Wood was the traditional fuel in the uk until the industrial revolution. It has been replaced by coal, oil and gas over the last two hundred years. Our increasing awareness of the environmental damage caused by fossil fuels has led to growing interest in using wood as a sustainable, renewable, low carbon alternative.
Our hardwood logs consist of seven different species, Oak, Ash, Beech, Sycamore, Cherry, Birch and Alder. Hardwood has a denser mass than softwood and therefore will burn for longer and give a large amount of heat output, as long as it has had adequate seasoning. If the firewood is not dry then the majority of the energy goes into turning the moisture within the wood to steam before the actual timber will burn, resulting in a very poor heat output. Long term damage can be caused to your chimney from burning green wood.
timber processing Our softwood logs consist of four different species, Larch, Pine, Spruce and Douglas Fir. There seems to be a slight stigma attached to softwood, in that it is poor woodfuel, this however is not the case, and we feel that softwood should be used more as a fuel in our homes, as it is across Europe.
Softwood is not as dense as hardwood and therefore will not burn for quite as long, but can still give a very impressive heat output, up to 75% of hardwood. It is still very important that softwood is well seasoned to release the maximum amount of energy. Softwood can be prone to some crackling and spitting when burned as it contains a resin, unlike hardwood, so it is more suited to wood burning stoves, rather than open fires, but if used on open fires in doors we recommend a fire guard to be used at all times.
Softwood is cheaper than hardwood and more readily available not only to us but to you as the end customer, it is certainly a quality firewood product when used correctly.
Below are some advantages of using woodfuel as heat energy within your home.