Wood Burning Tips

All slow combustion heaters rely on dry fuel to perform at their best and this fact cannot be over emphasised. It is that critical, Green or wet firewood is bound to lead to disappointment. The relevant moisture content (wetness) of your wood is indicated in the following table. Moisture content:
Below 12%.........Wood very dry and may burn too fast. 12% to 24%.........Wood burns efficiently and economically in this range. 25% to 27%.........Wood burns, but less efficiently than drier wood. Above 27%.........Wood too wet to burn safely and efficiently.

THE JOY OF BURNING DRY WOOD

A correctly installed wood heater burning Australia’s hardwoods with a moisture range of 12 to 24% is an absolute joy to own.
It will burn cleanly and efficiently around the clock giving off abundant heat to circulate around your home.
Run properly, there will be a minimum build up of soot and one annual service will be all that is required.

THE MISERY OF BURNING WET WOOD

If you fuel the same heater with either wet or green wood with a moisture content exceeding 27%.things start to go wrong immediately.
You will notice that the previously eager to burn fire requires a lot more air just to stay alight and keep wood from charring.
Heat output will be drastically reduced, soot will build up quickly in the flue and when the heater door is opened smoke will waft into your room.
When the fire is dampened down for the night wet wood will cause a build up of cresote in the flue causing the flue to eventually block up.

HOW TO AVOID WET WOOD

The most common reasons why people find themselves with wet or green wood are:

• Wood is obtained at the wrong time of the year.
• Wood is not stored under suitable cover during winter.
• Cheap green wood obtained from casual source, eg “weekend merchants”.

Ideally, firewood should be organised in the spring and be under cover and air dried for at least six months under cover.

It is preferable to obtain seasoned wood in spring, which will only improve by winter if kept dry.

Bare in mind, that it is virtually impossible for a wood merchant to deliver you guaranteed seasoned dry firewood in the middle of a wet winter.

Arrange for your wood supply to be delivered before winter sets in.