How to Keep the Coals From “popping” Out of Your Fireplace
Sitting around a crackling fire is one of the most enjoyable and serene winter activities. You have hot chocolate or wine, your book, your family – truly blissful things happen here. But you know what’s not blissful? When the fire flares up, small hot pieces of debris fly towards you. It can be scary, painful, and even dangerous. Some firewood explodes more often than others, so here’s what to keep in mind the next time you’re stocking up.
Why is wood cracking?
If you’ve ever cut wood or harvested low-quality lumber for a project, you know that wood isn’t completely solid all the way through. It has small pockets, and according to the Farmer’s Almanac , these can be filled with tar, sap, and other combustibles. They liquefy as the temperature rises, eventually evaporating, putting pressure on the walls of the pockets until they burst, causing a popping sound. According to fireplace tips , the porous grains of the wood fibers also contain some water, which turns into gaseous vapor when heated. The pressure of this vapor can increase until it bursts with a sharp pop.
However, sound isn’t the only problem: particles and embers can also be thrown out by a small explosion and can land in your living room or even hit you. Always make sure your screen is in place so they don’t get too far into your space.
Which woods crack the least?
According to fireplace tips, these types of wood are drier than other varieties, so they won’t crack as much as wetter wood, making them a good choice for your fireplace:
- Apple
- Ash
- Birch
- cherry
- Oak
- Maple
- Pine
- Walnut
- Beech
- Ironwood
- Aspen
- Cedar
You can also purchase slightly dried wood. On the packaging you will see if your wood has been kiln dried or aged. Aged wood will explode a little more than kiln-dried wood because it holds a little more water, but that water also helps it burn more efficiently.
Finally, wood pellets don’t explode, so if you’re really trying to reduce noise and reduce the risk of flying debris, you might want to opt for this more unconventional option.
What forests are the most popular?
Soft woods such as pine and spruce are the most popular. Of course, they have nicer flavors too, so you’re haggling a bit here. Softwoods have resin channels while hardwoods do not, and these channels are an important part of what makes wood popular. Conifers are also succulent – you can often see juice on these trees. Together, this provides many opportunities for moisture to hide within these forests and eventually escape when heated.
Other softwoods to avoid if you don’t want them to burst are cedar, larch, poplar, and spruce.
How to store firewood
Proper stacking and storage of firewood is the key to drying and aging it. According to Family Handyman , carefully fold it on the outside on some kind of plastic or custom wood rack. (Keep it a decent distance from the house, as it can attract rodents and is of course highly flammable.) Expose the cut ends outdoors, make sure the wood is not touching the ground and walls, and don’t pack it so tightly that the pieces at the bottom could remain wet. Place the stack in direct sunlight.
For long-term storage, cover it with a tarp and tie it after it dries in the sun.