# Firewood question



## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

So we are hoping to build a new home later this year. One of the things I want to do is have a wood burning stove in the finished basement as a backup heat source and to heat up things (if you know what I mean). Anywho, back in Louisiana it was simple, you went out and cut up fallen oaks because oak burns a long time. From what I can tell, softwoods burn pretty fast and don't leave many lingering coals. So I was wondering, are there any hardwood trees in Utah that are good for using for firewood that will last a while and leave a few coals?


----------



## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

Nope. Least not unless your neighbor lets you cut down his oak tree. But for the most part, not out on public lands.


----------



## bowgy (Oct 10, 2007)

Cedar (Juniper) but it is hard on saws.


----------



## Riverrat77 (Sep 7, 2007)

bowgy said:


> Cedar (Juniper) but it is hard on saws.


This.... your best bet for cedar is to find an old burn with some standing dead trees. Gets rid of a lot of the bark which holds dirt and rocks (sometimes). Cedar is good stuff and burns very, very hot but lasts quite a while. We burned it a lot this year in our stove and my gas bill was about 40 bucks all winter. If you do get some of the trees with the bark still on it, you can rub the bark against itself and it becomes a really soft tinder which is awesome for catching a spark and getting a fire going. We cut pine, aspen and cedar this year for our fires. The pine and aspen are nice for starting then just chuck a big ol cedar chunk in there and it'll go for a few hours before you need to stoke it again.


----------



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Coal!


----------



## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Fowlmouth said:


> Coal!


But make sure that the fire box in your stove is rated for coal or else your home heating problems may be over


----------



## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Critter said:


> But make sure that the fire box in your stove is rated for coal or else your home heating problems may be over


Yeah, and you'll need a clinker grate and someone to clean it out twice a day. Coal's cheap though.

I burned a lot of Aspen. No sap, low ash. Burned a little faster than Lodgepole Pine. We use to get quakie slashings from the local sawmill for next to nothing. There's a firewood guy up in Star Valley that's has nothing but Quaken Aspen.

The only thing close to oak in burn time in these parts would be cedar or juniper and like bowgy and Riverrat77 said it's tough on saws; it's worse than elm.

Fruit trees make great firewood. I got a bunch of cherry free from an orchard in Davis County once. Kept some of it for the smoker and burned the rest as heating fuel.

.


----------



## Cooky (Apr 25, 2011)

Use the kind of firewood that comes in a big plastic bag...looks like rabbit food. Clean the stove every 3-4 days. Lights itself...has a thermostat. No giant expensive chimney. My previous two houses had them (pellet stove) loved 'em.
I bought our pellets a couple tons at a time up by Goobs house.


----------



## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

Careful in the investment. Our Governor just stated in his State of the State speech that he'd like to see wood burning outlawed during the winter months in some populated counties. Gotta protect the image of the state when the Sundance folks come to town.

Pinyon is by far the best, hottest, pitchy-est wood I have seen in Utah. Hard as steel.


----------



## goonsquad (Sep 15, 2010)

Burn at night and no one will know...


----------



## mtnrunner260 (Feb 15, 2010)

If you end up near Layton let me know and we will get you some for cheaper then a tank of gas.


----------



## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

I took my woodburns out a couple years ago and installed "Blue Flame heaters. These things are GREAT! 99.9% efficient, no outside venting needed. You can get them that operate on either natural gas or propane and need no electricity to operate. I burn natural gas but keep a few tanks of propane on hand just in case...very unlikely...the natural gas supply is cut off. To burn wood...and lordly, coal... these days is just not being a very responsible member of the world. Just be sure you buy one that has a thermostatic control. You'll light that baby up in the fall and it will keep your place warm and toasty all winter for less than the price of wood and you'll never have to clean and dump ashes again.


----------

