Local Seasoned Firewood: The Best Fuel for Your Fire
If you want your wood-burning fireplace to burn cleaner and more efficiently, choosing local seasoned firewood ranks high in importance. If you are not familiar with what this type of wood is, the term “seasoned” simply means dried. According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA), using seasoned firewood can actually improve the performance of your fireplace and chimney. Building a fire with freshly-cut, wet wood can create smoke and odor problems and promote the rapid accumulation of large creosote deposits, which are the main cause of chimney fires. Shopping for seasoned firewood can be tricky because you do not always get sufficiently dry wood. Our staff at Chimney Care Co. often suggests to our customers to find a trustworthy local firewood cutter to be sure the wood you buy has been dried or to cut their own firewood and season it themselves through proper storage. We have some tips on drying firewood we would like to share with you to help you properly dry and store your fuel.
- Cut each piece of wood to the same length. A uniform length makes the firewood easier to store. Consider the size of your firebox when determining the right length. In general, firewood should be about three inches shorter than the width or length of the firebox.
- Before you stack, split the wood. Splitting the wood in advance of stacking it improves the drying process by exposing more of the wood to the air.
- Check the moisture content. You will want to note the amount of moisture in the wood before drying it. You want the wood to reach a moisture content of 20% to be sure it is properly seasoned. To measure the exact water content in wood, you can use a moisture meter, which can be found for around $25 at a hardware store.
- Stack the wood in alternate directions. Using this stacking pattern creates better air circulation, allowing for faster drying.
- Store your firewood off the ground. To keep the bottom of your wood pile from getting wet and absorbing moisture, build a storage shed or other structure that can keep the wood at least six inches away from the ground.
- Cover the top of the pile, but leave the sides open. When building your storage shed, be sure to include a roof. A simple lean-to structure with a roof and a floor is all you will need. You can also cover your wood pile with a tarp, however, leave the sides of the pile uncovered as the tarp can trap moisture inside. You can remove the tarp when it is warm and sunny, which will speed up the drying process.
- Store your wood for at least six months to a year.[bold] The best way of knowing your wood is properly seasoned and dry enough to burn effectively is to wait at least six months before using it as firewood.
If you have any questions about local seasoned firewood, contact Chimney Care Co. today. We are happy to tell you more about the best fuel for your fire.