Legislation Change
In May 2021 the legislation around the moisture content of firewood that can be sold changed.
Homeowners should be aware of the legislative changes. The sale of wet wood (where moisture content is over 20%) was banned.
Fuel that hasn’t been dried is particularly bad for the environment. The UK Government hopes the new rules will force people to burn cleaner alternatives.
Burning dry wood is far less polluting. Less nasty particulate matter is released into the atmosphere.
It takes a lot of thermal energy to boil off the moisture in wood – energy that could be heating your home!
Fancy some stats?
Logs will ignite when first felled but have a moisture content of about 35%. 1kg of fresh ash logs contains about 0.35 litre of soggy sap, that’s over half a pint! That is a lot of liquid that needs boiling off! Don’t waste energy getting rid of that!
Seasoning wood is very important. Logs dried out to a moisture content of between 15–25% are said to be fully seasoned. And these will burn brilliantly!
The Kindling Cracker is the perfect tool to help you safely and easily split wood to dry. Of course, it’s great for making kindling too! You’ll be all set with a stock of wood that can dry out at home.
Smart Stove Owners
Smart stove owners know the merits of burning smaller logs. Large wood tends to smoulder at lower temperatures, which releases more harmful molecules.
Fires should:
- Be started with kindling (and of course our natural firelighters).
- Then pieces of wood approximately 5–8cm wide should be added.
- When these are burning well, add medium-sized logs (roughly 8–12cm).
The Kindling Cracker lets you effortlessly prepare this wood at home. Safe. Easy. Smart.
