All wood burns, although not all woods burn the identical. Some burn hotter, slower, and cleaner than Other individuals. Some smoke a good deal, and many have many sap or resin that clogs your chimney speedily. The ideal forms of firewood for any Wooden stove or fireplace burn up warm and relatively steadily, developing far more warmth and, normally, burning more fully. These woods tend to be hardwoods, for example hickory or ash, instead of softwoods, for instance pine and cedar.
Hardwood Firewood

Hardwoods like maple, oak, ash, birch, and most fruit trees are the most beneficial burning woods that will provide you with a hotter and for a longer period burn time. These woods hold the minimum pitch and sap and they are generally cleaner to deal with. Even so, hardwoods are frequently dearer than softwoods and tend to be more prone to leave clinkers, a hard and stony residue, within the leftover ash.

When you are burning birch firewood, concentrate on the thick inner brown bark called the phloem. This bark retains lots of moisture and can avert the wood from drying evenly.1 Consequently, it is best To combine birch with another type of hardwood for a cleaner melt away and fewer smoke. Smoke contributes to a buildup of creosote, that's a byproduct of wood combustion consisting primarily of tar that generally causes chimney fires.two
Softwood Firewood

Softwood is The most affordable kind of Wooden You should buy. Fir is the best choice, but other softwoods include pine, balsam, spruce, cedar, tamarack, alder, and poplar. Softwoods usually burn off more quickly and go away finer ash in comparison to hardwoods.three They also is usually messy to manage, Particularly pine, spruce, and balsam, since they result in creosote to build up additional swiftly in your chimney.
Comparing Firewood by Warmth Power

Unique firewoods could be classified by the level of heat Electrical power they produce for each wire of wood. The top firewoods offer the heat-Strength equal of two hundred to 250 gallons of fuel oil.4 These include things like the subsequent:

Apple
Beech (American)
Birch (Yellow)
Hickory (Shagbark)
Ironwood
Maple (Sugar)
Red oak
White ash
White oak

The following group of warmth Electrical power may be the equivalent of one hundred fifty to two hundred gallons of gas for each wire of firewood. These woods involve:

Birch (White)
Cherry (Black)
Douglas fir
Elm (American)
Maple (Red and Silver)
Tamarack

In the bottom warmth-energy category, Each and every cord of wood creates in regards to the similar warmth as one hundred to one hundred fifty gallons of fuel oil:

Alder (Red)
Aspen
Cedar (Red)
Cottonwood
Hemlock
Pine (Lodgepole and White)
Redwood
Spruce (Sitka)

Make Sure Your Wooden Is Dry

You should never burn "environmentally friendly," or insufficiently dried, Wooden since it generates significantly less heat and much more smoke (and, in the end, creosote) than correctly dried, or seasoned, Wooden. For good storage, you'll want to stack your wood for effective air circulation, covered at the best only, and make sure it's thoroughly dry right before burning. A superb rule of thumb should be to rotate your firewood, as in burning the older dryer Wooden 1st, to prevent Wooden rot and waste.

Wood ought check here to have a moisture written content of considerably less that twenty % for burning. While using the dampness higher than 20 per cent, Wooden is hard to begin and burns improperly and inefficiently, making abnormal quantities of water vapor, smoke, and unhealthy air.5
Woods to stay away from

Salvaged firewood or other scraps can save you lots of money In terms of heating your own home with Wooden. But you will find specified Wooden products along with other goods that you need to steer clear of for overall health and basic safety explanations. Many of these will create hazardous fumes indoors, along with chimney emissions that could be an environmental worry.6 Some also pose added challenges towards your stove metals or can make a harmful buildup of creosote in the chimney.

For the basic safety it is best to normally stay clear of burning:

Painted or varnished Wooden, trim, or other wood by-products
Pressure-addressed lumber
Driftwood
Engineered sheet merchandise, for example plywood, particleboard, and MDF
Hardboard or other compressed paper products6

When you experience allergies, some woods, especially aromatic cedar, also needs to be utilised with caution.
Wood Burning Safety Recommendations

Use care and customary sense On the subject of feeding your wood stove. Although you need to do want some paper to get started on your stove, only use ample to get the hearth likely. Excessive utilization of starter paper will just add to your creosote buildup.5

Burning Dry Firewood Saves Revenue and Improves Air High-quality. State of Vermont Agency of Purely natural Assets, 2021.

Protection, obviously, is A serious issue when operating any wood-burning appliance. Generally adjust to all suggested clearances and guard flooring with a fire-resistant floor pad. Ensure that you have an Lively carbon monoxide alarm in the region and that the home is equipped with Functioning smoke alarms.