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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Making Right Choices In Firewood Will Pay Off When You Light It

Nick Harder Orange County Register

If you’re running out of firewood or haven’t stocked up, it’s time you do before it gets any colder. But be sure you make the right choices.

First, decide what type of wood you want to burn.

Your initial decision will be between hardwoods, such as oak, and softwoods, such as pine. There are advantages and disadvantages to each.

Hardwoods burn hotter and cleaner. They leave less creosote, a sap residue that can clog your chimney flue and even feed fires in extreme cases. The downside of hardwoods is that they cost more than softwoods. Balance that against the fact that you’ll probably burn fewer hardwood logs than you will softwood logs to get the fires you want.

Softwoods usually are more plentiful and much more attractively priced. They ignite more easily and can heat your firebox and flue much faster. In addition to the disadvantages already mentioned, softwoods tend to create a bit more smoke.

Does all that leave you on the fence about which woods to buy? Well, one solution is to buy a mix of softwoods and hardwoods. You’ll get the benefits of both but the disadvantages are mitigated when the woods are mixed in a fire.

When talking to your firewood dealer, ask if the wood is seasoned. Seasoned firewood means it has had six months to a year to dry. Remember that hardwoods dry more slowly than softwoods (some require more than a year).

How do you tell seasoned from unseasoned wood? Check the ends of the log. Seasoned firewood will have dark ends. There also should be cracks straight out from the middle.

Next, check underneath the bark. If the wood is green under it, the log is not seasoned.

Of course, you can season the wood yourself or finish its seasoning if you don’t want to burn it right away. Place the logs in a perpendicular fashion. This will enable air to move through faster and dry the logs well.

Firewood is sold by the cord or half-cord. A cord is 8 feet long by 4 feet high by 4 feet wide. Find out if the price includes delivery. Also, ask if the wood will be stacked on the property or just dumped in the driveway. Stacking the wood where you want to store it may be included in the price. If it’s not, ask how much extra it will cost.

If you’ve got two strong kids who can do the work, you’re OK. If not, you may want to spare yourself further back and muscle aggravation and spend the extra dollars.

Where and how you store the wood is important. Don’t store it next to your house because it may have insect infestation or could draw it to your home. Try to stack it at least 10 feet away, if possible.

The largest logs should be split and placed at the bottom of the stack because they’ll need longer to dry. Make sure the wood is stacked off the ground, so it doesn’t attract pests, and is covered to keep moisture off.

Kindling is important in starting a fire, and you may want to keep a supply of it with your store of logs if you don’t have a spot for it near your fireplace. The same general rules apply, except that you may need a container to hold small pieces. If you do use a container, make sure it has drain holes in the bottom in case moisture leaks in.

Now, light your fire and relax.