Are you taking the proper precautions when it comes to choosing your firewood? The quality of the firewood that you use has a major effect on the performance and safety of your chimney. Learn more about how and why to choose the proper firewood in today’s guide.
Getting Prepared for the Colder Season
Even in the summertime, it’s important to think about what goes into your fireplace. Selecting the proper firewood now is an investment in your safety and your comfort, and more importantly it allows you to ensure the wood has plenty of time to dry.
- Make sure the wood is well seasoned. You’ll need to make sure that the wood you order is of a high quality if you want the fireplace to perform properly. This means selecting wood that is harder (like oak and maple as opposed to pine) and dry. Wood that is “seasoned” means it has had ample time to dry out. This is important in keeping creosote from forming in the chimney. While many companies sell seasoned firewood, the best way to be sure is to leave your wood sitting for at least 6 months, which is why we recommend purchasing it in the summer.
- Choose the right amount of wood. Make sure that you order the right amount of wood now so that you don’t have to deal with any hassle later on. A full “cord” measures 8 feet long and 4 feet tall and wide, while a face cord is typically shorter.
- Stack the logs. The wood cannot dry if the logs are stacked in a way that does not allow them to vent. Store firewood in a warm, dry place that the wind can still reach and alternate the pattern as you stack the logs. Moist firewood is inefficient and allows for a dangerous buildup of flammable creosote in your chimney.
Remember that Quality Firewood Isn’t Everything
Well-seasoned firewood is so important to your chimney, but good firewood alone cannot completely protect your chimney from a buildup of creosote. Be sure to call a certified chimney sweep this summer to clean your chimney so that you are further protected from the potential of a chimney fire.
Contact the chimney sweeps and fireplace experts at 2nd Generation Chimneys, Inc. for chimney sweeping this summer and additional chimney and fireplace services. Call Us Today! 612.922.9600 or 1-888-PIXLEYS