Top Tips for Fuelling Your Fire

As you likely know, there is more to fire fuel than simply chucking any old wood on a fire. At Nexus Heat, we have a selection of options, including kindling wood, split wood and wood pellets, available as bulk deliveries, and 15kg log stacks in take-home nets.

Use Seasoned Logs 

Seasoned logs should have a moisture content of between 30% and 50%, with the basic guide being the drier, the better. This prevents too much smoke being produced from your fire, and lessens the risk of the fire spitting. Not only does this mean seasoned wood is better for your health and safety, but it also burns better. At times you may find that logs have surface dampness if they happen to have been outside in rain, but as long as the core of the log is dry, the logs are still seasoned.

Keep Ventilated

When fuelling a stove, you need to make sure that the air vents are fully open in order to keep the area ventilated. Proper ventilation is a regulation, and for more detailed  information on this, you should consult your user manual for the guidance specific to your appliance.

Combine Fuels

The simplest and fastest way to get your fire burning is to light it with dry kindling. However, for a long-lasting fire, you could combine both softwood logs and hardwood logs. Softwood will ensure that your fire instantly heats up, taking mere minutes to start blazing. By combining this with hardwood means that you can take advantage of the speed of the fire starting, yet it will last much longer than if solely using softwood. This is great during cold winters, and as the hardwood takes longer to burn, it is an energy efficient way of using your wood burning stove.

Keep Logs Dry

Although, as stated, some surface wetness is usually not a problem, to get the most out of your wood fuel purchase, you should make sure to keep your logs dry. Not only should you shield them from rain, but you should also try to keep them off the ground completely. In any case, make sure that your logs are fully dry from any surface moisture before placing into your fireplace.

Stack Your Logs Well

In addition to keeping your logs dry, by stacking your logs well, your wood will be better organised and more aesthetically pleasing if on display. Rather than having a big lumped pile of wood, we advise that you stack your logs in a lattice pattern. Each layer of the lattice should be stacked in alternate directions. This will guarantee the best air circulation, which will in turn help to lower the moisture content even more.

Contact Us

For more advice on wood fuel, please get in touch by completing our web contact form, or by emailing us at info@nexusstoves.co.uk. You can also speak to us directly by calling 01379 671 168, or by visiting our Suffolk showroom. We will be pleased to help you with any questions you may have for us.