Firewood Facts: The Best Burn Practices

Fireplaces add a lot to the aesthetic of a home and the ambiance of a space, but they need to be properly cared for to really live up to their pull potential – and to function as safely and efficiently as possible. A big part of maintenance for wood-burning fireplaces is, of course, investing in professional inspection services with a qualified technician.

…but there’s more to it than just booking these overviews. You also need to make sure you’re using your fireplace correctly and fueling it with appropriate materials. That’s where the right firewood comes into play.

What Is “Green” Firewood?

Green wood is wood that contains up to 50 percent of its weight in water.

Why is this not ideal? The first stage of combustion involves bringing this mass of water up to its vaporization point. The energy expended in doing this does not heat your home, resulting in a lot of waste.

Worse yet, green wood encourages far more creosote buildup than seasoned fuel, which will further rob a stove or fireplace of efficiency. On top of that, creosote produces the hazard of chimney fires, which can weaken your chimney, making it unsafe for use – and increase your risk of a house fire.

All in all, by cutting firewood 6 months to a year (or more) in advance, you theoretically could halve the amount of wood required to heat your home. Buying or cutting two years’ worth of fuel may take some up front money and discipline, but it’ s an investment that pays for itself quickly in dollars, effort, and safety.

Buying Firewood 101

Firewood is generally sold by volume, with the most common measure being the cord. Other terms often employed are “face cord,” “rick,” or often just “truckload.”

• A standard cord of firewood is 128 cubic feet of wood, generally measured as: 8′ long x 4′ tall x 4′ feet deep.
• A face cord is also 8′ long x 4′ tall, but it is only as deep as the wood is cut. This means that a face cord of 16″ wood actually is only 1/3 of a cord, 24″ wood yields 1/2 of a cord, and so on.

In most definitions, a “rick” is simply a “pile” – and truck sizes obviously vary tremendously. Therefore, it is very important that you get all of this straight with the seller before agreeing on a price.

It is best to have your wood storage area set up in standard 4 or 8 foot increments, then pay the wood seller the extra few dollars often charged to stack the wood. Just be sure to warn them before they arrive that you will cheerfully pay only when the wood actually measures up to an agreed upon amount.

Hardwood vs. Softwood: Another Important Distinction

Another thought concerning getting what you pay for is that, although firewood is usually sold by volume, heat production is dependent on weight.

Pound for pound, all wood has approximately the same BTU content…

…but a cord of seasoned hardwood weighs about twice as much as the same volume of softwood – and consequently contains almost twice as much potential heat.

If the wood you are buying is not all hardwood, consider offering a little less in payment.

Does Burning Wood Produce Pollutants Similar to Coal or Oil?

Well, the answer is yes…and no. When fossil fuels are taken out of the earth and burned, they produce an overload of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. And since these fuels are produced far from where they will ultimately be consumed, mishaps such as oil spills cause other problems.

Once burned, fossil fuels are gone forever. Wood is different. As all plants grow, they absorb carbon dioxide from the air and convert it to fiber. The carbon dioxide is released after they die, whether they are burned, or simply left to rot in the forest. This process is part of nature’s cycle. Heating with wood can be both satisfying and economical. But it requires special care right from the beginning.

A growing awareness of the environmental impact of fossil fuels (such as natural gas, oil and coal) along with the desire to be more energy independent have encouraged a renewed interest in heating with wood. Not too long ago, even the best wood stoves weren’t terribly efficient. In fact, the haze they produced was a sign that homeowners’ hard earned heating money was literally going up in smoke.

Fortunately, a lot has changed since 1990. That was when the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mandated strict particle emissions standards for stove manufacturers. Today, all new wood stoves are EPA-certified. And that means they are much more efficient, and friendlier to the environment as well.

Questions? Don’t Hesitate To Reach Out

Whether you have questions about fireplace usage, are ready to upgrade, need some extensive repair work complete, or you just need to get that annual maintenance on the books, we’re here to help. Reach out now!

Have more questions about us or your fireplace? Don’t hesitate to get in touch!