Some tree species make better firewood than others
Even with this unseasonably warm weather we have been having, we are sure to reach the cold winter weather, which for many folks calls for wood in a fireplace or furnace. There are definitely differences in heating quality between tree species; therefore, not all logs are good firewood.
Wood is considered 'freshly cut' if it has aged less than one year. This wood will produce less heat than seasoned wood, and will have a higher tendency to spark and pop. Seasoned hardwoods by far make the best firewood.
Evergreens, such as pine, spruce and others, contain a sticky sap substance, often call pitch, which causes the wood to snap and crackle. The pitch vaporizes and rises with the smoke and when it cools it sticks to the chimney walls causing a fire hazard.
The recommended fireplace woods are Osage orange, black locust, hickory, post oak, pecan, honeylocust, mulberry, bur oak, red oak, sugar maple, green ash, black walnut, hackberry, sycamore, silver maple, cottonwood, and willow -- in order from producing the most heat to the least.
When buying firewood, a big point of confusion is that a cord of wood is 128 cubic feet (volume), while the heating value is based on the weight of the wood or its density.
Cords of wood may look different -- some taller, some wider, some squared-up, some not. Even so, once those cords are well-stacked, multiplying their height by their width and depth will always yield the same answer. The total volume of every honest cord basically fills up an identical amount of space.
Despite that, however, cords can have widely differing weights. And, the heavier (denser) they are, the more heating value they have per cubic foot.
That's why a cord of hedge - premium firewood -- will always cost more than a cord of cottonwood. They'll be the same size; but, the hedge will weigh more than twice as much as the cottonwood, so offer that much more heating value.
Firewood may also be a source of insect infestation during the winter months. Carpenter ants, many beetles, wasps, and spiders often overwinter in woodpiles; some are hibernating while others are continuing on with their daily activities. After several days of indoor temperatures, they all become active again.
Once they're indoors, the best control is to swat them or vacuum them up. This however does not kill them, so the hose should be clogged or the bag emptied to prevent re-infestation.
Prevention is a better method of control. Here are a few tips to lessen the severity of insect entry.
* Firewood should be cut during the winter when the majority of insects are not active. Logs should be cut in lengths to fit in the fireplace, and split if over 8 inches in diameter.
* Wood should be stored off the ground in a covered location, or a tarp should be covering the top layer.
* Stacking in loose piles allows for ventilation to dry out the wood; and with luck the bark will be dry before the insects become active again in the spring. If wood is dried properly and thoroughly -- which may take a year, there will be little insect survival.
* Firewood stacks should be at least 10 feet away from the house. Only bring in a two to three day supply at one time.
These tips will not only help control insects, they will also help prevent wood decay, which decreases the heating value of the wood.