Storing firewood: some simple tips

STORING firewood correctly makes a big difference to enjoying efficient fires, which are better for the environment and save you money – and the opposite: ineffective fires, causing pollution and costing more.

The good news is that there’s some simple ABC steps you can take to get the most out of your firewood. This is advice that James the Sweep gives customers in the towns that he covers: Tunbridge Wells, Southborough, Sevenoaks, Hildenborough, Pembury, Maidstone, Paddock Wood, Crowborough, Hadlow and Maidstone.

Firstly, make sure the logs are stacked in a proper wood store outside with a roof for protection from bad weather but open sides so that they can be kept dry but ventilated. You can cut them up further yourself when the wood is fresh: aim for five inches wide in shape. That makes it easier to cut rather than wait until the wood is old. It will also help the wood to dry and ideally we are aiming for a moisture content of 20 per cent or less (a moisture meter will help you know; if you split the wood and test the surface). Don’t just throw the logs together either, stack them properly. It should only take between six months and a year to get the moisture content to that 20 per cent mark. But that will only happen if the wood is properly stored as outlined above. By the way, ignore ‘seasoned’ wood. It doesn’t count for anything – the moisture level is the important thing. ‘Ready to burn’ logs usually have the right moisture level but may be more expensive.

It may surprise you that five inches wide is the best size for fire logs. Larger logs, in fact, cost you more money because the burn rate is lower, which makes them less effective as a heat source. Larger logs also cause more harm to the environment.

Any wood can be good enough to burn as long as there is no contamination with products such as plastic or other substances. Pure wood is what we want to burn. Of course, some types of wood naturally do tend to burn better and James the Sweep has provided a guide to types of wood here.

You should find that by properly organising and storing your dry wood, it helps organise your indoor fire set-up so that you can enjoy safe, efficient, cost-effective fires as a reliable heat source.