Firewood 101

Making a perfect fire for your home can be a difficult task that has wonderful rewards. Sometimes it is difficult to get the fire going. Other times, the fire quickly starts, but is hard to maintain. Although much of the problem is related to knowledge, firewood plays a part as well. There are some firewood facts everyone who starts or maintains a fire should know.

Using Artificial Logs
The artificial logs that you can purchase at the local discount store are great, but they do come with some danger. Although artificial fire logs make fire building a cinch, they should never be used together with more than one log. They should also never be mixed with real wood. Doing either one of these two things could lead to a small explosion.

Storing Firewood
The best place for firewood is outside. If you bring too much firewood into your house too soon, you will have quite a few bugs. Instead, bring the wood into your house two days before you intend on burning it. This will allow it time to dry while eliminating much of the insect problem.

Type of Wood To Burn
The best woods to burn are the hard woods like birch, oak, or maple. Soft wood burns, but it goes a lot quicker and is not as clean as hard wood. Pine is an example of soft wood. Burning pine creates a lot of sap/creosote build-up in your chimney. Another tips to keep in mind when deciding what type of wood to burn is never to use treated lumber. This lumber releases toxic fumes into the air.

Using Pallets
When you store your wood outside, it is best to purchase a wooden pallet to place the wood on. This helps to preserve your firewood more effectively because air is allowed to circulate under the pile. Wood that is left on the ground begins to rot quickly. You can find these pallets at any local home improvement store.