Firewood guides
Straight answers on buying, storing and burning firewood, with every rule and figure linked to its source.
Choosing and buying firewood
What size of firewood do I need? Bags, barrow bags and pallets compared
How to choose between a small bag, barrow bag, large bag or pallet of logs, with the volume of each and how to work out what will see you through.
Kiln-dried vs seasoned logs: what is the difference?
Kiln-dried and seasoned logs can both burn well, but only one has a fixed standard. What each term means, how to check wood is dry, and why it matters.
How long does a bag of logs last? Bag sizes, cubic metres and a winter's worth
How long a bag of logs lasts, how many bags make a cubic metre, and how much wood you need for winter, with a simple way to work out your own use.
Getting a pallet of logs with no back garden access
No driveway or back access? How to get a pallet of logs or bulk bags into a terraced house, bags vs a pallet compared, and what to tell us when you order.
What moisture content should logs be? How to test with a meter
Logs should be 20% moisture or less to burn. The legal limit in England, how to test logs properly with a moisture meter, and what to do with wet wood.
Log burner vs gas vs electric: what does heat cost?
Is a log burner cheaper than gas or electric? Compare the cost per kWh of heat at the Ofgem cap with your own log price, and see why wet wood costs more.
Using a log burner
How to light a log burner: the top-down method, step by step
A step-by-step guide to lighting a wood-burning stove with less smoke, using kindling and firelighters, plus what to do with the air controls.
What wood should you burn in a fire pit on Bonfire Night?
Which wood to burn in a garden fire pit or chiminea, what never to burn, and the safety basics from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service.
How to store logs outside in a small yard and keep them dry
How to store logs outside in a small yard so they stay dry: off the ground, covered on top, open at the sides. Plus storing logs indoors and near the coast.
Why is my log burner glass going black, or filling the room with smoke?
Why log burner glass goes black or smoke fills the room, the fixes to try in order, and when to stop and call a HETAS sweep or installer.
How often should you sweep your chimney? Plus chimney fire warning signs
How often to sweep a log burner chimney (HETAS and the fire service say at least twice a year), plus chimney fire warning signs and a free printable checklist.
Can you burn your Christmas tree, wrapping paper or boxes in a log burner?
Fire services say not to burn your Christmas tree, wrapping paper or boxes in a log burner. What to do instead, and where to recycle your tree locally.
Smoke control and the rules
Smoke control areas in Liverpool, Wirral and across Merseyside: a council-by-council guide
Is your address in a smoke control area? Council-by-council rules for Liverpool, Wirral, Sefton, Knowsley, St Helens and West Lancs, plus a postcode lookup.
Do I need a carbon monoxide alarm with a log burner?
When a carbon monoxide alarm is required with a log burner in England: own home, new stove or rented. Where to fit it, how to test it, and the symptoms of CO.