well before coming onto the market. Look for a large quantity of checks or cracks in the end of the firewood – this indicates that the firewood has been seasoned.
2) Buy a top quality species. Oak and hickory are preferred for firewood and produce a long lasting, clean burning fire in modern hearth appliances. Pine may be mixed in with the higher quality species and is fine to use as kindling. Ask at the wood lot to get further details on the species included.
3) Be sure you are getting the right amount of firewood. Buy your firewood by the cord if at all possible. This is generally offered in sizes ranging from 16 to 24” and totals 128 square feet (4 feet high x 4 feet deep x 8 feet wide).
Seasoned firewood is necessary for efficient burning throughout the winter months. But did you know that the best way to have this fuel on hand is to begin in the spring and summer? Wood burning is easier and more affordable when you plan ahead.
For optimum results buy your firewood in the early months of summer and stack it carefully and safely (no more than 4 feet high) in a sunny area that is also exposed to the wind. Remember to keep the stack off of the ground and cover just the top of the woodpile. The quicker the wood is dried by both the sun and the wind, the less chance of damage from bug infestation.
Once the wood is seasoned – generally by the end of September – you can move it into winter storage. But by starting early and planning now your firewood supply will keep you happily warm next year.
Wood burning fireplaces and wood stoves are gaining in popularity. Ideal for remote areas, burning wood is a time-honored way to heat your home and an affordable solution no matter you live. The key is to purchase the best hearth model and source out the proper firewood.
Hardwood is your best choice, although those living in the northern parts of the continent may find it difficult to source. Look for dried and seasoned firewood or alternatively, purchase the wood and have a system to dry it yourself.
Experts say that it’s more important to have firewood cut in the right proportions than to have a certain species of wood. Oak and maple trees are the traditional favorite, but lately poplar and birch have been gaining ground. Although softer, this lumber still produces excellent flames and heat.
Stack it for storage, burn it for warmth and pure pleasure – firewood is a valuable commodity that helps your family to be self-sufficient and safe.
