Get the heat treatment this winter with safe and homely wood burner

Dos and don’ts for a warm, safe, efficient and eco-friendly home this winter

With some Arctic weather predicted to hit the region over the coming days, wood-burning stoves will be getting fired up to help keep us cosy.

Here, Phil Wood, Contura’s country manager for the UK and Ireland, shares his top tips for enjoying a wood burner safely along with the best ways to store wood indoors and outside.

“All too often we see images of logs stacked precariously closely to wood burners, which is a real fire hazard,” said Phil.

“Safety should always be a priority and taking simple steps to store wood correctly will ensure a winter free from risk.”

Storing wood indoors

Although it can look stylish to stack wood around your wood burner, this can be dangerous as, once lit, heat transfer from the stove to the logs could set them alight.

Similarly, as you open and close the stove door to add more logs to the fire, the possibility of wood moving around in the chamber means that errant sparks can escape and catch on to any logs stacked nearby.

Ideally, isolate wood in a fire-resistant log box that is manufactured especially for this purpose (some stove designs also have them built-in at the base) and if this is not possible, we recommend a minimum of 500mm to the side and 1m in front.

Alternatively, log storage units made from wicker, rattan, felt and leather can work well and are also useful for transporting wood from outside.

Ready-to-burn logs available in bags don’t take up a lot of space, but however you choose to store your logs, make sure they are at a safe distance from the wood burner.

Protect the floor

Due to the risk of falling embers, a combustible floor (usually wood or carpet) must be protected by a hearth plate. This must extend 300mm in front of the stove and 150mm on each side. Hearth plates are made from natural stone, concrete, metal or glass.

Choose the right wood

Always choose the best wood that you can afford and ensure it is fully dried before burning.

Burning moist, green or fresh wood creates an acid vapour called creosote that will build up in your chimney or flue, and over time this can compromise the structure of your chimney and increase the likelihood of a chimney fire.

Storing wood outdoors

A woodshed is the obvious place to store any extra logs.

Ensure the area is dry with good air circulation to keep wood in the best condition. Ventilation can be provided through an open front and gaps in the side of the shed.

If airflow is not sufficient, damp conditions will cause mould and fungi to grow which will rot the wood.

Elevate the logs off the ground to avoid moisture from grass or soil seeping into the wood, place on a flat and stable surface, and keep out of prevailing rains to make sure the logs are as sheltered as possible.

Don’t place logs under trees or low-lying areas that are prone to dew, mist or fog.

It may take a while, but by carefully splitting and stacking logs (rather than dumping them). They’re more likely to stay drier and burn better, saving you time and money in the long run.

Never burn…

Painted wood, treated wood (typically varnish or copper compounds), plywood, MDF or building materials such as oriented strand board. The more natural the state of the wood, the better.

For the best burn

Species such as ash, beech or birch burn particularly well, giving a nice, bright flame and good heat output. English oak burns well but do mix in other woods as oak contains tannin which can eventually damage the stove masonry.

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www.contura.eu

Cosy up by the log fire but make sure you follow advice on wood storage