Are kiln dried logs environmentally friendly?

Wood burning stoves have (unfairly) taken a lot of stick over the past 6-months or so in the media. The oldest fuel known to humans is wood. The tradition of burning wood to keep warm dates back tens of thousands of years and has been practised by every generation throughout the history of the earth. So why NOW are certain groups making such a loud noise about it?

Let’s look at it simply…

Yes. Kiln dried logs are environmentally friendly. Wood is a classified as a renewable source of energy with VAT on domestic log fuel levied at the reduced rate of 5% VAT. Trees take carbon dioxide and turn it into energy! Trees cut can be re-planted with responsible forests managing this process.

Stoves and coal fires emit the pollutant PM2.5, but this is largely from burning coal and wet woods. Sales of traditional house coal and wet wood have now been phased out, as will the sale of loose coal direct to customers via approved coal merchants by February

The moisture is the critical thing

In an Oak tree you will have 350 litres of water whereas in a pine tree there may be only 15-20 litres, which is why it’s important to dry the wood in kilns. If you place wet wood on a fire it will only smoulder and produce smoke, the heat in the fire will dry the wood out first before it can burn the wood and this produces large amounts of PM2.5.

Choosing the right wood

You might think that all wood is the same, but different woods contain different amounts of energy. When we burn any fuel we come across global warming issues that affect the whole planet, and that’s why it’s important to understand the right woods to burn and prepare them and getting them ready to burn. Ash logs and Birch logs are great choices of hardwoods that both have excellent calorific value when burnt.

Reducing the moisture content

Wood that’s not appropriate to burn can be made into wood chip used to power the kilns. As this is also wood, it’s also a renewable source of energy and can be burned to enable a large kiln to reduce the moisture content of hundreds of tonnes of logs.

Distance travelled

Kiln dried logs often have a smaller distance to travel within the production process which reduces the carbon footprint. The majority of firewood comes from either the UK or central and eastern Europe. Compare this with oil which predominantly comes from the middle east, the carbon footprint of transporting firewood is far less than say putting petrol or diesel into your car.

Summary

While burning wood does release carbon and smoke into the atmosphere, stoves are being made so efficiently and eco friendly that they significantly reduce any negative impacts on the environment. Kiln dried wood is a carbon neutral source of fuel that can be an efficient and enjoyable way of heating your home. Finding the right logs for sale couldn't be much easier now with a great number of online stores providing premium kiln dried firewood at excellent value.