Do you struggle lighting your fire? Do you want a more effective way to light your fire? Well, read on and view our video below to discover one of our recommended methods for lighting your fire. Of course, no method is incorrect, as long as your fire starts!
Ensure you stock up on Kindling and Firelighters. Both are designed for lighting your fire and have a longer burn time than paper.
Place a log in the back of your fireplace with a firelighter laying in front of it.
Surround the firelighter with kindling sticks, leaving a gap to light the fire through. Ensure the kindling is in close contact with the firelighter.
Light the firelighter, which will set the kindling alight. If you are having trouble, make sure there is enough air for the fire to start by opening up the vents or leaving the door ajar.
When the fire is burning hotter you can close the door or air vents and larger logs can be added to slow the fire down.
Enjoy the warmth!
By using this method you should have an easily lit fire every time.
It is always best to be around when your fire is burning and let it die down before you go to bed. For longer lasting heat, coal is great to use if you have a multi-fuel burner or an open fire.
Log storage is key to keeping your logs dry and burning well. Click here to read about how to store your logs.
Click below to watch our video tutorial on lighting a fire.
Believe it or not (based on the weather), but winter is on the way! Now is the ideal time to start stocking up on homefire essentials and get ready for the colder months ahead so you can stay nice and toasty indoors.
We sell a selection of firewood online, including kiln dried and seasoned logs perfect for for home stoves, fireplaces, or even outdoors. To accompany the logs, why not order some homefire smokeless coal, or premium coal online too?
The weather for the end of the year is still set to be unstable, with whispers about a second heat wave, and maybe even more unpredictable temperatures beyond that. But, winter is coming! And when it does, it’s a good idea to be stocked up and order kiln dried logs and seasoned hardwood logs online today.
What exactly is kiln drying?
“The process of artificial or ‘oven’ drying consists basically of introducing heat. This may be directly, using natural gas and/or electricity or indirectly, through steam-heated heat exchangers. Solar energy is also an option. In the process, deliberate control of temperature, relative humidity and air circulation creates variable conditions to achieve specific drying profiles. To achieve this, the timber is stacked in chambers, which are fitted with equipment to control atmospheric temperature, relative humidity and circulation rate.” (Walker et al.’, 1993; Desch and Dinwoodie, 1996).
How much wood should you buy? Well, remember – too much is never enough!
To find out more about kiln dried logs, when the best time is to buy logs, or to place an order for any of our kiln-dried, naturally seasoned hardwood logs for stoves, or even log stores, give us a call today.
By the time spring hits sap tension in the trees has risen again, they’re beginning to sprout, and it’s a little late to fell your own trees ready for the next winter. Fortunately, at Andrew Heard our kiln-dried logs and naturally seasoned hardwood logs are always available for collection or delivery.
Stocking up for the winter may be advisable, especially given the typically temperamental nature of the British climate. It’s warm at the time of writing, but it could very well turn at any point. Therefore it’s essential to keep your logs dry – our preassembled log stores are an ideal storage solution, and can be delivered along with any order of our hardwood logs.
Storing logs in other places, especially areas that are exposed, could lead to the wood being hit by the elements – whether that’s the torrential rain that’s perpetually around the corner, or the strong UV rays that we’re currently experiencing. Also, any lack of ventilation and the wood may be exposed to white mould, and therefore be at risk.
To find out more about log storage, when the best time is to buy logs, or to place an order for any of our kiln-dried, naturally seasoned hardwood logs for stoves, or even log stores, give us a call today.
We stock Homefire Smokeless Coal, one of the most popular solid fuels available in the UK. “With fantastic performance on both open fires and multi-fuel stoves, the outstanding qualities of Homefire have been delighting homeowners for over 40 years.”
Excellent sustained heat output
Lasts up to 40% longer than traditional house coal
Up to 80% less smoke and 25% less CO2 emissions than coal
Good flame picture
Little residual unburnt fuel
HETAS Approved
As you can imagine, this makes it ideal for indoor fires or log burners, and is better for a family environment or more enclosed areas where smoke inhalation may be a concern.
Premium House Coal
Our premium house coal is the more cost effective option. It benefits from an excellent heat output and boasts a medium burn time, along with very low ash output and an attractive, bright flame. Overall it is much better suited for open fires. We deliver our homefire smokeless coal and coal supplies across the south east.
Getting your home nice and cosy for Christmas with an open fire is always a treat, but it’s always important to make sure that it’s safe. Our kiln-dried logs, typically Ash or Beech, help to create a consistent flame and longer burn time, meaning you can keep warmer for loner. Once you’ve your fire going, be sure to follow these tips to make sure you’re safe this season.
It goes without saying, but try to keep easily flammable materials away from open flames (this means stockings too!).
Try not to use too much paper to build your fire, as sometimes it can contribute towards chimney fires.
Always ensure there’s plenty of ventilation in the room you are using, as well as escape routes should the fire get out of control.
Try to keep a glass or metal screen in front to the fireplace opening to prevent sparks from jumping out onto carpets or rugs.
Burning charcoal indoors can give off carbon monoxide, use some of our premium smokeless coal instead.
Before you head to bed, make sure that the fire is out. Never close your damper or leave the room unattended with hot ashes or embers still in the fireplace.
Always make sure that your smoke alarms are working in every room of the house.
If you find that you have frozen water pipes, never try to thaw them with an open flame. Instead, try to use hot water.
Have your chimney inspected annually and cleaned.
For more information about fire safety at home, please visit the following sites:
There are a number types of wood that can be burned for your home-installed log burner. We list a few here to describe the characteristics of these types of timber, when being burned.
Apple Wood
Apple wood is quite often a popular choice for log burners. It doesn’t create a blazing flame and provides a slow consistent burn.
Ash
Ash is considered by many that it is one of the best timbers to burn, and there is good reason to think it. With excellent heat production, consistent flame and slow burn, you can easily see why. Not only that it can be burned almost immediately, whereas most timbers need to be seasoned. That said, it performs even better if it has been dried out.
Cedar
Cedar is a not a bad choice, it ticks the boxes when it comes to a consistent and long heat, but it is prone to spitting. Be sure that if you’re burning this type of timber that you use a spit guard.
Cherry
Cherry is a good choice if you need a slow burning timber, that doesn’t produce a lot of deposits in the flue but you have to ensure that the cherry wood you’re using has been seasoned well.
Hawthorn
Hawthorn is a good solid timber that carries the classic log burner traits, such as slow burn and decent heat output. It is even said that Hawthorn bakes the sweetest bread!
Rowan
Rowan is another classic with the burning characteristics that you will desire; slow burn and strong consistent heat.
Beech
It burns hot with a flame and doesn’t spit. We personally consider it as good as Ash.
Yew
You can rely on yew to produce a very strong heat and burn slowly, and it also gives off a pleasant smell. Be careful if sawing this wood and always wear a mask, it is known that this wood can also be poisonous.
