How to tell if firewood Is properly dried before you buy
Not all wood is ready to burn.
When buying firewood, it’s vital that you check that it is dry enough. Unscrupulous suppliers will sell you firewood that has not been properly dried.
They do this to cut corners. It takes time, energy, and lots of space to dry firewood thoroughly.
Sellers who are only interested in profit will sell you freshly cut wood with high moisture levels.
As a buyer, you must know how to check whether firewood has been properly dried.
Buy From a Trusted Supplier
The first step in buying dry firewood is to buy from a trusted supplier.
Whether you are searching for the best firewood in Dublin or reliable kiln-dried logs in Cork, choosing a reputable vendor ensures you receive top-quality fuel.
When you buy from a trusted supplier, you know that you’re buying wood that has been properly stored and dried. The wood you buy will therefore produce a better, hotter, and more efficient heat.
Kiln-dried firewood, for example, is heated in a kiln to rapidly reduce its water content to below 20%. This firewood offers high efficiency and clean burning.
Why Kiln-Dried Firewood Is Important
Kiln-dried firewood is one of the most efficient wood options because it has a low moisture content. When you light firewood with a high moisture content, energy is wasted removing the water.
This means that you get less heat out of wet logs than you do from kiln-dried logs. This results in you having to use more firewood to heat up the room.
Firewood with a high moisture percentage is uneconomical, as you need to use more logs to keep your room warm.
Wet firewood also emits high levels of harmful PM2.5 particles into the air, alongside carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds.
The excessive smoke that it produces can create a build-up of creosote in your chimney and fireplace. This tar residue is highly flammable and can lead to house fires.
Creosote build-up contributes to the 3,000 chimney fires that take place in the UK every year.
The UK’s Ready to Burn scheme was introduced to restrict the sale of harmful wet wood. Ireland’s Wood Fuel Quality Assurance (WFQA) was also introduced for this reason.
How to Check if Firewood Is Dry
Luckily, you don’t have to take the firewood seller’s word for it. There are many ways you can test the dryness of logs before you buy them.
Check the moisture content
The simplest and most effective way to test the dryness of wood is to check its moisture content. For this, you’ll need a moisture meter.
There are two types of measuring instruments you can buy — a pin type and a pinless moisture meter.
Pin types come with two sharp metal pins that you insert directly into the wood.
Pinless meters, on the other hand, use electromagnetic sensors to detect moisture levels. Both types are inexpensive and will save you money in the long run.
A safe level of moisture is 20% or less. It’s a good idea to check both the outside and the inside of the log. The inside can feature a higher moisture content than the outside. To do this, cut a log in half and test the freshly exposed surface.
If the seller does not allow you to test the moisture content, you could take this as a red flag. They may not permit moisture testing if they know that the logs have not been properly dried.
Knock two pieces of wood together
If you don’t have a moisture meter, you could try knocking two pieces of wood together. If the sound the wood makes is hollow and sharp, it means that the wood is dry.
However, if the wood makes a dull thud, then the logs aren’t dry enough.
Check the ends of the firewood
Give the logs a visual inspection before buying. Properly dried firewood tends to have large visible cracks across the ends.
These cracks form as a result of moisture leaving the wood and the logs shrinking during the drying process. If the log has mould or fungus, or looks damp, then you should walk away.
Pay attention to the weight
Freshly cut wood is always heavier than kiln-dried wood. It contains a substantial amount of water, which makes the logs heavier.
Although weight should never be used as your sole test, it’s worth lifting the wood to see how it feels. Kiln-dried wood should be lightweight and easy to lift.
Check how the firewood has been stored
Ask the seller questions about the firewood. Specifically, enquire how and where the firewood was stored for drying. Wood should be stored in a dry location, off the ground, with good airflow.
The top of the storage unit should also be adequately covered to protect the wood from rain and snow. Wood that has been stacked tightly on the ground and lacking adequate covering will likely be too wet to burn.
Carry Out Several Checks
When buying firewood, it’s best to try a few different wood dryness tests. For example, test the moisture content while also inspecting the wood ends.
Or, knock two pieces together while judging the weight of the logs. By using at least two of the methods mentioned above, you should get a good idea of how dry the wood is.