What Is the Best Firewood for Heat?

When it comes to wood for burning, the white pine or spruce tree in your backyard that blew over during a windy storm won't offer you near the same amount of heat value as beach, oak, or ash trees. BTUs are the unit of measure for heat produced by different types of firewood. Eastern hardwood trees, such as Osage orange, shagbark hickory, and black locust, have some of the highest BTU values of any variety of wood. This attribute means that they will burn longer and hotter and vastly increase the amount of heat in your home.

What is a Cord of Firewood?

When purchasing firewood, you generally buy it by the "cord" or fraction of a cord. This commonly accepted unit of measure is equal to 128 stacked cubic feet. This volume corresponds to a neatly piled stack of wood that measures four feet high by four feet deep by eight feet long. Another well-known measure, the "face cord," is a neatly piled stack of wood measuring four feet high by eight feet long by 16 inches deep.

How Much Is a Cord of Firewood?

If you purchase firewood in large quantities, you can expect to pay between $120-$180 per year per cord.

How To Start a Fire Safely

Once your wood has dried out sufficiently to burn, the first step in lighting a fire is priming the flue. During cold winter days, chimneys (mainly if they are situated on the outside of your wall) will accumulate cold air, which will draw down into your fireplace and make it challenging to get a fire started without blowing smoke into your living space. You can prime the flue by simply lighting some newspaper, holding it up inside the chimney until you "feel" the airflow reverse. When this occurs, the hot air begins to be pulled up through the chimney. If you do not have a large supply of kindling or newspaper, you can purchase fire logs . These products are manufactured from compressed sawdust and paraffin and so are very easy to get started. If you are looking for a DIY option, "ocote wood" or pinewood, which is naturally soaked in pine resin, is a great way to get a fire started.

What Are Some Alternatives to Fireplaces?

If your home does not have a fireplace, it can be expensive to install one. Costs add up, given that you'll have to add a chimney and take proper safety precautions , as well. Instead, consider opting for an energy-efficient wood stove or even the traditional potbelly cast iron stove (that you can probably find at an antique store). These will most likely offer much more heat than a fireplace. For homesteaders and people who live for DIY projects, a rocket mass heater is one of the most efficient ways to heat a home. As a bonus, you can even incorporate an earthen bench that will warm your bottom while you sit and read a book during those cold winter nights.