The single biggest thing you control about how cleanly your fireplace burns is your firewood. Seasoned wood burns hot and clean; green or wet wood smolders, smokes, and coats your chimney with creosote.
What seasoned wood means
Seasoned wood has been split and dried for at least six months — ideally a year — until its moisture content is below about 20%. At that point it lights easily, burns hot, and produces far less smoke and creosote.
Why green wood is a problem
Freshly cut (green) or wet wood can be half water by weight. Burning it wastes energy boiling off that moisture, produces a cool, smoky, smoldering fire, and coats your flue with creosote — the flammable residue that causes chimney fires.
How to tell if wood is seasoned
- It is noticeably lighter than green wood of the same size
- The ends are cracked and checked
- Two pieces knocked together sound hollow, not dull
- The bark comes off easily
- A moisture meter reads under 20%
Storing firewood the right way
Store wood off the ground on a rack, in a sunny, breezy spot, covered on top but open on the sides so air can circulate. Bring in only what you will burn soon, and avoid stacking green wood against the house where it stays damp.
Want a cleaner-burning fireplace?
Careful work, up-front pricing, seven days a week in La Grange and the western suburbs.
Call (708) 432-5330Frequently asked questions
How long does firewood take to season?
Most hardwood needs at least six months, and ideally a full year, of drying after being split before it is ready to burn cleanly.
Can I burn wood that is not fully seasoned?
You can, but it burns poorly, smokes, wastes heat, and coats your chimney with creosote — increasing fire risk and how often you need a sweep.
What is the best wood to burn?
Dense seasoned hardwoods like oak, hickory, ash, and maple burn hot and long. Whatever the species, dryness matters most.
Does dry wood really reduce creosote?
Yes, significantly. Dry wood burns hotter and cleaner, producing far less of the smoke and moisture that condense into creosote.
Written by Adam Evans, owner of Chimney Sweep Brothers and a chimney technician with 12 years of experience serving La Grange, IL and the western suburbs.