Order Firewood Before the Weather Turns
Firewood in October is a different purchase than firewood in January. Buying early is mostly about the wood being dry, but there is a delivery reason too.
Seasoned means dry, and dry takes time
Fresh split hardwood can be close to half water by weight. Burning it wastes most of the heat boiling that water off, sends far more creosote up the chimney, and makes a fire that is hard to keep going. Split and stacked hardwood generally needs six months to a year in the open before it burns the way you want it to. That work happens well ahead of the first cold night, which is why anyone selling properly seasoned wood is working a season ahead of you.
Checking it yourself
- Cracks radiating out from the center of the cut face
- Grey weathered ends rather than bright fresh wood
- A hollow knock when two pieces are banged together, not a dull thud
- Bark that is loose or already falling off
- Noticeably light for its size
Stack it so it stays dry
Keep the pile off the ground on pallets or rails, cover the top only, and leave the sides open to the wind. A tarp wrapped all the way around traps moisture and holds it in the pile. Stack in single rows with air between them rather than one deep block.
Buy it local, and mean it
Michigan has emerald ash borer and other invasive pests, and moving firewood is how they travel. The state’s guidance is direct about it. Firewood should not be moved more than ten miles from where it was cut unless it has been heat treated. Buying from someone cutting nearby is not just convenience, it is how you avoid hauling a problem into your own woods.
Order ahead
The first hard freeze is when everybody calls at once. Getting on the list in early fall means delivery on your schedule instead of waiting behind everyone who waited.
See firewood delivery, or call and text JR at (517) 993-8393.
