Burn wood correctly

rnWood is an excellent and ecological source of heat. However, burning wood should be done the right way in order to avoid the release of harmful emissions into the air. Here are some tips to burn wood correctly, originally published by Finnish fireplace manufacturer Uunisepät.

Burn only dry wood that has been cut down more than a year ago. The wood that is meant to be burned should be brought indoors 1-2 days earlier, so that the surface moisture evaporates. This helps the lighting process significantly.

Set the fire always from the top. Put the smallest items on the top of the pile, and light them up with the help of tinder. The reason for this is based on the fact that when catching the fire the wood produces gas, and when the fire is set from the top all this gas will burn and no harmful releases will get into the air. Do not add more wood until there is only embers from the previous wood pile left.

Burn only wood. Small amounts of newspaper or cardboard can be burned together with wood, but plastic coated cardboards, such as milk and juice cartons should not be burned. Most of the problems with the fireplaces are followed by burning something other than pure wood in the fireplace. For example building boards burn at higher temperatures than real wood, which can damage the fireplace materials and structures.

Check out the fireplace ignition and burning instructions. There are differences on how the wood should be piled, depending on how the furnace has been designed. Reserving fireplaces should be heated up slowly in order to avoid cracks, where as stove type fireplaces need to be heated constantly in order to keep warmth. Using a new fireplace should be started slowly, and too high temperatures should be avoided. There are also differences on the heat resistance of the chimney – too much heating may add the probability of fire outbreaks in the constructions.

Instructions should be followed in order to keep the fireplace functional and working in an optimal way. The fireplace is an expensive purchase that is made to last long. Using it correctly is safe, economical and ecological action.