Profiling Types Of Wood For Your Home Wood Stove
Posted by Infamous | Filed under Home And Family, Reference And Education
Gas and electric companies don’t have to be the bearer of bad news this Winter season. You can bypass the high fees of such resources by obtaining a wood burning stove and using wood to heat your place of residence. Wood varies based on several properties, so to properly burn it you must first be aware of what to use and why.
Buying wood requires that you know how much wood comes in a cord. A cord is a measurement based in cubic feet. To be specific, there is 128 cubic feet in a cord. A cord of wood is about enough to fill a small truck bed safely. Depending on where you get the firewood, its condition, and the type of wood, the price will vary wildly from cheap to expensive.
White oak wood is seen as the best of the best, but it is also more costly. White oak is preferred because it is composed in a very dense manner. The high density allows the fire to burn hotter and for a longer period of time than other types of wood. You can judge density of a wood by compared the same mass of two pieces of wood and determine which one is the heavier.
Firewood that burns easier and doesn’t pose a health hazard is ideal for the home environment. Again oak is the best choice, but so too is ash, hickory, and beech wood types. Stay away from types of trees that contain sap or resin. Wood such as that of the spruce tree can cause buildup in a chimney that will be costly to clean, and can even start a major fire.
Don’t be afraid to mix several types of wood to get the type of fire you want. You don’t always want a stove full of white oak wood, since it will create an excessive amount of heat for a long period of time. It’s best to put in a little white oak and then mix in less dense types of wood for a more efficient fire. In addition, you will be paying less for the fire you have created.
Don’t forget to properly cure the wood you burn. It is ideal to have wood that has been set out for at least six months. During the resting process, the wood will dry out and burn much easier. Using wet or improperly cured wood could cause an excess of smoke, buildup in the chimney, and overall you will be wasting your time trying to get the fire to burn correctly.
In Conclusion
Wood stoves pay for themselves in as early as a year of usage if operated correctly. Heating your home is expensive, so cutting costs with a wood burning stove is a viable option if you are not fine with paying the high fees of heating.
Learn more about buy wood burning stove and Wood Burning Stove.