How can you burn wood conveniently, efficiently, and safely? The answer lies with good quality firewood. But, how do you know exactly which types of wood to burn? At Ashbusters, we are frequently asked by our customers about this topic. To help you know the best type of wood to burn in your fireplace, we would like to educate you on this subject by sharing with you some helpful information from The Wood Heat Organization.
The Most Important Aspect of Good Quality Firewood
For clean-burning and long-lasting wood fires, using seasoned firewood is crucial. This type of firewood has been dried for at least six months after it has been cut. Seasoned firewood should be covered and stored away from the ground to keep it dry. While you can use a moisture meter to determine exactly how seasoned the wood is, there are other ways to tell if firewood has been sufficiently seasoned. Look for cracks or checks in the end grain. Seasoned wood generally darkens to gray or yellow as it dries. You can bang two pieces together to check as well. If the firewood is seasoned, it will make a hollow sound. Wet wood makes a solid and dull sound when you knock two pieces together.
Best Tree Species For Good Quality Firewood
To burn long-lasting fires, you want to look for the denser species like oak, maple, and hickory. These hardwoods have higher energy contents and will release more heat. While softer species like spruce, pine, poplar, and birch do not contain as much energy, these types of wood are great to use in the spring and the fall. Softer woods also make controlling the heat output much easier. As long as the firewood has been adequately seasoned, it will be high quality wood, no matter its species.
Size of Good Quality Firewood
You want the length of the pieces of firewood to be able to easily fit into your fireplace or stove. You typically want your firewood to be three inches shorter than the size of your firebox. Shorter pieces will be easier to handle, and longer pieces can make the task of stoking the fire too difficult. You will want to be sure that all of your firewood pieces are the same length. Your firewood should also be spilt to a variety of sizes that can range from three to six inches in diameter. Split wood is recommended to most effectively build and maintain a fire.
Have more questions about the best type of wood to burn in your fireplace? Contact us at Ashbusters to learn more about burning wood efficiently and safely.