{"id":4548,"date":"2018-09-21T19:06:35","date_gmt":"2018-09-22T02:06:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.toolazine.com\/?p=4548"},"modified":"2019-05-21T01:32:13","modified_gmt":"2019-05-21T08:32:13","slug":"7-types-wood-never-burn-poisonous-toxic-firewood","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.toolazine.com\/7-types-wood-never-burn-poisonous-toxic-firewood\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Types of Wood You Should Never Burn: Poisonous \/ Toxic Firewood"},"content":{"rendered":"
Homesteaders have many reasons for doing what they do. Commonly, they express a desire to reduce their carbon footprint and life self-sufficiently. Sourcing your own free firewood from downed trees, dead trees, and local sources can both reduce your carbon footprint and allow you to live self-sufficiently.<\/p>\n
Related: Read my guide about<\/strong>\u00a0Everything you need to know about the different Husqvarna chainsaw models<\/a><\/p>\n However, there are some sources of wood that you should be wary of. Certain kinds of wood should never be burned inside. Some kinds might suffice for an outdoor bonfire, but they shouldn\u2019t be put in a stove or fireplace. Here are some of them.<\/p>\n Wood that has been processed and prepared to be sold can be treated by the producers. You\u2019ll often find this described as pressure-treated wood. It\u2019s the wood that is sold for outdoor use. The wood is treated with a copper-based chemical that is applied under heavy pressure. The copper fills the pores of the wood and repels moisture and mildew. However, it\u2019s toxic when it is burned.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Excess lumber is a great source of free firewood; you can find it at construction sites or whenever someone is doing home renovations. However, you need to make sure it\u2019s not treated. You can determine if it\u2019s treated by checking the color. Since it\u2019s treated with a copper chemical, it often turns a shade of green. Newer treated wood is treated with borate, but many manufacturers add a green tint to the wood so that it can be identified as treated. Not all treated wood is colored as such, though. The final method for determining is to smell the wood. Treated wood often smells oily, instead of the fresh scent of raw lumber.<\/p>\n Lastly, if you have any doubt, don\u2019t burn the lumber. You can use it to build a fence or patch a hole in your roof, but don\u2019t burn it.<\/p>\n Painted wood, like treated wood, should never be burned because the chemicals on the wood can be toxic. There are some paints that actually aren\u2019t as dangerous as others when burned. However, they are often still made of hydrocarbons which is basically like burning gasoline indoors. Also, burning paint produces a noxious smell that you don\u2019t want in your house.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If you are given painted wood, you have a couple of options. If the paint is water-based and fairly old, you can likely blast it away with a sandblaster or a pressure washer. If you can remove every trace of paint, you can burn the wood as long as it\u2019s not treated lumber. However, this will likely use more resources than you would save. Therefore, the best option is to use the painted lumber for building materials and find something more suitable to burn.<\/p>\n Every year, pests and diseases affect trees all over the world. Some of them, such as citrus greening, are incredibly damaging to crops and incredibly expensive. In the United States, entire states are actually quarantined because citrus greening has been found in those areas. Also, many states or areas are quarantined because of borer pests and other diseases. All of these diseases spread most efficiently when they are carried from place to place by humans. That\u2019s why you shouldn\u2019t buy a cord of wood from an unknown source even if it\u2019s a good deal.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n For example, if you live in an area with ash borers that feed on ash trees and you take firewood into a new area, you could be introducing the ash borer to that new area. If you\u2019ve moved farther than the ash borer can readily travel, you\u2019ve likely spread it to an entirely new habitat. For that reason, you should not source firewood from far away from your home unless you know specifically what kind of firewood it is. You need to know where it comes from as well. For example, if it\u2019s oak firewood from an area that is known for citrus greening, it\u2019s likely fine. The most important aspect is knowing where the wood comes from if it comes from far away.<\/p>\n Do you know how to measure firewood? Read my article:<\/strong>\u00a0How much is a cord of wood?<\/a><\/p>\n When wood is left outside and not stacked properly, it can develop mold and mildew. That can happen to fallen branches lying on a muddy ground or a stack of firewood not properly covered. If that happens, you need to remove the mold before you use the wood. Mold can be dangerous to anyone who has allergies, a compromised immune system, or respiratory sensitivities. Also, mold travels very easily. Mold spores can be microscopic; they travel on the wind and on your clothes whenever you move the wood.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n To kill the mold, you need to dry it completely. A wood moisture meter is a great investment for this; that will help you identify wood that is too moist and prevent mold in the first place. If you need to dry the wood and kill the mold, spread it out on a tarp. Make sure no two pieces of wood are touching. Spread them out in the sun and leave them there until they\u2019re completely dry. Then, you need to knock off all of the mold. Wash your hands and leave your clothes outside after you\u2019ve handled mold; that will help prevent it spreading inside. Moldy or rotten wood can also spread its rot when you burn it. Not all diseases and spores are instantly killed by the fire. If your fire wood is mouldy is it likely to be ‘wet’ and will not burn well anyway.<\/p>\n A good way to keep your firewood dry and mould free is to store it in off the ground on a covered waterproof log rack<\/a>.<\/p>\n1. Treated Wood as Firewood<\/h2>\n
2. Painted Wood\u00a0as Firewood<\/h2>\n
3. Firewood From Far Away<\/h2>\n
4. Moldy Firewood<\/h2>\n