While chimney sweeping in andover today i was asked “what is the best fuel for my fire” it’s a commonly asked question so here are our thoughts.
Wood is by far the most commonly used fuel in our experience, of which there are a few choices – softwood, hardwood, seasoned and kiln dried.
Softwood is relatively cheap as it’s faster growing then hardwood but, consequently burns a little faster. it has a tendency to spit so best used in wood burning stoves, a good choice if on a budget. Hardwood kiln dried logs are by far the most expensive option due to the cost of producing them, wood or biomass are burnt to heat a kiln where the logs are forced dried, you generally get a consistent quality of fuel, make sure you find out the provenence of your kiln dried logs as they are often sourced outside of the uk. If you can find a reputable supplier of properly seasoned hardwoods logs we think this offers the best value for money. Ultimately the most important factor is making sure your logs are dry before burning , a moisture content of below 25% is perfectly acceptable.