Firewood Knowledge

If you have a small decorative fireplace, you probably won’t need nearly as much firewood as someone who uses a wood furnace. As an estimate, a 1000 sq. ft house uses around 3 cords of firewood over the course of an ordinary winter. Here are some things to consider to help you fine-tune this estimate: Will you need to heat your home every day? Is your wood-burning appliance your primary means of heating? Is your wood-burning appliance efficient?

When you’re storing wood, it’s best to keep it away from the house since termites may be attracted to it. Place 2x4 or 2x6 boards parallel to each other on the ground, then stack wood across the boards. Cover with a tarp. A roofed shed is a good idea in order to fully protect wood from the elements.

Easily kindle a good fire and keep it going with a mixture of softwoods and hardwoods. Start with the softwood for easier ignition, then build a long-burning fire by adding small amounts of hardwood at regular intervals. The steady heat from a thick bed of coals will ignite newly added wood into a satisfying crackling, longer-lasting flame. Keep adding small amounts of wood at regular intervals, rather than large pieces all at once, to prevent undesirable creosote buildup.