How can you be sure that you have enough firewood for the winter? Plan well in advance. Freshly cut and split pieces of wood are never recommended for burning because of their significant moisture content; only seasoned firewood, which has an ideal moisture content of 15% to 20%, will provide you with a long-burning fire that gives off few emissions. According to the Wood Heat Organization, properly seasoned firewood has been "cut, split, and stacked...in the early spring and [left to] stand in the sun and wind all summer." Wood that is stacked in a single row, rather than stacked in back to back rows or tossed onto a pile, permits more air to circulate and more moisture to evaporate. Prepared in this fashion, firewood can be ready for burning in six months, but it never hurts to set aside the wood you cut and split this year for next year's winter fires.

Properly storing your seasoned firewood is an important matter, and there are any number of options available. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when deciding how and where to store your seasoned firewood.

Convenience and Insect Deterrence

Seasoned firewood to be used during the upcoming winter should be easy to access, but storing wood against an outside wall of your home is not the best approach. Firewood can attract insects, and if logs are stored next to the house, pests can find a way into your home or cause damage to the exterior wall of your home. Some of the best, most convenient places to keep seasoned firewood are next to a fence or next to the shed or other outdoor storage building. If you believe that your firewood may be crawling with critters, do not give into the temptation to douse the firewood with pesticides because burning these logs will create harmful vapors that can be toxic.

Protection From Moisture

In order for firewood to burn most efficiently, it should be kept dry while being stored outside. If enough space is available inside your outdoor shed or storage building, then firewood can be kept dry there. Alternatively, a basic tarp can do a proper job of covering your firewood to prevent it from soaking up moisture from rain or snow. Tarps are inexpensive and can be quickly and easily tied down to prevent them from blowing away. If your stack of firewood is in a part of your yard where it cannot be seen by passersby, then choosing to cover the stack with a tarp will not damage your home's "curb appeal."

Elevation and Air Circulation

If stored directly on the ground, firewood can soak up moisture and attract insects. Storing your firewood in a sturdy Firewood Rack will keep your logs elevated, promote air circulation, and prevent wood rot and insect infestation. A Firewood Rack can be built by hand with wood, but a rugged tubular steel-framed Firewood Rack is rot-proof and rust-proof, easy to assemble, and comes in a number of different sizes, so you should be able to find one that fits the space in which you plan to store your firewood.

Properly storing your seasoned firewood will ensure that you have easy access to it when it's needed without also sending an invitation to pests to invade your home. Proper storage will also keep your logs dry while at the same time encouraging air circulation. By following these simple tips, you can look forward to long-burning, low emission fires throughout the cold winter season.