Burning Unseasoned Firewood

by Bob
(Louisiana)

I live in south Louisiana. We recently had a cold spell and I ran out of wood for my fireplace. A friend had some trees that needed cutting anyway,so we cut and split the wood. I now have the wood that I need but can't keep a fire going. Is there any way to use this wood now or how long do i have to wait for it to dry?



Answer

Bob,

I recommend that you store the wood properly and let it season for next year. It will burn better and throw off significantly more heat. In the interim, you can always try to order some already seasoned wood from a firewood distributor.

The time it will take to season the firewood depends on many factors. The species of wood, the size that it is split, where you are storing it, and the weather conditions. Realistically, you won't be able to season this firewood in time to burn it until next fall. Of course, this is assuming that you don't want to have fires in Louisiana in the summer!


If waiting is not an option and you need to burn the wood now, here are some tips you should follow:


Split the wood into smaller pieces. Because this firewood is still green, it is difficult to light and keep burning. If you split the wood into smaller pieces, it will burn easier for you in the fireplace. Granted, not like seasoned wood, but it will help the situation.


Make sure to have your chimney cleaned before next season. When you burn green firewood, it causes creosote build-up due to the excess moisture in the wood causing condensation in your chimney. You should take care of this to avoid chimney fires in the future.


Good luck and happy burning!


-MG