Advice Archives | Page 2 of 2 | Wakefords Fireplaces and Stoves

September 9, 2019 By wakefordfire

Lighting Your Fire for the First Time This Autumn

For some, the autumn means and end to warm evenings, and an end to holiday fun and so much more…but these people clearly don’t have a lovely real fire or log burner because for those of us that do there is always a frisson of excitement when it gets cold enough to bring up the question “shall we light the fire?”. If you have a fire or stove you will be well aware of this wonderful consolation for the summer going. Already people are chatting about it at the school gates or in the pub “have you had yours on yet?”.

However, before lighting the fire for the first time this autumn here are a few important tips that might make things run a little smoother. A room full of smoke is not uncommon for people lighting their fire for the first time in the autumn so follow these tips and avoid the pitfalls!

Do I Need My Chimney Swept Every Year?

The basic answer here is yes. It is always best practice to have it swept once a year before you start using it. It is not ideal to have it swept in the spring and not checked again because birds can nest in chimneys over the summer, debris can find its way in there among other things. Speak to your local chimney sweep about your fire and how you use it, and they will advise you on the best course of action. Remember, book early, chimney sweeps get very busy in the autumn and you may find you can’t get an appointment until well into the winter.

Lighting the Fire for the First Time

Now you know your chimney is clear it is time to light your fire or stove. As always, make sure you have some high quality well seasoned or kiln dried wood to burn as well as some good kindling and newspaper.

Warming the flue

This is really important and will help get the fire working well the first time. There are a few ways to do this but the main aim here is to get the flue warm so the warm air can travel up properly creating a draw at the bottom and feeding the fire properly. A cold flue will not work as well and can cause smoke to come back into the room. You can use a fire lighter just left to burn out or a small pile of kindling. ideally, let something small burn for a good 10-30 mins to really get that flue warm.

Setting the Fire

Normally you may set a fire in a certain way but because you have been warming the flue you must be careful when setting the full fire. Newspaper is always good as are firelighters. Place them where the initially small fire was and light, you may not need to do this as there may be enough heat to get it going. Ideally, the newspaper balled up or twisted into tight lengths can sit in the grate without catching straight away. Place some kindling in a cone or pyramid shape over them and light with a long match. Make sure there is plenty of room for air to come through to get to the fuel.

Stepping it up a gear

As is always the case, add more wood or coal carefully and slowly. There is no reason why the fire should burn any slower than usual but as it is the first time since the Winter it is important to take it easy. Consider the weather conditions too, if there is little or no wind it may make things a bit harder and you might be a bit out of practice too! If the fire doesn’t take you can leave it to cool then start again or try adding some more kindling that will burn easier. Sometimes people use left over wood from the previous season and it may have got wet so check before using.

Keeping the Fire Healthy in the Autumn and Beyond

After the first successful and no doubt very satisfying fire it is well worth clearing out the ash and giving the fire a good check over. It is important to keep the ask pans clear but it is even more so at this stage as you will be able to see any issues or areas they may need attention.

Remember – don’t burn rubbish on your fire, don’t burn green/unseasoned wood and treat your fire with respect! The summer may have seen a few new ornaments being placed near the fire, make sure you check the surrounding area and remove anything that should not be close to the heat.

If you find any issues with the fire burning or smoke coming back into the room call your chimney sweep. If there are any issues with the fire or stove itself then give us a call, and we can help.

…and remember, don’t be sad about the end of summer, look forward to all those cosy nights by the fire other people miss out on.

May 31, 2019 By wakefordfire

A Book About Wood for Stoves

As wood burning stove experts, you’d expect us to be lovers of wood but this is an understatement. We love wood! The smell, the sound of it burning, the texture and colour of the bark, the variety of different woods and the myriad of ways in which they burn – even the type of heat they kick out.

With this in mind, we’ve put together a guide to all the different types of wood you can use in your stove or fire.

Seasoned wood burns better

One thing before we start – seasoned wood burns better. When we say seasoned, we mean wood that has been allowed to dry. You shouldn’t burn wet or green wood. Not only does it give off a lot of smoke but it also doesn’t provide much heat and makes for a very disappointing fire. Unseasoned wood also can also cause a build up of soot in your flue and end up clogging your flue system and cowl. It will also dirty the glass in your stove.

Seasoned wood is defined as wood with a moisture content of less than 20%. If it’s been seasoned naturally, you would expect it to be outdoors for 18-24 months.

Hardwoods are better than softwoods

Hardwoods are those from long-lived deciduous trees such as Oak and Birch. Because they grow slowly over the course of their lifespan, the wood is denser than the wood from faster growing evergreen trees. Higher density means they burn slower and are more fuel efficient.

As a rule, the heavier the wood, the greater the heat and longer the burn time.

Now we’ve got that out of the way, here’s your guide in order of popularity:

Hardwoods

Oak

Oak is the backbone of this country! It is one of the most popular woods to not only to build with but to burn and is widely available to buy. It burns very slowly and produces long-lasting heat, even down to the embers. The only downside is that oak needs to be seasoned for at least 2 years because of its high moisture content.

Ash

Ash is another great hardwood as it burns without much smoke and has a high heat output. Ash is abundant in the UK and because it has a low moisture content, it doesn’t have to be seasoned as long as other hardwoods. Other advantages of ash are that it is very easy to split and saw. A note of caution though – because Ash Dieback has impacted the trees in the UK, the movement of some Ash logs for firewood has been restricted. Please therefore ensure you buy your Ash from a reputable source.

Beech

Beech is another hardwood that burns well. However, like Oak, because of its high water content it takes a long time to season properly.

Birch

Birch and Silver birch logs burn more quickly than other hardwoods but provide good heat output. They are best combined with slower burning logs.

Elm

Elm is another hardwood that burns slowly. It can be difficult to establish a fire purely consisting of Elm but once going, it gives out long-lasting heat. Elm has a high moisture content so needs a long time to season well.

Apple

Some people love apple wood as it burns slowly with a decent amount of heat. The flames aren’t the best but it makes up for this with a lovely scent! Those of us with apple trees in our gardens also have a free source of wood!

Cherry

This is another lovely fruit tree to burn as it burns slowly with good heat output. Like apple, it also has a lovely smell.

Pear

Like apple, pear wood burns well with a decent amount of heat but not a great flame. That said, it smells lovely!

Hawthorn

Although a very traditional firewood, hawthorn wood is not that common because it’s so thorny. If you manage to get hold of hawthorn logs, they burn well with a good heat output.

Horse chestnut

This wood burns well, producing a good flame and strong heat output.

Hazel

Because of its lower density hazel burns quite quickly so you’ll need to keep topping up your fire. However, the heat output is good.

Sycamore

Sycamore and other Maples burn well. They have with a moderate heat output and good flame.

Softwoods

Softwoods are generally from faster growing evergreen trees. As they burn quickly, softwoods can be great for getting a fire started before moving onto hardwoods to keep the fire going.

Pine

Pine contains a high resin content and burns quickly with a bright flame. It makes great kindling, especially as a lot of pine is available as builders off cuts. Make sure you burn it quickly and mix with hardwoods.

Holly

Holly burns quickly and produces little heat so isn’t great for wood burning stoves

Larch

This conifer burns quickly and produces a decent amount of heat. However, like pine, it has a high resin content which can produce oily and sticky deposits. Not great for the health of your stove! It is therefore best mixed with other woods.

Spruce

This softwood burns very quickly with a low heat. It also produces a lot of smoke so is only really good for getting a fire going.

If you want any advice on the type of wood to burn in your stove, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Happy wood hunting!

More from the blog

What wood would be best?

November 3, 2018 By wakefordfire

Burning Solid Fuel and the Environment

With ever more focus on the health of our environment and clean air, many of our customers ask about the different types of fuel you can burn in stoves and which ones we should be using.

The government is focusing increasingly on air pollution and their Clean Air Strategy states that air pollution is the top environmental risk to health in the UK. While a lot of the air pollution in the UK is caused by diesel and petrol engines and industry, heating our homes is also a factor. The burning of solid fuels has come under scrutiny in recent years so here’s the low down on what you should know.

What are solid fuels?

Put simply, solid fuels are any solid material that can be burnt to release heat. Solid fuels commonly used in our homes (stoves and fires) include:

Traditional coal – this is what most people think of when we say the term ‘solid fuel’
Smokeless coal or anthracite
Manufactured solid fuels made from coal products that have low smoke emissions
Wet wood – this is newly felled wood that has a high moisture content and creates a lot of smoke when burned
Seasoned wood – wood that has been left for at least 2 years to dry naturally
Kiln dried wood – wood that has been dried in a kiln to below 20% moisture
Wood pellets

What impact do solid fuels have on the environment?

The burning of solid fuels releases tiny particles of ash and soot into the air. These tiny particles are known as PM_2.5. PM stands for ‘particulate matter’ and the 2.5 means these particles have a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres. Certain types of solid fuel release more of these particles into the air and it’s this that the government is starting to legislate against.

High concentrations of PM_2.5can be harmful to health as well as causing haze or smog.

How to use solid fuels safely

Now we’ve got the negative part out of the way, using certain types of solid fuel can be a great way of heating your home. Not only can it be cost effective compared to gas central heating, but renewable fuels such as wood are also a great alternative to burning fossil fuels. Wood is considered to be a carbon neutral fuel because carbon dioxide is absorbed from the atmosphere as the tree grows and is then released when the wood is burnt.

The simplest way to burn solid fuel is in an open fireplace. However, this is not an efficient way to heat your home as most of the heat is lost up the chimney! The good news is that stoves burn fuel far more efficiently and kick out a lot more heat. Stoves also provide heat for a single room rather than the whole house (heating rooms that aren’t being used).

Stoves are the best way to burn solid fuel

Wood burning stoves are by far the best way to burn solid fuel. New regulations which come into effect in February 2021 mean that coal and wet wood will no longer be allowed. However dry wood – whether air dried or kiln dried – will still be permitted. More good news is that dry wood is cheaper than coal and coal alternatives.

Aside from the romance of having a wood burning stove in your home and the wonderful warmth they exude, the reasons listed above mean they can be a great alternative to gas central heating.

If you’d like advice on stoves, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us for more information.