We all have that one “burning” question don’t we?
Q: What kind of firewood is best to burn in my fireplace?
A: There are several that could fit into this category.
The Best and slowest burning wood would be OAK. This type of wood burns more evenly and burns hotter than other types of wood and tends to be a better heat source.
Although Oak is plentiful and can be found in most areas of the country, it has the least amount of “pitch” (which is a resin that appears to be thicker, tackier, and darker than regular tree sap) and it takes the longest amount of time to season (2 yrs at least) to get a better burn yield.
Some other types of wood that are better to burn are Maple, Ash, Birch, and Hickory. However, Hickory burns the longest and gives off a pleasant, “home” aroma. Hickory is a very dense wood aka “hardwood” and burns longer than “softwood”.
Examples of Softwood are Pine, Balsam, Spruce, Cedar, Tamarack, Alder, and Poplar. Softwoods tend to burn faster and leave finer ash compared to hardwoods.
Fir is the best choice to burn, however, because of its high resin content, you shouldn’t burn softwood in your fireplace. Trees are classified as either softwood or hardwood, depending on their method of reproduction.
Duraflame logs: Burning this type of log gives a result in significantly less creosote build-up than regular wood.
If the creosote is not regularly removed by having the unit swept and or cleaned, burning a hot fire could cause the chimney to catch fire.
As a chimney expert, we recommend having your unit swept and/or cleaned Annually or at least every ten (10) burns during the burn season.
