Our top 5 tips for making the most of your firewood & increase efficiency when burning at home.

With energy costs still high and winter in full swing, burning your firewood efficiently can make a real difference – both to your comfort and your heating bills. So, here are some simple, proven ways to get the most from your firewood…

1. Always burn dry, certified firewood

The single biggest factor in how well your fire performs is moisture content. Logs with a moisture level below 20% (making them, in the UK, Ready to Burn Certified) burn hotter, cleaner and more efficiently. As a result, wetter wood wastes energy boiling off excess moisture before it can properly produce heat, which means:

• Lower room temperature
• More smoke and soot
• Faster build-up in your chimney
• More logs needed for the same warmth

Therefore, kiln-dried logs solve this problem by removing excess moisture before delivery, giving you reliable performance every time.

2. Use the top-down lighting method

Most people still build fires the old way – Kindling at the bottom, logs on the top. However, stove manufacturers now recommend the top-down method:

• Place larger logs at the bottom
• Medium logs above
• Kindling at the top
• Light from the top

As a result, this method allows the fire to burn download, creating higher temperatures more quickly and producing significantly less smoke.

3. Control airflow properly

Good airflow is essential for efficient combustion. To achieve this, follow these steps to encourage good, controlled airflow:

• Open air vents fully when lighting
• Reduce slightly, once established, to maintain steady flame

Additionally, avoid starving the fire of oxygen – this leads to incomplete burning and wasted fuel. In other words, if you see a bright, steady flame – your stove is burning efficiently.

4. Don’t overload your stove

Adding too many logs at once reduces airflow and lowers combustion temperature. Instead, we recommend the following to produce more usable heat and less smoke:

• Add smaller amounts more frequently
• Keep flames visible
• Allow space for air to circulate

5. Store your firewood correctly

Finally, even kiln-dried logs can absorb moisture if stored badly. For this reason, be sure to prioritise storage just as much as how you use your logs. Dry logs stay efficient, so here are our top tips for storage:

• Keep logs off the ground
• Store in a ventilated area
• Cover the top but leave the sides open
• Avoid damp garages or sealed containers

Ready to order your next bag of logs? Shop online or get in touch with the team. Meanwhile, to stay up to date with all our latest tips, tricks & promotions follow us on Facebook and Instagram.