If you want to know one of the secrets to enjoying warmer, cleaner, and longer lasting fires in your wood-burning fireplace, keep reading! This tip is so amazing because it will also save you money on your heating costs this winter! For the best wood fires, you should only be burning a certain type of firewood: seasoned firewood. As the premier chimney company in the Elkton, MD area, Ace Chimney Sweeps loves to share our favorite practices to burning safe and warm fires. To help you see why seasoned firewood is so important, we would like to tell you more about this secret to great fires.
What exactly is seasoned firewood?
The most important characteristic of seasoned firewood is that it has been allowed to dry out for at least six months after it has been cut. If you do not have access to cutting your own firewood, you can ask your friends, family, and neighbors for their recommendations for a trustworthy place to buy firewood. Online reviews from customers on sites like Yelp can also be a good place to look for the best firewood dealer in your area.
How can I tell if firewood has been sufficiently seasoned?
Typically, a piece of seasoned wood will have darkened ends with visible splits and cracks, is lightweight, and makes a clunking sound when knocked together with another piece of seasoned wood. In comparison, freshly cut wood is heavy with light ends, and you will hear a dull thud if you knock it against another piece of wood. To be completely sure that the firewood you are buying is seasoned, experts recommend that you buy your supply in the spring before burning it so that you can ensure it has had enough time to dry after being cut.
Why does seasoned firewood make such a difference?
You may be surprised to learn that almost half of the content of freshly cut wood is water, and that is why it can be so hard to burn. So much energy is spent by trying to dry out the wood before it can burn, and this not only reduces the amount of heat you will receive from the fire, but it also creates an overproduction of acidic water that can damage the masonry in your inner chimney. Burning freshly cut wood can also create more smoke and lead to the accelerated development of creosote.
When you only burn seasoned firewood, you will notice that you will not have to use as much of it to get warmer fires that burn cleaner than other types of wood. To get more secrets of burning the best fire, contact us at Ace Chimney Sweeps to learn more. We are here to serve all of your professional chimney needs.