Useful Wood Fuel Facts
Grange Wood Fuels has spent many years researching wood fuels and which is the best timbers for fuels ? we have chosen to use Hardwoods such as Ash which has a very low moisture content, produces excellent heat with a nice flame and lasts reasonably well and can be burned both unseasoned and seasoned. Beech is a good fire wood giving both good heat and flame it can occasionally give off a few sparks and Sycamore and have recently introduced a well seasoned (2 years min) Larch which is a soft wood but make a very efficient fuels when used on closed appliances. We have search various literature and have found they vary content in their and readability after visiting the APF forestry show 2006 we came across the literature produced by the Forestry Commission which proves to be very informative and so have decided to provide a link rather than extract information form it ? I do hope you find it as informative as
we have done.
In Brief some of the benefits of using wood fuel are
Burning logs is carbon neutral as the tree absorbs as much carbon dioxide in its growing life as is gives off during the burning process or rotting down naturally
Net carbon emissions can be reduced compared to fossil fuels
Switching to wood fuel can reduce fuel bills
So long as forests are sustainably managed wood fuels are a renewable source of energy
Wood fuels create and sustain rural jobs |
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Storing Your Wood
It is best to stack your firewood outside where the air can circulate and best to store off moist ground so it cannot absorb more moisture from the ground. Pallets and treated fence posts make suitable foundations
If you are storing it inside or in a garage or shed - where possible open a window or when safe to do so open the windows and doors to let the air circulate around the logs.
Stack with bark side down otherwise the bark will act as a lid and stop the moisture from evaporating and the risk from mould will increase. Have small gaps between the wood to again allow the air to circulate and then top the stack off with the logs with the bark side up - so they act as tiles to allow the rainwater to run off. The more of the surface area which is exposed to the air the more rapid the drying process
You can put some sort of water proof covering over the top logs to stop the rain water running down through the logs but do not cover the sides as this will only retain moisture, place a few heavy logs on the top to stop it blowing off
Keep near to house so you do not have to go too far too fill your log basket
You can rotate your logs so you bring an amount indoors to gently warm up the logs and further still evaporate any moisture and after a couple of day then place them in the basket next to the fire - then fill you indoors store up and so on
If all of the above are adhered to you will find you have an excellent fuels to keep you warm - if rain water does penetrate your logs don't worry follow the above advise and you will soon have dry logs again
Firewood poem
Beech logs burn bright and clear
If logs are kept for a year
Chestnut is only goof they say
If for long it's laid away
But ash new or ash old
Is fit for a queen with a crown of gold
Birch and fir log burn fast
Blaze up bright and do not last
Elmwood burns like churchyard mould
Even the flames are very cold
Poplar give a bitter smoke
Fills your eyes and makes you choke
Applewood will scent the room
With an incense like perfume
Oaken logs if dry an old
Keep away the winters cold
But Ash wet or Ash dry
A King shall warm his slippers by
one last thing to make sure your happy--dry that willow or it will burn like a wet nappy
(added by David 19th July 2008)
Feel free to send in your own!
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