Firewood
Firewood is used to fuel a Wood Burning Stove installed in the lounge in 2001. The stove is significantly more effective and fuel efficient than a conventional fire place because:
- the installation of the stove blocks off the chimney stack thus preventing warm air from the room escaping up the chimney. Blocking off the chimney will make a big difference to the room temperature and amount of draught in the room.
- it is designed to be a highly efficient solid fuel burner and generates and stores in its cast iron frame large amounts of heat which are radiated into the room.
Since the installation of our Air Source Heat Pump we have stopped using the Wood Burning Stove, only using it 3 times in the first year of the ASHP. We do however retain the stove and our stock of firewood logs as backup in case there is a power cut in winter time.
Until 2005, firewood was gathered by 'harvesting' a small percentage of the fallen elm trees which had died of Dutch Elm disease along the adjacent footpath to our property. Trunks were dragged to the garden and 'logged' then stored to season for at least a year. (The majority of the dead elms have been allowed to fall and decompose in situ to provide food, shelter and ultimately woodland floor compost for the wildlife food chain).
Since 2005, firewood has been delivered by a local supplier (five miles away) who sources his wood from local woodland (again mainly within a 15 mile radius) on large privates estates or land managed by the local Wildlife Trust. Apart from being a very affable man, he also supplies the best firewood in the county.
Delivery is taken in summer which means a summer evening's stacking of the logs against a north-facing wall out of the prevailing winds and rain. It's good to have the winters' supply in and ready early in the year.
Wood is delivered in an un measurable and incomparable "load" or "half-load" and consumed in winter at the rate of about 1 ½ wheelbarrow loads (an equally un measurable unit !) a week.