Is your firewood ready to burn? Four tests at the woodpile

Why dryness beats the kind of tree

Wood fresh off the tree is full of water. Before it can burn properly, the fire has to boil that water out, and that takes heat away from the flames. The result is a fire that hisses, smokes and struggles, with a cool, wet smoke that leaves creosote in the flue.

The EPA's Burn Wise program boils it down to two habits: burn only dry, seasoned wood, and test it with a moisture meter. Well-seasoned wood lights easily, burns with bright flames, and sends far less smoke up the chimney and into the air outside.

When people ask about the best wood to burn in their fireplace, the first answer is the same every time: dry wood. Species comes second, and it decides mostly how long a load lasts and how many coals it leaves.

Four tests at the woodpile

You don't need special skills to check your wood. Pull three or four pieces from the top, middle and bottom of the pile and run each one through these checks.

• Weight can be a clue: a drying piece may feel lighter than comparable fresh wood. Species and size also affect weight, so it does not replace a moisture reading.
• The sound when pieces are knocked together may offer a clue, but does not establish that the inside is dry enough to burn.
• End cracks, color and loose bark may develop while wood seasons. None alone proves that the center has reached a suitable moisture content.
• Use a meter. Split a piece and check moisture on the fresh inside face, following the meter instructions. EPA’s published recommendation is below twenty percent moisture.

Seasoned firewood takes time, so buy it ready

Seasoning allows cut and split wood to dry. EPA guidance gives a minimum drying period, but species, piece size, storage and weather can extend it. Test moisture on a fresh split rather than treating six months or a year as a guarantee of readiness.

Where you keep the pile counts too. Raise it off the ground on a rack or pallets so the bottom rows don't soak up moisture, cover only the top, and leave the sides open so air can move through. A tarp wrapped all the way around traps moisture and slows drying.

Keep the pile a safe distance from the house, too. It keeps pests away from your walls and keeps a stored fuel source away from the home.

Buying firewood? Ask the seller how long ago it was cut and split, and where it's been kept. Wood cut this season sometimes gets sold as seasoned, and a meter reading on a freshly split piece tells you the truth in seconds.

Ask a seller to state the actual quantity and dimensions of the stack, along with species and how the wood was stored. Informal load names can describe different amounts. Compare like quantities and verify dryness instead of relying on a label such as seasoned.

Hardwood, softwood and how long a load lasts

Dense hardwoods such as oak, hickory, ash and maple pack more wood into every log. They take longer to dry, but once they're seasoned they burn slowly, give steady heat and leave a good bed of coals. They're the choice for a fire you want to keep going through an evening.

Softwoods and lighter hardwoods catch quickly and burn fast and hot. They make good kindling and starter pieces, and they suit a short fire when you want flames without a long evening of tending.

Mixing the two works well. Start with lighter, drier pieces to get the flue warm and the draft going, then add denser pieces once the fire is established.

Can you burn pine in a fireplace?

Pine can be an approved fuel for a wood-burning appliance, but it must be properly dry and used according to that appliance's instructions. Species does not remove the need for correct loading, safe operation and maintenance. Avoid treating any wood as a guarantee against creosote.

Pine can burn quickly and may throw sparks. Use only fuel permitted by the appliance and maintain the required screen or door position. Glass doors should not be closed over a fire merely because a guide recommends keeping sparks in; follow the fireplace's instructions.

Green pine is another story. Fresh, sappy pine is wet, smoky and a fast route to creosote, so it gets the same seasoning as any other wood before it goes on a fire.

Keep these out of the firebox

A fireplace is built for firewood, and some things that seem like fuel release toxic smoke, burn too hot or leave corrosive residue in the flue. Here's what not to burn in a fireplace, drawn from the EPA's Burn Wise guidance.

• Household trash, including cardboard, plastics, foam and paper printed with colored ink.
• Wood that's been painted, stained, coated or pressure-treated, and scraps of plywood or particle board.
• Wet, rotted or moldy wood.
• Gasoline, lighter fluid or any other flammable liquid to start or revive a fire. Start with dry kindling and newspaper instead.
• Wrapping paper and holiday greenery, which flare up quickly and throw sparks.

Signs the wood is the problem

Hissing or visible moisture can suggest wet wood, but smoke and difficult starting can have other causes too. Check fuel moisture before use. A fireplace spilling smoke indoors needs assessment rather than another load of wood to test the theory.

Blackening glass or an unusual smoky odor does not diagnose wet fuel by itself. Appliance settings, venting and other conditions can contribute. Unexpected or recurring symptoms should be assessed before further operation.

Dry fuel supports correct operation but cannot cure an obstruction or damaged chimney. If the fire has struggled or smoke has entered the room, resolve the cause before trying again. A meter reading is not a clearance to use a suspect fireplace.

Keep your flue ready for good wood

Fuel choice works alongside maintenance. Our family-run team offers a free inspection and written estimates for recommended cleaning or repairs. First service is 10% off. To discuss your appliance and the appropriate chimney sweep scope, call (352) 675-6366.