USEFUL INFORMATION

Eco Friendly

Burning Wood is better in environmental terms as the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere is the same as that absorbed by the tree during growth. This is called being 'Carbon Neutral'.

We also use locally sourced timber to try to reduce our energy consumption. All our timber comes from sustainably managed plantations or coppiced woodlands.

The Forestry Commission have recommended that millions of trees are planted to cover an extra 4% of the UK in woodland, equivalent to 30,000 football pitches a year, increasing the UK’s total woodland cover to 16%.

The Science Bit..

It is very important to source the best quality firewood you possibly can.

Wood with high moisture content (i.e. wood that has not been seasoned for long enough) produces steam when burnt. This will not only provide a lot less heat but the steam will blacken and possibly even crack the glass in your stove.

Dry logs have nearly twice the calorific value (C.V) of wet logs. So although they cost less to buy, lower cost damp logs are very uneconomical.

Basically, avoid cheap imitations!

Always look for the Certified "READY TO BURN" Logo to be assured that someone else has done the checking for you! Strict regulations ensure that anyone holding this status, is providing premium standard firewood that has met all the expectations of the Woodsure Quality Assurance Scheme.

We frequently hear from people who have been tempted with an offer of 'Cheap Firewood' and let's face it, we all like to save money where possible.

Beware, If they are cheap, they are usually cheap for a reason. Always check the quality before handing your money over. Some companies like to sell their by-products and don't always have the undercover storage space to season. This is called 'Green Wood' It has just recently been cut. Always get your supplier to specify whether it has been SEASONED before buying it. Unless you are prepared to undertake this process yourself.

You should never burn any wood that has been treated/creosoted. It will produce toxic fumes and is highly dangerous.

Our logs are delivered loose by the cubic metre. You should never buy wood by weight. The reason? Because wood is heavier if it contains more moisture. So depending how seasoned the wood is , can determine how much you pay for it. Also some types of wood are heavier than others, meaning a tonne of Oak would be a lot heavier than a ton of Silver Birch. Therefore, you get less logs for your money.

Storing Logs

When our logs are delivered to you in premium condition, the last thing you want to do is allow them to get wet!

If you don't have a garage, barn or log store you can place them onto a pallet or some lengths of timber and keep covered with a heavy duty plastic sheet. Never store them directly onto the ground as they will absorb moisture and undo all the drying process.

If you have bought 'Green Wood' from another supplier which does need seasoning you can stack it like the picture to the left to allow for good airflow so it can breathe and dry out.

It would need to stay like this under cover for at least a year before it was ready to burn.

Have you swept your chimney?

Keep your Chimney Clean

To ensure maximum efficiency from your fuel and appliance it is important to sweep the chimney regularly. Keeping your chimney clean will minimise the risk of chimney fire, improve efficiency, and help protect against any damage or dangerous gases such as Carbon Monoxide.

Sweeping Frequency

The sweeping of your chimney by a properly trained and registered sweep should be a quick, and clean process with very little disruption to you and your home. The frequencies below are only a guide and are the minimum recommended by the Guild of Master Chimney Sweeps. Your own chimney sweep may advise more regular cleaning depending on your particular situation.

Smokeless Coal - At least once a year
Wood - Up to 4 times per year
Bituminous Coal - Twice a year
Oil - Once a year
Gas - Once a year

One comment we get quite a lot from our customers is:

"We had our chimney swept last week and our chimney sweep commented on how clean our flue was!

He said we must be burning some good logs!"