How does chestnut burn

The most important factor to remember before burning a log is that you should always use seasoned dry wood! The lower the moisture content in wood, the better and cleaner it will burn. There are two methods by which timber can be dried It also produces a much higher quality, more easily workable wood. The only drawback to this method is that depending on your climate it can take up to several months to a number of years to air dry wood. Moisture greatly effects the burning process of wood.

This water vapour then condenses on your flue, which will rot your system in no time. When burning wet wood, you also run the risk of a chimney fire.

Unseasoned wood will cause excess smoke and soot as well as crushing your fire's flame. If your appliance makes use of an airwash system, wood with a high moisture content significantly reduces its effect, causing excess emissions to stain and craze the glass.

A moisture meter is the most important woodburners tool for ensuring that your wood is ready for burning. A quick and effective way of making sure your wood is ready to burn. We have compiled a list of the most common types of wood you might come across.

Each one displays a rating based on its overall performance to help you choose the best fuel for your appliance. Seasoned Alder firewood burns relatively fast and produces very little heat. Has a small sized flame with minimal sparking, moderate in heat output.

With a fantastic heat output, slow burn, excellent flame, and reasonably priced. We highly recommend using Ash as your main source of firewood. Slightly higher on its moisture content, it can take longer to season than other woods. Birch can burn from excellent to just OK. It produces a good heat output of around degrees. However, it produces a large amount of excess creosote that can block flues with prolonged use.

This also causes the wood to crackle and spark frequently, resulting in excess deposits that can form on your glass and flue. Cedar wood produces a small flame. Sparking more than other hardwoods, it produces a moderate sized flame. Moderate density.

Needs two years to season. Small flame. Poor heat output. Need I say more? Chestnut is one of the worst woods for burning. Avoid burning Chestnut. Requires around a year to season and is among the easiest to split. Douglar Fir creates a lot of smoke and soot, potentially resulting in excess deposit build up.

Moderate in heat output and a small flame. Produces thick smoke. Folklore writes that witches were fond of turning themselves into Elder trees and burning them can invite death Elm is perfect for putting on the last thing at night as it burns so slowly. It is advised to let season for 2 years before burning and to s plit earlier rather than later. Eucalyptus wood is full of sap and oils when fresh, that can very easily cause a chimney fire if burned unseasoned.

Hard to split with a mediocre heat output. Hawthorn burns very slowly with exceptional heat output. It can be hazardous to handle un-split due to its fierce thorns. Hazel tends to burn up faster than most other hardwoods. Furthermore, lots of people report that horse chestnut gives off an unpleasant odor when burned - an odor not unlike that of manure. Also known as the Spanish chestnut or European chestnut, sweet chestnut is one of the most common firewood types in southeast England and other parts of Europe.

In England, oversold or neglected chestnuts have very little value in the timber market. Therefore, it is often used as firewood. It is not the best kind of chestnut you can use for firewood, but if you have a bit of patience, it can be a suitable choice. You will want to give it about two full years to allow it to season if you have cut, split, and stacked it. If you use sweet chestnut, only use it in a wood stove with a door. Again, just make sure you give it plenty of time to season. You may be better off saving this wood and using some other kind of wood in your fireplace.

Certain types of chestnut trees are common only in certain areas as mentioned in the descriptions above. Birch: Produces good heat output but it does burn quickly. It can be burnt unseasoned, however the sap can cause deposits to form in the flue with prolonged use.

Cedar: Is a good burning wood that produces a consistent and long heat output. It burns with a small flame, but does tend to crackle and spit and the sap can cause deposits to form in the flue with prolonged use. Cherry: Is a slow to burn wood that produces a good heat output. Cherry needs to be seasoned well.

Chestnut: A poor burning wood that produces a small flame and poor heat output. Douglas Fir: A poor burning wood that produces a small flame and poor heat output and the sap can cause deposits to form in the flue with prolonged use. Elder: A poor burning wood that produces a small flame and poor heat output. Elm: Is a wood that can follow several burn patterns because of high moisture content, it should be dried for two years for best results.

Elm is slow to get going and it may be necessary to use a better burning wood to start it off. Splitting of logs should be done early. Eucalyptus: Is a fast burning wood. The sap can cause deposits to form in the flue and can increase the risk of a chimney fire if burned unseasoned.

Hawthorn: Is a good traditional firewood that has a slow burn with good heat output. Hazel: Is a good but fast burning wood and produces best results when allowed to season. Holly: Is a fast burning wood that produces good flame but poor heat output. Holly will burn green, but best dried for a minimum of a year. Hornbeam: A good burning wood that burns similar to beech, slow burn with a good heat output.

Horse Chestnut: A good wood for burning in wood stoves but not for open fires as it does tend to spit a lot. It does however produce a good flame and heat output. Good for Stoves. Larch: Produces a reasonable heat output, but it needs to be well seasoned.

The sap can cause deposits to form in the flue with prolonged use. Laurel: Burns with a good flame but only reasonable heat output. It needs to be well seasoned. Lilac: Its smaller branches are good to use as kindling, the wood itself burns well with a good flame. Lime: Not a good wood for burning as it produces very little flame or heat output. Oak: Because of its density, oak produces a small flame and very slow burn, it is best when seasoned for a minimum of two years as it is a wood that requires time to season well.