Don't get burnt this winter
WITH autumn around the corner the air is full of the sound of chainsaws preparing logs for winter fuel.
Many homes in the countryside still use wood burning stoves and open fires as a major source of heating as the dark nights draw in.
But if you do not have any wood already stored most villages will have someone who sells logs.
On the whole a quantity of logs are usually measured by the stère, which is a cubic metre, with a total weight of around 500kg and a combustion output of 1500kWh.
Individual logs are usually measured in metre lengths, so if your fire can not take this either ask for them to be cut to size or be ready to do it yourself.
If you check local newspapers and notice boards in supermarkets you can compare prices.
But as a rough estimate expect to pay around E40 - E50 per stère, and depending on your consumption this may last around a month to six weeks.
The variety of wood available is naturally going to be dependent on the region you live in but the best burning woods are oak, beech and ash.
These tend to burn longer than coniferous trees, which burn quickly but rise in temperature much faster.
Storing your wood correctly will also help it burn longer.
If it can be stored under cover but outside, with the ends left open to the elements, it will dry quicker but it still takes a good 18 months.
And be aware of cheap wood that may have been reclaimed, you can not be sure where it has come from and upon burning it could produce dangerous fumes.
Many homes in the countryside still use wood burning stoves and open fires as a major source of heating as the dark nights draw in.
But if you do not have any wood already stored most villages will have someone who sells logs.
On the whole a quantity of logs are usually measured by the stère, which is a cubic metre, with a total weight of around 500kg and a combustion output of 1500kWh.
Individual logs are usually measured in metre lengths, so if your fire can not take this either ask for them to be cut to size or be ready to do it yourself.
If you check local newspapers and notice boards in supermarkets you can compare prices.
But as a rough estimate expect to pay around E40 - E50 per stère, and depending on your consumption this may last around a month to six weeks.
The variety of wood available is naturally going to be dependent on the region you live in but the best burning woods are oak, beech and ash.
These tend to burn longer than coniferous trees, which burn quickly but rise in temperature much faster.
Storing your wood correctly will also help it burn longer.
If it can be stored under cover but outside, with the ends left open to the elements, it will dry quicker but it still takes a good 18 months.
And be aware of cheap wood that may have been reclaimed, you can not be sure where it has come from and upon burning it could produce dangerous fumes.
posted by Craig McGinty at 18.2.05
