Log Burner Tips

By using the right techniques, you can get better value out of your wood, and help the environment too. 

Here are some quick tips to get you burning efficiently. For more detail, visit our Burning Facts page. 

1. Lighting the Fire: Light your fire with paper, or fire lighters and plenty of dry kindling. Once it is blazing well, add progressively larger pieces until you have established a good amber bed. Only then should you add split logs.
2. Stacking: When loading your fire, stack the wood loosely. Use several sizes and leave large gaps between pieces to allow plenty of air to get around the wood. 
3. Overloading: Don't load up your fire with more wood than you need. Six pieces of wood will burn almost as quickly as one piece, and will waste much more heat up the flue. Load your fire with small amounts often. Your wood burner should be no more than half full of wood at any given time. Apart from causing unnecessary smoke and pollution. Overfilling simply simply wastes your money. 
4. Using the right wood: Never burn treated or painted wood, driftwood, plastic, household refuse etc. These materials can emit poisonous, corrosive and hazardous fumes. They can also cause a build-up of toxic acid and dioxins, which can seriously damage your heater and the environment. 
5. Pollution: Aside from the fact that pollution is visually unappealing, smoky fires can pose a health risk, and waste your money. Smoke is simply un-burnt fuel which you have paid for and don't get the heat benefit from. A clean burning fire is an efficient fire, that gives you the most usable heat for the smallest cost. It saves you money, and helps reduce Christchurch's winter air problem.