Time to consider fire safety when heating home with wood

Early this week, when driving to and from work, the reality of how cold it is and how many homeowners in Putnam County are choosing to heat their houses with wood, truly sank in.

Some of the houses had thick dark smoke coming from them, while others you could barely tell had any smoke. As I drove, I thought about how the cold weather started abruptly this year and I hoped that each of the homeowners had taken the time to prepare their chimney and get plenty of wood on hand before lighting the first match.

In the past, houses have burned because of soot collecting around the top of the chimney catching fire. That soot then rolls off onto the roof catching it on fire. Therefore, it is extremely important that you inspect and clean the chimney and stove or fireplace prior to starting a fire. There are a lot of products on the market to help clean your chimney.

However, there are no good substitutes for properly cleaning the chimney with the correct-sized brush and thorough inspection for cracks or other problems. Besides having this done prior to starting a fire, you will also want to clean your chimney after you burn any “green” wet wood. Therefore, it is best to avoid these types of wood (this would include pine).

If you haven’t had a chance to cut enough wood for the upcoming winter or are realizing you are going through your wood faster than you anticipated, you have a few options available to help relieve your stress. The first option would be to find some downed trees. One tree to look for is Ash, since it is a heavy wood that burns good and has low moisture content. If you would like to burn trees that are known to have a good fragrance, then try to cut down apple, black cherry, bitternut hickory, shagbark hickory, osage-orange and eastern redcedar trees. If you do not want to search for fallen trees or harvest standing trees, another option may be to purchase firewood.

Purchasing firewood can be a confusing task if you do not know the terminology. A cord is a volume measurement of 4 x4x8 or 128 cubic feet wood, bark, and air space. A rick differs as it is a “face cord” or stack that is four-foot high and eight-foot long. However, the length of the firewood may vary and would not sum to four feet like in a cord.

Purdue Extension publication FNR-79 titled “Wood for Home Heating,” provides information on a variety of wood species and their weight per cubic foot. A copy of this publication can be obtained from your local Extension Office or by going to www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/FNR/FNR-79.pdf

Due to the poisonous nature of preservations, treated wood should never be used in a fireplace. There is value in wood ash because native Indiana woods often have 50 to 70 percent calcium or lime which can be used as a fertilizer. If using a fireplace, keep the fire screen in place to prevent unwanted fires.

Visit www.extension.purdue.edu/putnam or you can contact the local Purdue Extension Office by 653-8411 for more information regarding this week’s column topic or to RSVP for upcoming events. It is always best to call first to assure items are ready when you arrive and to RSVP for programs. While many publications are free, some do have a fee.

Upcoming Events

Nov. 4 – Putnam 4-H Awards and Volunteer Recognition Program, Fairgrounds, 2 p.m.

Nov. 6 – Extension Office closed for Election Day.

Nov. 10 – 4-H Leadership Summit.

Nov. 12 – Extension Office closed Veterans Day.

Nov. 15 – Grazing System Design webinar, noon. RSVP at https://ag.purdue.edu/Extension/wia/Pages/webinars.aspx.

Nov. 20 – Fall Ag Update, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Fairgrounds. Cost $20. Must register andpay by Nov. 15.