Best Firewood Choices You Can Burn This Winter

Don’t waste your hard-earned cash on cheap woods that will burn very quickly. High quality seasoned hard woods will burn longer with less smoke and ash. This reduces your energy costs saving you money on heating costs all winter long. But the best type of firewood to burn this winter depends on where you live. We’ve scoured the country to find two dozen of the best firewood you can burn in the fireplace this winter that are generally available in each region.

Northeast Firewood

If you live in the Northeastern U.S., you will want to buy firewood that burns at a high heat rate, equivalent to 200 to 250 gallons of fuel per cord, to keep your space warm and cozy. Some of the best firewood with high heat values that is generally available in the region includes:

• American Beechwood

• Red Oak

• Sugar Maple

• Yellow Birchwood

Southeast Firewood

Winter weather is very mild compared to the rest of the U.S. So the best firewood for residents in Florida, Georgia, Alabama and other parts of the southeast to burn in their fireplace are hard woods with a low BTU content. Firewood with low heat values provides energy that is equivalent to 100 to 150 gallons of fuel. This will provide ample heat for taking the chill out of the air without turning your home into a sauna. They include:

• Ash

• Cottonwood

• Elm

• Sycamore

Midwest Firewood

Winter in the Midwest can be extremely cold and blistery lingering for months. This is the time when Midwesterners enjoy spending time with friends and family beside the fireplace. And the best firewood for those keeping warm in the Midwest are those with a high heat value. But not all wood species are locally available so it’s best to source firewood that is grown near here or are generally available in the region.  These include:

• Black Birch

• Black Locust

• Hickory

• Oak

Great Plains Firewood

The Great Plains region lies between the Rocky Mountains and the Mississippi River encompassing land from Texas to Montana. Winters here can be brutal and very cold with temperatures dropping below zero as far south as Texas are not uncommon. Keeping your home warm throughout the long winter while keeping energy costs low means stocking up on the best hard woods you can find with a medium to high BTU content. Some of the best firewood you can burn that are generally available in the region includes:

• Ash

• Elm

• Locust

• White Oak

Pacific Northwest Firewood

The majority of homes in the Pacific Northwest have a fireplace. While many have switched to gas, there are plenty of traditionalists that prefer a wood-burning experience. And, why not? The region has a plentiful supply of some of the world’s best firewood with medium to high heat values providing an economical and reliable source of fuel to stay comfortable during the cooler winter months. These include:

• Avocado

• California Black Oak

• Oregon White Oak

• Tanoak

Southwest Firewood

Sadly, recent droughts and fires have destroyed thousands of acres of trees and some locally grown wood species are not available this season in the southwest.  Winters in the southwest are generally mild although it can get a bit colder for residents living in the higher elevations and low desert communities. So burning hard woods with low to medium BTU content in the fireplace keeps everyone comfortable whether you are enjoying an indoor or outdoor fireplace.  Also, it’s not uncommon here to find a hard and soft firewood cord mix, like a shaggy juniper and pine, for both indoor and outdoor use in the fireplace, firepit or wood stove. Here is our list of the best firewood you can burn in your fireplace that is available in the region this year:

• Aspen

• Mesquite

• Red Alder

• Shaggy Bark Juniper

Have you had your annual chimney inspection this year? Before you light your fireplace for the winter season, contact us to schedule a chimney cleaning and inspection by a certified chimney sweep today!