Best Practices for Keeping Your Fuel Safe (and Dry)

Housefuel Published on Aug 27, 2024

Storing your fuel, whether it’s coal or firewood, is an important part of getting the best from your fire. This article will help you understand the appropriate storage techniques, to ensure you’re satisfied when it’s time to burn the fuel.

So what is the best way to store coal or wood?

How to Store Firewood

The first rule to storing firewood is that it should be kept away from the space you want to start your fire. Many people are tempted to keep the logs they have next to a fireplace out of convenience but it risks igniting the firewood outside of the designated space and can be dangerous. You should never keep it inside too; the reason for this is that all sorts of insects live inside the wood when it has been cut and the last thing you want is to introduce those bugs to your house.

The aforementioned issue is primarily related to unseasoned wood; if you plan to season the wood yourself, you’ll need a dry but airy space to remove the moisture from the logs, a process which can take up to 2 years depending on the species of wood. Rotate the logs regularly so those not getting enough air can have a chance to get some.

The kiln-drying process should remove a lot of the insects, if not all of them, from the wood but there’s a chance more could appear. If you have a garden shed, this is the perfect place to store your kiln-dried wood because it keeps the logs dry but allows the requisite amount of airflow to enter between the logs to limit the amount of moisture entering the wood.

How to Store Coal

Smokeless Coal, on the other hand, is much simpler to store but general rules apply. A garage will suffice for your coal because insects don’t tend to live within the briquettes but don’t pile heavy objects on top of your coal bag because it could crush the briquettes

You may also store the coal in the shed as well as the wood to save household space and keep dirt out as some of the storage bags for coal might not be too clean.

We advise you to keep the coal away from lighters or sharp objects to prevent any accidents. Sharp objects could cut the bag open and cause a spill of ash onto the floor.

Keep both your coal and firewood out of the reach of children for their safety. These products can be heavy for a child and cause injuries.

HouseFuel supplies the highest-quality smokeless coal and kiln-dried wood around that can deliver a wonderful fire which produces a vastly reduced amount of smoke. Explore our website for the full range of products.