Going coal-free?

[localbunny]

Sorry if this is really daft but couldn't think of anyone else to ask

We have a multi/dual fuel log burner, that usually I use with logs and coal. Obviously burning anything for heating isn't ideal, but I want to try and ditch the coal part if possible. When I've tried to do without coal previously, I can't seem to get the logs to stay lit. My usual tactic with fires is to get the coal lit, which then keeps the logs burning. Is there a different knack with just wood? Maybe our log burner is just a bit rubbish?

Firstly the water content in your wood will have a huge impact on the burn rate. As will the age and type of tree

To light it you would need to graduate up from small kindling to larger kindling to allow for a larger surface area to burn

@SolasAnla

Firstly the water content in your wood will have a huge impact on the burn rate. As will the age and type of tree

To light it you would need to graduate up from small kindling to larger kindling to allow for a larger surface area to burn

Our logs are air-dried from a local supplier, I think the water content is supposed to be 25% or lower. Definitely something to think about though.

Thanks for the tip, maybe I'm just trying to build it too fast. My FILs stays so hot he can chuck another log on in the morning!

once fire is going, rather than putting one or two logs on, I try to fill the stove up and turn it right down, it was last all evening.
It helps if you have a thermometer on the flue to check the heat is at optimal level before piling logs on.

Log burners are better for just wood than multi-fuel stoves because they have a solid bottom (no grate) - unlike coal, wood burns better with no airflow coming from underneath.

To make your multi-fuel work better with just logs, don't riddle the grate between burns - instead let a good bed of ash build up to stop the air coming up. Start the fire with the front air vent quite open, and the door a little bit ajar. When it's burning hot, close the door, but leave the vent well open - you can close it down a bit more as it gets hotter and you have a good load of glowing embers in there.

@rbe78 this makes so much sense, thank you!

Thanks all for the help :)