Facts About Sustainable Firewood
Consumers are increasingly turning to sustainable wood in the search for environmentally friendly renewable energy resources. The benefits of kiln dried wood are considerable:
- Generates greater heat output
- Better fuel efficiency
- More economical
- Minimizes stove and flue problems
Types of Wood
Stoves Direct only supplies hardwoods sourced from local sustainable British woodland. Trees are cut as part of the natural thinning process to generate more light and a better environment for the remaining trees.
Wood seasoning
Freshly harvested wood contains a naturally high amount of water, between 65-90% depending on the species. Removing the water is known as seasoning. This term suggests a period of time, and for natural air drying up to two years is recommended.
All the wood available from Stoves Direct is cut into small logs as soon as possible and stored under cover in cages to maximise drying. The wood is then finished off in a drying machine.
Energy Efficiency
When buying wood, consider the cost per kilowatt of energy.
Although open fires are very attractive they are extremely inefficient compared to wood burning stoves and even stoves will vary considerably.
The more efficient a fire burns the less fuel is required.
The image below shows the number of logs required to produce an equivalent heat output.
Additionally the higher water content will prevent the gasses in the wood from igniting allowing them to escape - unused, up to 50% potential heat wasted!
Stove Efficiency
The extra logs required (possibly more than three times as many) to produce the equivalent heat output, are a considerable waste of money, labour, transport and storage.
Wood differs from other fossil fuels such as coal, gas and oil because it is part of the carbon/carbon neutral cycle. Although the fuels produce CO2, trees absorb CO2 and store it as carbon which makes up half the weight of the tree.
When the wood is burned it releases only the same amount back into the atmosphere, exactly the same as if the tree was left to rot.
Storing Wood
For perfect drying conditions the logs should be stored in a dry airy store, allowing plenty of air flow around the logs. The Log Stores we sell provide the perfect solution.
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