First of all, we need to define what we mean by "woods suitable for burning in the fireplace". These are those that when burned, with the least possible amount, produce the most heating energy (KW) to our fireplace.
They also ignite easily, emit low pollutants (smoke), burn perfectly in our fireplace without the need for constant movement from one side to the other and the only remnants they leave are their ashes. Of course, there are some secondary properties, such as not cracking, burning duration, etc.
Some great tree families from which quality firewood is produced are hardwoods such as beech, hornbeam, olives, walnuts as well as various fruit trees (lemon, orange, etc.). Oak is highly valued for its long burning time, but it should always be burned in combination with another tree as it does not make a large flame. Also chestnut is best avoided because it creates a lot of sparks.
Some softwoods, such as fir and spruce, pine, willow and willow, are also highly valued, because they produce heat quickly and a rich flame, but they also catalyze quite quickly.
The burning of treated wood from old furniture or buildings should be avoided, because the smoke they release contains harmful ingredients. As well as wood from garbage dumps as they give only half the yield and lead to the premature disintegration of our hearth.
However, no matter how much wood we burn, the moisture that exists in it, plays a very significant and perhaps the most important role, as it must be less than 20%. After cutting, the wood must be stored in a dry and well-ventilated area for at least:
- 15 to 17 months, when the logs are less than 33 cm long and covered
- 18 to 24+ months, when the logs are up to 1 meter and stored outdoors.
The table above shows that when the wood is fresh, it has half the efficiency, while it is catalyzed at three times the speed compared to moisture wood lower than 10%.
So as the saying goes:
Keep old friendships
Read old books,
Drink old wine,
and burn old wood.
Have a good winter.