Burning Wood

Wood is a Renewable fuel (that which we can grow to replace what we've used up)

Cost wise, wood compares very favorably to other fuels over most of the nation, although the cost of wood (and other fuels) vary quite a bit. Anywhere from fifty to a hundred and fifty dollars a cord is average depending on where you live.

What Kind Of Wood Is Good To Burn?

Wood such as Oak, Cherry, Ash, Mulberry, Hackberry and other types of hardwoods are good to burn in your fireplace. All wood has the same Btu potential per pound. Hardwoods are more dense (they have less airspace in between the wood cells) than softwoods, therefore, there is more wood to burn in a piece of hardwood as opposed to a piece of softwood. A good rule of thumb is that if the tree produces a berry or a fruit, it is considered "hardwood".

How Can I Tell When Firewood Is Properly "Seasoned"?

Properly seasoned firewood will have a few easy-to-detect characteristics such as:

1) The wood will appear discolored or gray,

2) The wood will have natural cracks coming from the center to the outside of the log

3) The wood will not have a "freshly-cut" look.