Wood burning stoves are rising in popularity. They’re known for being excellent producers of heat, being far more environmentally friendly and do not emit the harmful gasses that are damaging our atmosphere.
Stoves also look very good. They are stylish and make the ideal accompaniment to the tastefully decorated home. For builders who want to adhere to green sustainability guidelines, the stove will enable them to do this. Being able to reduce fuel bills is also another attraction.
By using free wood, it’s even easier to keep those fuel costs down. Here are some different ways of sourcing that wood:
One of the most obvious methods for finding free wood is to visit the local woods or forests and collect any wood that has fallen to the ground. There are broken branches and twigs that in many cases have already been somewhat seasoned and are ready for use (depending on weather conditions).
For those who live in cities, you might want to visit skips, recycling centres or pay attention to the websites that offer free wood such as Freecycle. However, you will need to consider whether any wood that you source has been treated with any chemicals or may produce gases that could be harmful.
Sites like Freecycle can sometimes offer wood that somebody has cut down in their garden. These people are looking for somebody to take away the wood so that it does not go to waste. If after monitoring these sites, you have not found any free wood, you could always put up your own notice letting people know that you can remove it for them free of charge.
You may also want to contact small businesses who work with wood. Carpenters, woodworking businesses and timber businesses will be grateful if you can take away any surplus cuttings that they will not have to pay to dispose of.
Whatever the source of your wood is, be sure to give it time to season properly before you burn it. You’ll avoid creating a lot of smoke and you’ll also get a better burn.
