Why burn dry wood?
Why burn dry?
Dry or “seasoned” wood has a much lower moisture content than wet “unseasoned” or “green” wood.
Living trees can be up to 60 per cent water, and even those dead for several years may have up to 50 per cent moisture content.
The ideal moisture range for wood that’s ready to be burned is around 15-20 per cent. You can test this if you want to be sure with an inexpensive moisture meter.
Here are seven reasons to burn only dry wood
Save time
Wet wood is more difficult to light and keep alight, meaning more time spent tending your fire. This also means more time opening the door and letting smoke into the room.
Save hassle
Burning wet wood causes creosote to build up much quicker in your chimney, meaning it needs to be cleaned more often.
Save the environment
The more smoke produced, the greater the quantities of greenhouse gasses released into the atmosphere which contribute to global warming.
Save money
When you burn wet wood, up to 30 per cent of the heat you’re trying to create is wasted turning the excess water to steam. Burning dry wood is much more efficient and can therefore be more cost effective too.
Stay safe
More creosote buildup from burning wet wood also increases the risk of chimney fires. When everyone is burning at the same time in the winter, the smoke can have immediate safety impacts too, like reduced visibility on our roads.
Stay warmer for longer
Much more heat is generated from each log of dry wood compared to wet, meaning you need to use less of it to stay warm.
Save your family’s health and your own
Wood smoke contains known carcinogens (substances that may increase your risk of cancer) such as benzene and benzo-a-pyrene. It contains a range of chemical toxins too, including carbon monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10). Over time, inhaling wood smoke can cause breathing and even heart issues. It can have greater and more immediate impacts on children, the elderly and people with existing respiratory conditions like asthma.