Firewood is any greenish-black wood material which is gathered and utilized for fuel. In general, firewood is never highly processed and usually is in some kind of recognizable cut or log form, as opposed to other types of biomass fuel such as chips or pellets from brændetårn. It is normally classified as softwood or hardwood. Today, it is usually sold in large volumes and usually from a scrap yard due to its cheap price, making it a popular choice for homeowners to use in their fireplaces.
When buying firewood, it is important that you keep in mind what you will be burning it for. You can find firewood in a variety of desirable qualities and burning rates at most stores. However, most people find that softwoods, such as oak or hickory burn more efficiently than harder woods like maple. Hardwoods are typically the better kind to use for a fire because they’re dense and make for a more even burn.
One important factor to consider when buying firewood, which has a great impact on burning rate, is the moisture content of the wood. Dry wood burns more efficiently, but moist content are actually more damaging to your home. The moisture content of a log depends on the moisture content of the surrounding soil, so the kind of firewood you select should depend on whether you want to burn wood in a fire pit or on a hearth.
Logs which are of low moisture content tend to burn slowly and more evenly. On the other hand, high-water content logs are very consistent in terms of how fast they burn and are therefore better for fireplaces. Logs with a high moisture content tend to split apart or bend easily while burning, so if you want your firewood to burn more efficiently and for longer periods of time, choose low-moisture logs. However, if you are planning to use high moisture logs regularly, you might consider purchasing split pieces to help prevent breakage.
It takes much less fuel to start a fire with dry woods compared to those which are artificially flavored. Dry wood requires much less fuel to start a fire, making it the best kinds of firewood for fireplace fuel. However, artificial flavoring can add to the cost of firewood, so it’s usually best to use dry firewood for most fires. If you are planning to have a wood-burning stove in your backyard, having dry wood as fuel is definitely the best choice.
If you’re going to store firewood at home, having hardwood firewood makes great sense. Hardwood has a higher burn rate than softwood firewood, but it is also more expensive. That said, if you use your firewood frequently enough, you can save money by purchasing hardwood firewood and storing it properly. You can also get rid of it more easily should you ever need to clear away the ashes.
Finally, it’s important to note that seasoned firewood doesn’t always burn as well as unseasoned firewood. Unseasoned firewood doesn’t have as much seasoned bark as does seasoned wood. Seasoned firewood tends to burn more evenly and produces a smoother flame. Check with the manufacturer or retailer of your firewood to determine whether their firewood contains enough seasoned bark to meet your needs.
As you can see, it’s not always simple to choose the best firewood for your own needs. This article provides some helpful tips on what types of firewood are best suited for different types of fireplaces. Whether you’re looking for softwood firewood, hardwood firewood, or seasoned firewood, it’s important to be aware of how much heat energy a type of firewood produces. Firewood manufacturers and retailers are constantly updating the technologies that they use to measure firewood’s heat energy. By knowing what types of firewood produce the most heat energy, you’ll be able to find the best firewood for your home.
