Tips for burning wood in your wood heater

Tomlinson Plumbing - Wood Heaters - Torquay, Anglesea, Surf Coast, Geelong, Barwon Heads, Ocean Grove, Bellarine & MelbourneWood heaters – Torquay, Geelong, Barwon Heads, Ocean Grove

Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of your wood heater:

  • Use properly seasoned wood for your wood heater, as it burns more efficiently
  • Unseasoned, or green wood, holds a lot of water, which absorbs heat until it evaporates
  • Burning green wood will create lots of black smoke and a build up of soot in your flue and on the glass door
  • Never burn wood that has been painted, stained or chemically treated (like treated pine), or products such as plywood, hardboard or MDF, as burning these will produce potentially dangerous fumes
  • If you’re going to season your own wood – cut and split green wood before stacking it in a dry, sheltered area, with plenty of ventilation.
  • Depending on the type of wood, it will approximately take between 12 months to 2 years to properly season
  • Keep stored wood off the ground and don’t cover with a tarp
  • Seasoned wood will absorb moisture if it’s left exposed to rain or in contact with the ground during a frost, and wet wood will rot faster, so be sure to keep it dry
  • When seasoned properly,  the wood will be darker at the ends with visible cracks, or the grain will be starting to split.  It will also make a hollow noise when struck, as opposed to the more solid thump of green wood
  • Wood can be purchased already seasoned or kiln dried.

If you need assistance with wood heater installations or repairs, give us a call on 5261 2422.

Tomlinson Plumbing can assist with all makes and models of wood heaters in Torquay, Geelong, Barwon Heads, Ocean Grove & surrounding areas.

Archer, Coonara, Eureka, Jetmaster, Heat & Glo, Masport, Nectre, Norseman, Real Flame, Regency, Scandia, Ultimate and more…