Whether you have had a wood burner for a while, are lucky enough to have had one installed or moved into a home with one, it is a good idea to refresh your understanding of what wood is best to burn, both for your health, your wallet, and the environment.
The effectiveness of your wood burning stove relies largely on the quality and type of fuel that you burn. Here’s what you need to know.
Make sure it is dry
Dry wood burns better than wet; wet wood produces more smoke and burns at a lower temperature meaning that it is more likely to produce emissions that are bad for your health and the environment. Since 2021, it is a legal requirement that wood used in a wood burning stove has a moisture content of less than 20%, although how that requirement will be managed is uncertain.
If you have bought wood from a supplier, ask them how well seasoned it is; for hard wood such as oak, you need it to be at least two years old.
Mix your wood types
The best woods to burn are ash, beech, oak and soft woods, such as pine. Trees that take longer to grow, such as oak, are much harder than quick growing trees like pine and fir trees. Soft wood burns fast and hot, which makes them great for lighting your fire or getting a dwindling fire going again, but they will burn much more quickly than the slow-burning, solid hardwoods.
Reducing your carbon footprint
You can reduce your carbon footprint by using well-seasoned, locally sourced logs. Don’t be tempted to use imported wood.
Eco alternatives to wood
With the surge in people trying to protect the environment as well as save money there is an increase in options for those looking to reduce the carbon footprint of their woodburning stove. Alternatives to wood include:
Sawdust briquettes – made from compressed sawdust, these briquettes are created using carpentry and manufacturing byproducts, making them one of the most environmentally friendly options, provided that they are produced in the UK. Briquettes are usually made of a combination of soft and hard wood – make sure that you buy 100% wood briquettes and once you place them on the fire, don’t be tempted to poke them and move them.
Coal – smokeless coal such as anthracite can be used on its own or alongside wood in a multi fuel stove.
Coffee logs – these logs made from compressed coffee grounds burn hotter, are environmentally friendly, and smell great, too!
If you are considering buying a wood burning stove or resurrecting one in your home, make sure that you get it checked out by a specialist to make sure that it is safe to use first. Take a look at the list of rated and approved wood burning stove specialists near you, or follow us on Facebook or Twitter for more guidance.