residential firewood
  • neilghuman

How to Choose the Right Firewood for Your Home

There’s nothing quite like the warmth, crackle, and aroma of a real wood fire. But not all firewood is created equal — the right choice can mean the difference between a cozy, efficient burn and a smoky, frustrating one. Whether you’re heating your home, fueling your stove, or setting the mood for a backyard gathering, here’s how to pick firewood that’s perfect for you.

1. Know Your Wood Types

The first step is understanding the difference between hardwoods and softwoods.

  • Hardwoods (like maple, oak, and alder) burn longer and hotter — great for home heating and long winter nights.

  • Softwoods (like fir, pine, and cedar) ignite easily and produce quick heat — ideal for kindling or short, lively fires.

For most Washington homes, a mix of both offers the perfect balance between easy lighting and lasting warmth.

2. Choose Seasoned Firewood

Always buy seasoned firewood — wood that has been dried for at least 6–12 months. Seasoned logs burn cleaner, produce less smoke, and release more heat.

💡 Pro Tip: Look for wood with grayish ends, visible cracks, and a hollow sound when tapped — all signs it’s ready to burn.

3. Check Moisture Levels

Firewood that’s too wet wastes energy evaporating moisture instead of heating your home. Ideally, the moisture content should be below 20%.
At Washington Firewood Services, we ensure every log is thoroughly seasoned and moisture-tested before delivery — so you get maximum heat with minimal smoke.

4. Match Wood to Your Fireplace or Stove

  • Open fireplaces: Use dense hardwood for a steady, slow burn.

  • Wood stoves: Choose medium splits for even heat and easy control.

  • Outdoor pits: Mix softwood for quick flames with hardwood for longer-lasting coals.

The right firewood enhances performance, reduces buildup, and keeps your setup efficient all season long.

5. Think Local and Sustainable

Buying local firewood supports the community and helps prevent the spread of pests like the emerald ash borer.
All of our wood at Washington Firewood Services is responsibly harvested right here in the Pacific Northwest — ensuring sustainability and cleaner burns you can feel good about.

Choosing the right firewood isn’t just about what burns — it’s about how it burns.
Clean, seasoned, and properly sourced wood gives you more heat, less smoke, and peace of mind knowing you’re heating your home efficiently and responsibly.

 

At Washington Firewood Services, we hand-split, season, and deliver only the best firewood for homes and businesses across King and Snohomish Counties — so you can enjoy every fire, every time.

  • neilghuman

Why Seasoned Firewood Makes a Difference in Home Heating

When temperatures drop in Washington, nothing beats the comfort of a warm, crackling fire. But here’s something most homeowners don’t realize: the type of firewood you burn plays a bigger role in heat output, safety, and cost-efficiency than anything else.

Let’s break down why choosing properly seasoned firewood is one of the smartest home heating decisions you can make.

1. Seasoned Wood Burns Hotter — and Saves You More Money

Fresh-cut wood contains 40–60% moisture, which means your fire is forced to waste energy boiling off water before producing heat. Seasoned firewood solves that problem:

  • Burns hotter and more efficiently

  • Requires fewer logs per fire

  • Saves you money over the winter

The drier the wood, the stronger and more reliable the burn. It’s that simple.

2. Cleaner Burning Means a Safer Home

Wet or green wood produces excessive smoke, soot, and creosote — all of which cling to your chimney and increase the risk of a chimney fire.

Seasoned firewood drastically reduces:

  • Smoke clouds in your living room

  • Harmful indoor air pollutants

  • Chimney buildup and maintenance costs

If you want cleaner burns and safer fires, seasoned wood is a must.

3. Easier Lighting, Less Maintenance, and No Frustration

Lighting a fire shouldn’t feel like a survival challenge. Properly seasoned firewood:

  • Lights quickly

  • Produces steady flames

  • Requires less poking, rearranging, and tending

You spend more time enjoying the warmth and less time fighting with smoky logs that refuse to burn.

4. The Best Types of Wood for Home Heating

Here in the Pacific Northwest, these species perform best:

  • Douglas Fir – clean, aromatic, consistent

  • Maple – long, steady burn

  • Oak – the premium heavy hitter

  • Alder – great for smaller stoves and shorter burns

We split, season, and deliver high-quality firewood that you can rely on all winter long.

Final Thoughts: Heat Your Home the Right Way

Seasoned firewood isn’t just a preference — it’s essential for safe, clean, powerful home heating. If you’re stocking up for winter, we offer:

  • Bulk pricing for larger orders
  • Fast, professional delivery
  • Clean, split, and ready to burn
  • Fully seasoned firewood

Stay warm this season with firewood you can trust.