Truth in the old saying
By Fleur
@Fleura (29129)
United Kingdom
February 27, 2018 8:50am CST
There’s an old saying that if you burn wood it warms you twice – once when you chop it then again when you burn it. That is so true! And of course the more steps are involved in preparation, the more heat you generate!
I was offered some firewood on Freegle – a pile of branches cut from a large apple tree. When I got there I found there was rather more of it than I expected, and some of the branches were as thick as the trunks of small trees. It’s taken me three visits (over three days) to cut it all up and take it away.
First I filled my little trailer with the thinner branches. Then I cut up all the medium-sized ones into log lengths and filled the trailer with those. Today I went back with the chainsaw to cut up the really big ones and bring them home.
Even though temperatures are below freezing and it was actually snowing some of the time, by the time I had finished the trailer-load of logs I was absolutely boiling.
At that point the sun was actually shining, so after a large glass of water I took an ice-lolly from the freezer and went and relaxed in the garden for a while with a book and a reclining chair. If the neighbours were looking they probably thought I was bonkers!
I still have to stack this last trailer-load so that will warm me up again later.
After that they need to be stored for at least two years before use, so we are all set for free post-Brexit heating! And of course I got plenty of exercise without the expense of going to the gym!
All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2018.
16 people like this
16 responses
@RasmaSandra (73426)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
27 Feb 18
Well good that you got the wood to keep you warm.
2 people like this
@1hopefulman (45123)
• Canada
27 Feb 18
Nice! I'm always happy when I can get something I can use for free.You hit the jackpot and got a lot of exercise.
1 person likes this
@topffer (42156)
• France
27 Feb 18
Apple tree is a very good wood to burn, but also for wood turning. You are courageous. Burning wood is good when you have the wood for free and are living in the countryside. I would have enough wood to heat the house but I prefer to sell the logging and to heat with electricity. The woods I have are far from my home, and I have not enough space in the garden to stock it here. Besides, people in cities are no more accustomed to wood fires : they give a lot of smoke, and I remember the firemen ringing at the door a day where I was doing a fire in a chimney
. They had been called by a neighbor. I used to burn wood when I was living in the countryside, with a wood boiler.
You are ready for 2020
. They had been called by a neighbor. I used to burn wood when I was living in the countryside, with a wood boiler.
You are ready for 20201 person likes this
@topffer (42156)
• France
27 Feb 18
@Fleura I read that the new wood stoves were really efficient to reduce the pollution. 2 years ago burning wood has been forbidden in Paris then authorized again after many bakers and restaurant owners protested. In my place it would be difficult to block the street to unload the wood, and I would have to cross the house to put it in the garden which is very small, not large enough to stock it to dry. I have a few logs for a chimney, but I used it only for Christmas last year.
You are doing indeed a lot of savings if you manage to use only wood. From my own experience apple tree produces more heat than any other wood, so it is a good acquisition.
. From my own experience apple tree produces more heat than any other wood, so it is a good acquisition.1 person likes this
@Fleura (29129)
• United Kingdom
27 Feb 18
We had a new wood-burning stove fitted a few months ago, it is the newest most efficient type, so even though we live on the outskirts of the city I don't think we will cause any alarms! There is not a lot of smoke to be seen from the outside. It seems also to produce quite a lot of heat from not a lot of wood, and we are lucky, we have a large garden so space to store and season the wood. So far (we had a wood burner in our old house too - and a long time before that I lived in a boat for 8 years and that was my first wood stove) we have never had to buy any fuel.
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
28 Feb 18
wood chopping is hard hot thirsty work
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
1 Mar 18
@Fleura yes I enjoyed doing it, seeing a log I've been chopping finally split in two is quite satisfying
1 person likes this
@Poppylicious (11133)
•
27 Feb 18
I would love a wood-burning stove. Being lazy I'd probably need someone to chop the wood for me. Why do you have to wait two years to use It?
1 person likes this
@Fleura (29129)
• United Kingdom
27 Feb 18
@Poppylicious @JESSY3236 It needs to be properly dried (seasoned) by storing it in an airy but dry place, ideally outdoors under cover. If it's too fresh it will contain too much moisture to burn well, and can also cause problems like gungy deposits in the chimney and such. If you buy firewood you can buy wood that has been dried in a kiln but since we have the space and the time we may as well use the natural and free approach.
2 people like this
@JESSY3236 (18923)
• United States
27 Feb 18
that's a lot of work. why do they need to be stored for two years before use?
1 person likes this
