I have a fireplace at home. I don't need to mention the advantages of having it. I will mention, however, that it introduces a cozy atmosphere at home and is a practical form of heating the apartment during cool autumn and cold winter.
Wood for the fireplace is best stored in a roofed and airy shed. They should be stacked on top of each other. Then it does not get wet.
The best for the fireplace are logs from deciduous trees, especially hornbeam and oak. This type of wood burns for a long time and generates a lot of heat.
After purchase, the material must be dried. The optimal period of drying it is from one and a half to two years, if we store the logs in sheds with an air humidity of no more than 20%.This is important because wet fuel, i.e. fuel containing up to 75% of water, not only burns badly, but can also damage the entire fireplace system. Damp logs during combustion cause a greater deposition of soot and tar. The level of wood moisture depends on its species, time of felling and drying conditions. Please also remember that if we cut our fuel into pieces, it will dry much faster than whole logs. It is also worth knowing that it is forbidden to use wood straight from the forest or heat-treated in fireplaces.
For fireplaces, we should also buy wood with as little resin content as possible. So it is not suitable for conifers. On the other hand, those made of deciduous trees - beech or oak - will be the best.
We always buy about 10 to 15 m² of firewood for one heating season, that is, for this purpose only. Usually this amount is enough for us.
