5 Top Tips


 

Here are out 5 Top Tips for a great fire!

Follow these 5 top tips to get the most out of your wood fuels.

  1. Don’t overload the fire. Briquettes are much drier than logs, so you need fewer of them to get a good heat. Start with a little bit and put more on as you see how they burn.
  2. Don’t prod it! Briquettes shouldn’t be prodded with a poker. They lose their structure and will not burn for anywhere near as long as they would otherwise.
  3. Lay briquettes across the fire, not pointing towards the door. This is because many briquettes expand as they burn.
  4. Control the air flow. Too much or too little air can cause problems. To get the best burning time, experiment with the air flow on your stove. This is harder to control on an open fire, so whatever fuel you’re using, whether it’s logs, coal or briquettes, won’t burn as long in an open fire as it would on a stove.
  5. Don’t use wood pellets on a stove or open fire. Pellets should only be used in specially designed biomass boilers and pizza ovens.

It’s simple really! But these little tips can really help you to get the most out of your fuels. By following a few simple tips, you can prolong your burn time, increase the heat and take care of the health of your fireplace and chimney.

cosy nights in briquette bundle ready to burn woodsure woodfuel cooperative 5 top tips
This site uses cookies.
ConfigureHide Options
 
Read our privacy policy

This site uses cookies for marketing, personalisation, and analysis purposes. You can opt out of this at any time or view our full privacy policy for more information.

 
Your basket is currently empty.

Return to shop

Quick guide to choosing the best Wood Fuel for your stove and lifestyle.

Wood Fuel Co-operative
Scroll

*Break - We strongly recommend you break these briquettes in half (or less for very small stoves) because they do expand whilst burning and you don't want them to overfill the fire.
*Easy to light - We always use a Firelighter and Kindling Sticks to start our fires. Most briquettes are graded four stars to light because they are quite dense and require kindling.

Notes:

  • All stove and flue combinations tend to have different burning characteristics. Fuel that works well in my stove may not work so well in your stove, and vice-versa.
  • Most modern stoves are more efficient than most older stoves, meaning a modern quality stove will burn fuel more economically and generate more heat over a longer period.
  • Always try to burn fuel with a 'lick of flame'. Smouldering fuel to try to extend burn time is bad for your stove, flue and the environment due to unburned particulate matter in the smoke.
  • Be prepared to break briquettes into smaller sections to fit into your stove comfortably. Many briquettes do expand whilst burning and you don't want them to expand onto the glass.
  • The chart above indicates which briquettes are easy to break. Some are small enough so they don't need breaking. This makes for a cleaner environment around your stove.
  • All briquettes, except Everyday Value and Hotmax, benefit hugely from using kindling to light them. I suggest five kindling sticks will be sufficient, meaning a net should last 30 days.