While all wood-burning fireplaces burn wood logs, not all firewood is created equal. Knowing the differences among different types of wood will help you get more enjoyment out of your fireplace experience.
Anderson’s Chimney Sweeps & Masonry Services of New Cumberland, PA, would like to share some helpful information on choosing the best firewood. We’ll look at the best wood for fireplaces along with wood and other items that aren’t ideal for this purpose.
Key principle: dry wood
No matter what kind of firewood you choose to burn, always burn logs that have had at least six months to dry out (season) after harvesting. Damp, green wood produces a ton of smoke that causes flammable creosote buildups in your chimney flue.
Good wood for your fireplace
Ash: Ash is a hot-burning firewood, even when it’s not completely seasoned.
Hickory: Hickory has a unique aroma and produces high heat and long burns.
Cherry: Cherry is one of the few hardwoods that don’t produce high heat, but its fragrance is lovely.
Maple: A popular wood with a sweet, recognizable aroma, maple burns steady and hot.
Birch: For faster burns, birch is a good choice. It’s hot, but not overwhelming.
Wood that’s not great for fireplaces
Poplar: When burned, poplar gives off a strong odor that many people find unpleasant.
Pine: Pine burns hot but creates a lot of creosote in your chimney flue. It’s great, however, as kindling to get fires started.
Willow: One of the smokier softwoods, Willow is not a hot burner.
Spruce: Spruce is a softwood that’s pitchy and tends to be smoky, which leads to more creosote.
Alder: Alder isn’t a good choice for fireplaces because it burns fast and doesn’t create much heat.
Gum: Gum is known for sparking, which can create a safety hazard.
Chestnut: This is another very smoky wood that burns sluggishly.
Things to never burn in a fireplace
Fireplaces are built to burn dry, harvested natural wood logs and nothing else. Avoid burning the following:
Driftwood
If you live near a saltwater shore, driftwood might be plentiful, but it’s no good for your fireplace. A high salt content in driftwood produces toxic fumes that can be dangerous to people and pets.
Painted or treated wood
Never burn particle board, furniture pieces or wood that’s been painted or stained. They all release toxic fumes.
Accelerants of any kind
This includes lighter fluid, charcoal starter, kerosene and gasoline. These substances can flare up and explode.
Household junk
Do not burn:
- Clothing
- Christmas trees
- Garbage
- Plastics
- Metals
- Electronics or computer parts
It may seem like there’s a huge list of things to not burn in your fireplace. Make it easy on yourself and remember the short list of what you should burn: seasoned, natural wood, preferably hardwood.
Service for your chimney
Since 1990, Anderson’s has been helping our customers throughout the New Cumberland, PA, area with all the services they need to keep their chimneys in great shape. We provide chimney sweeping, chimney inspections and all types of chimney repair and rebuilding work.
If it’s time to have your chimney serviced, call the experts at Anderson’s Chimney Sweeps & Masonry Services. You can also get in touch by using our handy contact form.
