I’m sure we all conjure up an image in our heads of sitting by our fireplace on a cold night and listening to the crackling sounds of your logs burning in the fire. But is a crackling fire actually a good thing? If you have picked up some firewood and it doesn’t crackle - should you be disappointed? We’ve decided to look into what makes firewood crackle and pop and whether or not this is actually desirable.
So what makes wood crackle?
So - does dry wood crackle, alongside other types of firewood? Most firewood when burning will produce a crackling sound to some extent, however, excess or constant crackling and popping is usually found in wood that hasn’t been dried properly. When firewood is burned, it goes through a process called combustion. To be more specific, it is the cellulose that is found in the wood mixing with oxygen to produce heat. This is what causes a crackling sound. If you’re asking yourself ‘what wood crackles the most?’, wood with a high moisture content is your answer.
Should kiln dried logs make a crackling sound?
Kiln dried logs have a low moisture content because they have been dried out in a kiln over a period of time. This ensures that the moisture in the wood is low and Ready To Burn certified, resulting in a moisture level of less than 20%.
Reducing the moisture in the firewood will also reduce the crackling and popping sounds you hear when burning our wood. The crackling and popping can also be reduced with seasoning your firewood, however this process takes a lot longer (sometimes 1 - 2 years!) but it also helps to reduce moisture in the wood.
Crackling firewood and efficiency
So - if kiln dried wood and ‘wet’ wood both still make a crackling noise when burnt, what’s wrong with burning wood that makes a lot of noise?
The more the wood crackles and pops when burning, the higher moisture content there is in the wood. But why is this bad for you? Wet or unseasoned wood will create a lot of smoke and give off excess emissions, meaning it isn’t good for the environment and isn’t ideal for efficiency either.
Wood that crackles and pops will likely give off much less heat.
Another reason a crackling fire isn’t necessarily a good thing is safety. If you have an open fire, the crackling noise can cause bits of wood to jump out of the fire. This could potentially cause safety issues, especially if they land on your carpet or around young children or pets at home.
Reduce crackling with kiln dried logs
While we all love the idea of a fire crackling and popping away while giving off a lot of heat, the reality is that it’s better left to the imagination.
Kiln dried firewood won’t produce a whole lot of noise when it is burned, however, it will burn for longer, be more environmentally friendly and produce much more eco-efficient heat.
Not to worry though - if you want that crackling fire sound in your living room, you can find hours upon hours of it on YouTube. For a real fire, it’s best to have it (nearly) silently burning away!
Get your kiln dried firewood today
Our great value kiln dried logs are dried to a moisture level of less than 20%, making them a great low smoke emissions fuel. Benefit from ready to burn logs that give fantastic results every time and are available in a range of sizes from bulk bags to handy bags. What’s more, our kiln dried logs can be delivered straight to your log store.
Get yours today. Click here to shop our collection.