How to Select the Right Firewood for Your Home

Sure, you can get all bundled up head to toe, trek out to the woods with chain saw in hand, and chop up several pounds of free wood for the winter. But all this effort really isn’t necessary when you can simply drive to any local store and purchase affordable seasoned firewood in bulk. The convenience of buying seasoned firewood and ready to go is worth the money spent since there’s no physical effort required! And to make matters more interesting, there are several different types of firewood to choose from, all with separate qualities and characteristics. The firewood you choose depends on your style and personal preferences. Continue reading to learn about some popular firewood selections, and what they have to offer your home this winter season!

Types of Firewood

For the most part, all firewood is pretty much the same, but there are notable traits that make them slightly different from one another. For example, different types of woods burn differently, at different temperatures, and for different amount of times. They also make a different amount of popping and cracking sounds while burning. Firewood can also differ in smells and aromas, and of course, price. Here are some popular choices to consider when shopping around for wintertime firewood:

Oak – Although generally the most expensive, oak firewood is very dense and burns very hot. Being that it is easy to light and has a mild but pleasant aroma, many people choose oak firewood for indoor fireplaces.

Pecan – Pecan firewood also burns very hot, but is a little trickier to light. Being that it is one of the densest nut variety of woods, it requires routine kindling and crackles less than harder woods. However, this may be exactly what you are looking for in a firewood, especially because it has a lovely gentle scent. It is moderately pricey, usually costing a bit less than oak firewood.

Mixed Hardwoods – Mixed hardwoods include woods like Ash, Elm, Sycamore, and even Hackberry. They are the least expensive firewood option, and crackles the most out of all other selections of firewood. It is easy to light and burns hot too! This type of firewood is perfect for outdoor bonfires and campfires.

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Winter Tree Damages and Diseases

There are several factors that influence the degree or likelihood of damage and disease to trees in the winter. These include variables like tree species, location, dormancy, temperatures, precipitation, and more. Many assume that cold temperatures will kill a tree, but there are more serious threats in the winter than that. In fact, it’s not cold weather that harms a tree, but rather extreme fluctuations in temperatures. A tree must acclimate slowly to freezing cold temperatures in order to survive them once they arrive; and they can only do so if the temperatures gradually decrease as the fall ends and winter begins. Sudden or extreme changes in climate can de-acclimate trees, leaving them vulnerable to rapid freeze and more. You can learn more about that, as well as, other common tree damages and diseases that occur during the winter season, when you continue reading.

Frost Cracks

Frost cracks, also referred to as radial shakes, affect a tree’s bark and trunk in the wintertime. These are long, vertical cracks, both deep and shallow, that may appear in the trunk of a vulnerable tree after temperatures drop below 15 degrees Fahrenheit. This is generally caused by sudden or extreme drops in temperature, and most commonly occurs on the South or Southwest side of trees. Once they appear, they usually come back every winter season. Tree that are more vulnerable to frost cracks include Red Maples, Walnut trees, Willow trees, and Oak trees.

Sunscald

Since trees experience the most temperature fluctuations on their South and Southwest side, they are also susceptible to a condition called sunscald. It appears as an elongated canker growth, and generally tends to affect thin-barked trees like Willows, White Pines, Beeches, and Maples. The cause is sudden over-exposure to direct sun. Additional signs of sunscald include lack of foliage, stem dieback, and stunted growth.

Winterburn

Similar to sunscald, winterburn is another seasonal condition that can greatly injure trees. But rather than mostly affecting the tree’s bark, it affects the foliage. Winterburn will cause leaves to appear burnt at the tips, curl up, and brown. It is common to see winterburn on trees like evergreens, Hemlocks, and pines, but also on Rhododendrons and Boxwoods. Loss of water through leaf transpiration is a common cause of winterburn.

Branch and Limb Breakages

Frozen ice and snow accumulation can cause tree branches to bend, snap, break, splinter, and fall. For this reason, it is important to make sure there is nothing kept beneath any tree covered in an excessive amount of heavy snow or ice. Broken limbs and branches are a common sight during winters with high precipitation. Use a broom to lightly release heavy snow accumulation from trees on your property to reduce the chances of limbs breaking.

Salt Damage

Salt is a necessity in many communities in terms of snow/ice removal and control. But it comes with its drawbacks. Not only does salt leave unsightly stains and marks on fabric like car mats and pant legs, and it also causes tree damage if improperly managed. Salt can linger in the soil and cause root damage, while aerial deposits damage the tree’s branches and limbs. But the damage from salt is not evident until spring and summer. Signs and symptoms include dead turf areas, branch dieback, leaf discoloration, and leaf scorch.

Keep Your Eye Out For Our Next Month’s Blog to Learn How to Reduce Winter Tree Damages Like These!

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Call 317-537-9770 for prompt and professional tree service in Fishers, Indiana. We are highly trained and qualified arborists with more than two decades of experience in the industry. We offer a wide range of tree care services, including tree removal, transplanting, trimming, pruning, shaping, topping, stump grinding, lot clearing, tree disease treatment, and more. We offer both residential and commercial tree service at the most competitive prices in town! Call 317-537-9770 today for affordable, high-quality tree removal services in Fishers, IN.