What Are The Best Woods for Fireplace Comfort

During this chilly season, nothing beats curling up by a cozy fireplace and enjoying the pleasant ambiance. But did you know there is a right and wrong type of wood for your fireplace? Burning the wrong woods can leave your fireplace smokey, inefficient, and even dangerous. To keep your fireplace in top shape, a regular cleaning is essential to remove built-up soot and creosote, which can lead to chimney fires if neglected. In this blog we’ll discuss the best, and worst, types of wood to use in your fireplace to ensure a longer-lasting, better-burning fire.

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The Right Woods

Seasoned firewood is always recommended for your fireplace. When we say ‘’seasoned” we simply mean that the wood has been sufficiently dried out in order to avoid excess smoke caused by damp or wood containing too much moisture. So, which types of seasoned wood will burn best?

Oak

Oak is an excellent choice for your fireplace because it produces a long-lasting steady heat.

Hickory

Another good option, hickory is known for its high heat output and the pleasant scent it creates. This wood is popular for cooking meat, but it’s also a great choice for fireplaces.

Maple

Maple wood is a similar to both hickory and oak. It provides a steady, high heat output as well as a sweet, but subtle scent.

Birch

If you’re looking for a subtle warmth that burns more quickly, birch is the way to go. Unlike oak, the logs will burn at a faster pace and provide a less overwhelming heat. Birch is great as a fire starter.

Cherry

Another subtle heat burner is cherry wood. Cherry provides a light heat output along with a pleasant, mild scent.

The Wrong Woods

Although these woods can be burned, they may create an unpleasant scent or an excess of creosote buildup when burned, making them a less popular choice.

Pine

Although pine can be good for starting your fire, it can also produce a lot of smoke, leading to excess creosote buildup in your chimney.

Poplar

The major downfall of poplar wood is its foul scent. When burned in your fireplace it can produce a very unpleasant smell in your space, making it a much less enjoyable option.

Driftwood

Driftwood, while highly attainable, is not a suitable option for your fireplace. Driftwood contains toxic chemicals due to its high salt content, making it dangerous to burn in your space.

Chestnut

Chestnut is totally counteractive to the purpose of your fireplace due to its weak flame and high smoke production.

Is it Safe to Burn Other Things in Your Fireplace?

Although it may be tempting to discard unwanted materials and trash in your fireplace, it is highly advised against. Materials other than well-seasoned firewood can be very dangerous to burn in your fireplace due to possible chemicals, smoke production, and more. This includes chemically treated or painted scrap wood!

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The next time you use your fireplace, be sure to keep the best woods in mind and always practice fire safety to ensure the most enjoyable experience for your and your friend and family.

For Help with Your Fireplace Needs, Call the Pros!

National Chimney Cleaners is here to help keep your fireplace and chimney in tip-top shape! Give us a call or contact us online today to schedule inspections, cleanings, repairs, and more.

 

Use an Experienced, Established Chimney Sweep Company!

Don’t take chances with uninsured, novice, roofers, unregistered business, no workman’s comp.
Our pros have to know what they’re doing when they put their heads up a chimney and to do that, chimney sweeps obtain specialized training and have years of experience in the field.