4 tips for storing your firewood
Our experts present their 4 simple tips to properly store your firewood and ensure that it stays dry:
1) To facilitate drying, we recommend that you split logs 3 inches and more in diameter;
2) Even commercial firewood is not always split small enough, so it may be useful to split it before stacking it: this will make it easier to dry the logs and feed the fire;
3) Stack the wood in separate rows and out in the open, where the summer sun can warm it and the breeze can rid it of moisture. It is best not to store wet wood in a shed or shed, as it will take much longer to dry;
4) The top of the stack can be covered to protect it from the rain, but leave the sides uncovered so that air can circulate and dry the logs.
Is my wood dry enough?
Usually wood that is cut, split and stack tightly in early spring will be ready for fall. Dense woods like maple or ash, especially large logs, will take longer to dry. A simple way to tell if your wood is dry enough to burn is to split a log: if the center is wet, the wood still needs some time to dry.
Heating with wood all winter: how much do you need?
Eh yes! With the onset of spring, it is also time to buy firewood for next winter and plan for the right amount. Indeed, it is best to get your wood in the spring: since it is not quite dry, you will pay less for it, and you can leave it to dry outside all summer. Check out our tips for storing your firewood while promoting drying by clicking here.
How much firewood should you expect?
It can be difficult to predict how much wood will be needed to heat your home during the cold season, especially if this is your appliance's first winter. The amount you need will depend on the number of days you want to heat with wood. Usually, you can count about one commercial cord (more often called a "cord of wood") per month. So a person who wants to heat 7 days a week will need approximately 7 cords to get through the winter. A commercial cord represents logs 16 inches long, stacked 8 feet long and 4 feet high.
The important thing is to determine approximately how many days per week you plan to heat with your wood appliance! If you are not sure how much wood to buy before winter, our advisors can help you estimate.
The Maçonnex Experts
Entretien 101 d’une grille de fonte
Even if after each cooking you clean your barbecue, it is important to maintain it more efficiently a few times during the year. Continued on Let's Make It Shine! article, you are able to clean your barbecue properly after each use. Now here is an effective procedure for the long term maintenance of your cast iron (not stainless steel) grid.
Make sure you have a soft cloth and some vegetable shortening on hand. It is very important to use shortening and not butter, margarine or any other salty fats. Take the cloth and apply the shortening to the entire surface of the grid.
Then preheat the barbecue for about 15 minutes and place the cooking grids back inside. Adjust the heat to medium and close the lid. Let everything heat up for half an hour. Once the half hour has passed, turn everything off. Then, let the grids cool.
Although this procedure is not necessary with every use, it is still recommended to do it a few times during the summer.
Have a good grill!
