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How to Choose the Best Firewood for Your Fireplace

While all firewood comes from trees, not all of it is the same. You’ll find significant differences among the many varieties when you burn them in a fireplace. Felgemacher of Buffalo, NY, would like to explain a few of the differences and how they affect the quality of your fires.

Fire Wood in Buffalo, NY.Seasoned vs. unseasoned firewood

Before looking at individual wood types, here’s something to remember: seasoned (dry) wood is always preferable to wood that hasn’t had time to dry out.

Cut logs contain moisture and sap, some more than others. It typically takes logs six months to dry enough for them to be used efficiently in a fireplace. Here are some ways to tell if wood is seasoned:

  • Bang two logs together – dry wood will make a hollow sound; damp wood will make a heavy thud.
  • Bark can be easily peeled off dry wood.
  • The ends of dry wood logs are often split and have turned a grayish color.
  • Compared to unseasoned wood logs, dry logs are lighter.

Hardwoods vs. softwoods

Another consideration is the natural hardness of the wood. Hardwood varieties include:

  • Maple
  • Oak
  • Hickory
  • Ash
  • Birch
  • Alder

Softwoods include:

  • Fir
  • Juniper
  • Redwood
  • Spruce
  • Yew
  • Pine

Hardwoods are best for everyday use

Hardwoods that have had time to become seasoned are the best choices for your daily fireplace use. There are three main reasons for this:

  1. They tend to burn hotter
  2. They burn more completely
  3. They create less smoke

The third one above is a critical factor. The more smoke from your firewood, the more creosote that’s going to build up in your chimney flue.

The dangers of creosote

Creosote forms when smoke condenses in a chimney. Since you can’t see inside your flue, it can accumulate pretty fast without you even being aware of it. Smoky softwood and unseasoned woods will only accelerate this process.

Ignited creosote is the cause of the majority of chimney fires reported throughout New York State each year. This substance is highly flammable, and as little as one-eighth of an inch stuck to your chimney liner or coating the surfaces of your smoke chamber can catch fire.

Best practices to reduce fireplace smoke

In addition to choosing dry hardwoods, here are some other helpful tips to help you create less smoke with your fires.

Provide enough air (oxygen)

Fires that are oxygen-depleted burn sluggishly and make more smoke.

Make sure your damper is open fully when starting a fire

This will allow more air to pass through the burning logs and reduce smokiness.

Bring in air from outside

If your home is particularly airtight, you can crack a window near the fireplace to add air to the fire.

Turn off exhaust fans

Kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans can pull air away from the fireplace.

What not to burn in your fireplace

Never burn the following:

  • Plastic
  • Metal
  • Packaging materials
  • Cardboard
  • Clothing
  • Household garbage
  • Finished or painted wood

or anything else that isn’t actual cut logs from trees.

Chimney and fireplace showroom in Ontario NY

Many non-firewood items create huge amounts of smoke and produce toxic combustion gases.

Looking for a new fireplace?

Now that you know all about firewood, is it time to bring home a new fireplace and put your knowledge to work? Felgemacher carries a full line of efficient fireplaces, stoves and fireplace inserts to bring you the heat you need and look great while doing it.

Visit our showroom at 2727 Broadway, Suite 5, in Cheektowaga, NY. You can also reach out by phone or with our contact form. We sell and install heating appliances.