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FS-I01-151013
IMPORTANT: This appliance is not suitable for use with solid mineral fuels.
E.g. Coal, Coke, Anthracite, etc. It is not suitable for any other fuel than
wood.
SEASONING AND STORING FIREWOOD
Wood, which has recently been cut and is still full of sap and water, is known as "green"
wood.
Greenwood will generally burn poorly and inefficiently, because it can have over 50%
water in its cells. It may be hard to light, smoulder, not put out any heat and cause
more than the usual amount of creosote to build up in your chimney.
So your aim should be to dry the wood out to below 25% moisture content, this process
is called seasoning. As the name implies, you should store your wood for a season or so,
while it dries, but there are things you can do to speed up seasoning by cutting the
wood now rather than just before you use it.
Wood is composed of bundles of microscopic tubes that were used to transport water
from the roots of the tree to the leaves. These tubes will stay full of water for years even
after a tree is dead. This is why it is so important to have your firewood cut to length for
6 months or more before you burn it, it gives this water a chance to evaporate since the
tube ends are finally open and the water only has to migrate a foot or two to escape.
Splitting the wood helps too by exposing more surface area to the sun and wind, but
cutting the wood to shorter lengths is of primary importance.
Here’s how you can tell whether your wood is ready or not: Well-seasoned firewood
generally has darkened ends with cracks or splits visible, it is relatively lightweight, and
makes a clear "clunk" when two pieces are beat together. Green wood on the other
hand is very heavy, the ends look fresher, and it tends to make a dull "thud" when
struck. Another thing you can do to help is store your wood properly. Store it off the
ground by building the pile on some longer logs (or whatever method you can devise). A
shed or shelter with an open side makes an ideal storage place, as the air can circulate
around the logs and help to dry them out. Unventilated spaces or plastic tarps, which
never get taken off will prevent the drying and evaporation process and cause moulds
and rot. So, if a tarp is your only option, take it off frequently to air the wood on fine
days. And remember to put it back on again. Seasoned firewood will reabsorb large
amounts of water if exposed to rain, snow and excessive dew, which is liable to make it
rot and be unfit for making a good fire.
When you build up a store of firewood, remember that the wood may start to
deteriorate after 4 to 5 years, although this is of course variable and depending on
storage conditions and species involved.
