Better winter burning
With a well-maintained log burner, dry wood and good technique, did you know it’s possible to burn completely smoke-free?
Here are some simple steps to get it right: build right – perfect your technique; burn dry – use only dry wood; and burn smoke-free – check your chimney, improve your approach.
You can also find summer burning tips and other useful information at the bottom of the page.
Build right
Save time and save on firewood by building better fires. Fires need three things to burn well – good fuel, good airflow and lots of heat.
Bigger logs take longer to heat up and ignite, so starting with layers of paper knots followed by thin kindling and smaller logs will mean the heat from each in turn will be enough to set the next alight.
Be sure to stack them in a pyramid shape to ensure good airflow. Don’t add the bigger logs until the fire is hot enough. That’s usually after 20 minutes or so when the smaller logs are well alight.
Rushing the process can smother the fire or cause it to smoulder, meaning the fire burns less efficiently, produces less heat and requires more attention. Find more info on each step here.
Burn dry
Dry wood gives off more heat and less smoke, keeping your home warmer for longer. Less smoke is better for the health of the environment, your community and your whānau too.
To know that your firewood is dry, look out for cracks in the ends or knock two pieces together. If it sounds hollow, it’s probably seasoned and dry enough to burn.
Some wood can take up to a year to dry out when stored well, so forward planning is key. Make a note in your calendar and see our summer tips for more advice on getting ready for winter.
The further you plan ahead, the cheaper it tends to be to source good wood and season it yourself. Sometimes wood can even be sourced for free.
Check out Facebook Marketplace and other online community pages for your local area. Fallen trees or unwanted offcuts from neighbours or a local arborist can be a good option. But always get permission first.
Burn smoke-free
Are you burning smoke-free yet? Well-built fires burn warmer, longer and cleaner. They take less effort to maintain and use less wood, making your life easier, and saving you time and money too.
If your fire burns hot enough, you’ll achieve more complete and efficient combustion. When that happens, the chemicals in wood that normally make smoke turn to gas and steam instead.
Understanding whether you’re getting it right is as simple as going outside and checking your chimney after your fire’s been alight for 15 minutes and before you add any bigger logs. There should be no visible smoke at all. If you still see some though, it just means there’s room to improve next time.
Ask yourself, is your wood burner clean and well maintained? Is your wood dry enough? Does your fire building need a little work to improve air flow and make sure each layer swiftly lights the next?