Fuel & Firewood

Home Heating Fuel and Firewood

Cuddling up close to conserve body heat doesn't heat your home. The type of heating stove in your home determines the fuel you can use. Some homeowners install a fireplace that may use other heat sources, such as electricity, gas or bioethanol to keep their homes warm on winter days. You may need to purchase fireplace accessories, such as a wood stove fan, chimney brush or a bellows blower when burning firewood.

For smaller stoves, smokeless log briquettes burn for 2 to 3 hours. Within a few minutes, you have an instant fire by lighting the wrapper to heat up your space quickly. Some of these burning logs are 100 per cent natural, made from forested wood, making them an eco-friendly alternative.

You can stock up on heating fuel by having a load of chopped and split firewood delivered to your home. Make sure you buy seasoned firewood because it burns hotter providing more heat than green wood. It's better to keep firewood outside because it attracts hibernating pests, such as wood-boring beetles, carpenter bees and wasps. Likewise, specialised wood stoves that burn wood pellet fuel are considered an efficient heat source. The fuel burns without creating creosote or emissions, so air inside and outside stays cleaner.

If you have trouble starting a wood fire, use camping fire starters or a combination of kindling and paper. When using your fireplace to burn fuel, a fireplace screen keeps embers from shooting out into the room and fireplace pokers, tools and sets contain a shovel, tongs, and other implements to tend the fire. A pair of fire-resistant gloves are another essential accessory to keep your hands burn-free.