Here is our list of the best woods to burn in a fireplace. Out of the 9 common woods fireplace owners ignite, only 4 stand out as clean and hot. The type of wood you use in the fire place or stove will keep your chimney cleaner and safe.
So, let’s chat about what’s the cleanest wood to supply your fire place. Number one wood is CEDAR. This is the cleanest, best woods for maximum heat and little soot in your chimney.
Number 2 is the OAK family. White oak, pin oak and red oak wood is fantastic for burning in fireplaces or stoves. This wood is also clean and hot compared with other woods to use.
A cord of hot, clean wood.
Only the other side, these are not the best wood to burn in your fireplace if at all possible
Unless you are in a bad situation and will freeze, avoid these woods if at all possible. First, NEVER burn any wood that is not dry. Trees are best cut down in the winter time as the sap has drained out of the tree. It should be cut and stored for a year if possible. Wet wood will not burn correctly and is the leading cause of creosote build up and dangerous clogging in your chimney.
From worst to not so good – PINE. Bad wood to burn over time. Sappy and hardly worth the risk. Second, HICKORY is great for smoking meat but not so good for heating your home.
Completing the list of not so good woods to use is BLACK OAK, GUM TREE AND POPULAR. Popular is known as a weed tree. It grows very quickly but is terrible to use to heat your home.
If you have questions, call your reliable chimney sweep company before you buy the wood. Ask them if they have a reliable source of wood. Most companies will deal with several suppliers of firewood.
The companies share customers all of the time. Especially in the winter time, it can be hard to find good, dry clean wood. Some suppliers keep a low profile so they can service their long time customers in the winter. Our Knoxville chimney sweep companyhas several suppliers and each of us have a stack of business cards to hand out.
Try this little known trick to get firewood
Use the search engines to see who supplies the oak and cedar wood around your area. Ask neighbors and friends about firewood suppliers. Everyone has an opinion, right? Don’t overlook the groups and forums on social media. They are full of folks like you that will gladly point you to a source for oak and cedar wood. Remember, these are the best woods for your fireplace.
Often times, someone will be clearing land and cutting trees. They may reach out to you just to have a place to take the wood. If not, they will have to burn it or put it in a landfill. That is simply a waste of resources. They would much rather deliver the firewood to you and get a little extra money for their time.
Unfortunately, a chimney sweep scam happens everyday. There are 2 types of scams working now. One is obvious, the other is not obvious. Let’s go over the way less than honest companies rip you off will seeming to be reputable.
First, there is the telephone call or email detailing a chimney sweep “special” with today only or limited time deadlines to create a sense of urgency. Yes, most companies offer an early bird or preseason discount. Most will offer holiday discounts. But, to force a “today only” or this week only is simply a tactic from these folks.
The second type of scam is the overcharge or multiple levels of service and divide and conquer. This tactic breaks up the various tasks of chimney sweeping into multiple “levels” and charges a different price for each one. Inspecting the firebox is a basic level of service. Analyzing the chimney is the “next level of service” for an additional fee. Inspecting the chimney cap and flashing is a top level of service for even more money.
We have seen these fees range from $300 to over $1,000 for EACH SERVICE. The same strategy is used for repairs and fixes. To fix or repair a cap is $800, flashing $400, putting some sealant on the chimney (needed or not) $1,100. The list goes on and on. The bottom line is a quote for $8,000 to $12,000 or the chimney will be condemned and told a risk of fire is almost certain if you continue to use the fireplace.
Here is how to avoid getting ripped off with a chimney sweep scam
What should you look for in a chimney sweep company? Manners and honesty. Remember that “gut” feel we all have about a situation? Trust it. Also, we will give you a fair price for the work and go over each area of concern. We do not have a “level of service” of different parts of the chimney. The chimney works as a whole system. Therefore, we tackle it as a whole system. If not, why bother doing only part of it?
Finally, ask about our 30 point inspection service we include in the Platinum Chimney Sweep. All in one, nothing to hide and we do not force a price increase after a period of time.
There isn’t a simple rule of thumb when it’s time for a chimney cleaning. It depends a lot on how often you use your fireplace or stove. The National Fire Protection Association recommends that chimneys, fireplaces, and vents be inspected at least once a year for soundness, freedom from deposits, and correct clearances. Cleaning, maintenance, and repairs should be done if necessary.
When it’s time for a chimney cleaning, call a professional that knows exactly how to clean and inspect your fireplace and chimney.
According to The National Fire Protection Association (www.nfpa.org), “The leading factor contributing to home heating fires (27%) was failure to clean, principally from solid-fueled heating equipment, primarily chimneys.”
The problem is that creosote (the tar deposited on
chimney walls by wood smoke) can form when unseasoned wood is burned, the air
supply is restricted, or/and the chimney temperatures are cooler than
normal. Burning unseasoned wood keeps
the smoke cooler than seasoned wood because much more energy is used to drive
off the water trapped in the logs. A
smoky fire without enough oxygen emits lots of unburned tar vapors that can
condense inside the fireplace flue and stick to it, possibly leading to a
chimney fire. You can reduce creosote
buildup in your fireplace flue by providing adequate combustion air, which will
encourage a hot, clean-burning fire.
When using a wood stove, overloading the firebox with wood in an attempt to get a longer burn time also contributes to creosote build-up. We recommend filling the firebox to around 75% if possible.
Check for creosote build up…
To check for creosote yourself, first, make sure there’s no downdraft from the chimney. If you feel an airflow, open a door or window on the same floor as the fireplace until the downdraft stops or reverses and air flows up (tape tissue to the fireplace opening and watch its movement). Then, while wearing goggles and a basic disposable dust mask, take a strong flashlight and shine the light near the top of the firebox, in the smoke chamber and around the damper. And check the fireplace flue too, especially on exterior chimneys, where creosote builds up faster than on interior chimneys because of lower outside temperatures.
Take your fireplace poker and scratch the black surface above the damper (smoke chamber). If the groove you scratch in the creosote is paper thin, no cleaning is needed. However, if it’s 1/8 in. thick, schedule a cleaning soon. If you have 1/4 in. of creosote, do not use the fireplace again until it is cleaned – a chimney fire could occur at any time.
Can I do this when it is time for a chimney cleaning?
You could try to remove the creosote yourself, but why not save on materials and get a thorough job, call us. We are knowledgeable, and trained to recognize deterioration or venting problems, and able to advise you regarding the chimney’s condition. Proper care and maintenance of your chimneys, woodstoves and fireplaces can help protect you and your family from unnecessary fires and carbon monoxide poisoning.
Finally, when it is time for a chimney cleaning, do not try to do this yourself. It is a dangerous job with unique tools. Call us and let our pros do it right, safe and cost effective.
