Whether you have a beautiful open fireplace in your home or you’re off out on an exciting outdoor camping trip into the wilds, nothing on earth beats the beauty of a real fire for warmth. What you may not have yet considered, however, is that not every piece of timber makes good fuel, and some logs are greener than others.
Let’s take a look at some types of wood that should never be burned in your fireplace:
Soft wood
Soft wood from trees like cypress, pines, or firs burns very rapidly, creates a great deal of smoke, and rapidly coats your chimney with soot. It’s OK to be used in outdoor fires, however, isn’t ideal for using within your home.
Endangered species wood
There are approximately 12 or so threatened or endangered native tree types in North America, including the Kentucky Coffee Tree, American Chestnut, and the Blue Ash. As these trees are rare, you are unlikely to ever find their branches in any batch of firewood for sale. However, if you’re collecting your own wood, it’s crucial that you don’t burn any that’s endangered.
Oleander
These shrubs are completely toxic, and thrive in mild, frost-free climates. This wood should never be burned, or even placed near any foodstuffs.
Mexican elder
Found in the Southern States, the Mexican Elder is a semi-evergreen, and fast-growing tree that is a natural source of cyanide. If you ever see one in the wild, don’t cut it down for firewood, as even breathing in the smoke can cause cyanide poisoning.
Anything Named Poison
It makes complete sense that any plant or tree that’s named “poison”, is not something that you’d want to get too close to. With this in mind, Poison Oak, Poison Sumac, and Poison Ivy should never be burned as the they have the potential to release the irritant substance urushiol into the smoke, which can be life-threatening for some people.
Driftwood
Driftwood is saturated with salt that contains chlorine, and this can be converted into cancer-causing substances when it’s burned.
If you’re ever in doubt about what woods are safest to use in your fireplace, it’s crucial to do your research. As you’ve found out already, burning the wrong wood in your fire, can be very dangerous to your health and can create creosote buildup that can lead to chimney fires.
Be sure that your homeowners insurance policy is up-to-date to offer protection from a fire in your home. For a complimentary homeowners insurance quote from us here at bolt insurance Agency, complete our online quote form.
