| "Burning household garbage, treated, painted or coated wood creates
poison"
Please don’t burn:
· garbage
of any kind
· stained,
painted, or coated wood
· pressure
treated wood
· plywood
and particle board
· salt
water driftwood
· railroad
ties
· glossy
magazines
· Any materials prohibited by local by-laws
When you burn wood in a fireplace you should never smell
wood smoke or get that nice woodsy campfire smell in your house when the fire is on.
If you do you have a problem and should get a advise from a professional.
Buying Firewood
Bulk firewood is usually sold by a measurement called a cord or a fraction of a
cord. A cord is defined as 128 cubic feet. A standard "cord" would
be 8 feet long by 4 feet wide by 4 feet high.
 Be wary of measurement terms
such as "rick," "rack," "face cord," "pile," or
"truckload". Since these terms cannot be defined exactly, it is in your
best interest to purchase firewood that is measured by the cord.
When you get a delivery of wood it is advised that you or the seller stacked it
so that it's width, height and length can be measured. to ensure that you are
getting the quantity of wood you are paying for.
Storing Firewood
 Stack the
firewood on rails or poles to raise it slightly off the ground to keep it dry , allow for
air circulation to promote drying, prevent mould growth and reduce insect infestation.
Separate the rows by sufficient space to allow air circulation to carry away the moisture.
Some experts recommend at least two feet between the rows.
The Wood Heat Organization strongly
recommends that you store the wood outside for the summer to allow it to dry before you
put it in a garage or shed. A loose protective cover to keep the rain or snow off
the wood is a good idea, especially if you want to dry the wood quickly. Otherwise you
could be burning wet wood next fall.
If you are storing and using a lot of firewood a moisture meter may be an
excellent investment.
Don't stack firewood in or against the house or other buildings for long periods
of time. Termite or carpenter ant problems can develop and cause more serious problems.
Use the oldest wood first, it is most likely to be infested.
Avoid the tendency to stack new wood on top of old wood.
Do not treat firewood with insecticides. It is
unnecessary and potentially dangerous due to fumes that may be produced when the
insecticides burn.
Seasoned Wood vs. Green Wood
Fireplace or stove wood is defined as: any kindling logs, boards, timbers, or
other wood. The logs may be whole or pre-split. They may be purchased seasoned (dried) or
fresh-cut.
If you are buying freshly cut (or "green") wood, it should be cut and
split and allowed to properly dry for at least 8 - 12 months prior to
burning. Wet or unseasoned wood greatly increases the accumulation of creosote. The
large amount of moisture from burning wet wood condenses in the chimney and adds to
creosote formation as well as the acrid odour.
Learn More about burning wood, the
environment, maintenance, tips and techniques from the Wood Heat Organization, a Canadian
non-profit, nongovernmental agency dedicated to the responsible use of wood as a home
heating fuel.
Wood Pellets as a Hearth Fuel
Glossary of Terms
|
