Cozy evenings, hot cocoa, and fireplace – this is how most of us picture our cold season. And firewood is the foremost consideration for this to happen. So, to help you out here is a handy guide on using firewood at its best.
Prepare in Advance
If you choose to chop your wood yourself, this should be done in early spring, preferably by the end of April. Cut the wood for short lengths and split it. For the wood to have the best chance of drying, it should be split immediately – the wood is easier to break when fresh.
Also, if you purchase a firewood box for sale, it’s better to make your purchase before the winter arrives. Store the wood outdoors for over the summer, and preferably bring it in when the fall arrives to keep it dry throughout the winter. Remember to store the wood gently, as a lot of water will come out of the wood.
How To Check That The Wood Is Dry Enough?
The easiest way to see if the wood is dry is to look for significant dry cracks. Another way to check if the wood is dry is to knock the cubes against each other and listen for a “hard” sound. The “hard and ringing” sound indicates that the wood is dry. The dull sound means that the wood is moist. You can also place a wood cube in a tight plastic bag in a warm place, if much dew on the inside of the bag, the wood is still too moist for firing.
Which Type Of Wood Should You Choose?
The types of wood that are considered the best fireplace wood are roe, beech, oak, ash, maple, and birch. Beech and roe warm the most. Maple, oak, and ash are second best. Birch, pine, black grouse, and willow share third place. The types of wood that are least suitable for wood burning are aspen, spruce, and gray as they burn quickly. So, when you buy wood and you are offered mixed wood, it pays to ask about the types of wood it contains, and preferably its distribution. Keep this in mind when looking for a firewood box for sale.
Help Tip: Many people prefer softwood because of the crackling sound, but this wood type is generally poorly suited for wood burning in an open fireplace due to sparks. The same goes for pine and mainly spruce. In an open fireplace, these types of wood can create a fire hazard.
Keep this in mind when purchasing bulk firewood NSW.
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How To Fire Properly?
When firing in your oven, it is essential to be careful what you put in. Never burn painted or pressure-impregnated wood or chlorine-containing plastic (PVC), as this will emit very toxic gases. Also, do not use scrap wood from the sea as fuel, as it contains salt that becomes chlorine during combustion. To wash out the debris, you can leave the wood out in the wind for at least a couple of years.
If you have stored the wood outside or in one cold room, it should be taken in one day before use; this will allow the wood to reach room temperature. The ignition wood should be split to approx. 4 cm in diameter; this will simplify the ignition phase and give faster chimney moves.
All draft valves before opening before lighting, the number of draft valves in an oven can vary from one to two.
The Easiest Method Of Ignition:
- Place two cubes in the bottom of the combustion chamber and stack ignition wood layered up to the holes for the secondary air. Finish with a half-sized cube on top.
- Place 2–3 ignition briquettes or similar directly under the top layer of ignition wood and light on.
- Under normal pulling conditions, you can now close the door, and the fire will fit itself.
- Another way to light it is to place two thick wooden blocks on each side of the oven.
- Place crumpled paper between them, then stack the firewood at the top, then refill with the paper if needed.
- It may be necessary to ensure that the fire is sufficiently supplied with air for the first 10-15 minutes, and it depends on the draft conditions whether you need to provide extra air through the door.
- Add often to the oven, but use little fuel at a time. If it gets too strong, the heat stress in the chimney can be unnecessarily large.
Final Tip: Fire moderately and avoid smoldering fires, which often lead to the release of particulate matter. The best is when it burns fresh, and the smoke from the chimney is almost invisible.