Proudly American
Sort by origin before moisture
A moisture meter is useful for known, suitable firewood. It cannot tell you that a board was pressure-treated, glued, painted or soaked in seawater. If a stack contains mixed scraps, set aside the unknown pieces before evaluating the remaining firewood. Do not burn a sample to see what it smells like.
Keep three common lookalikes out
Ocean driftwood may be pale and well weathered. An old fence rail may have lost nearly all its visible finish. Plywood or engineered flooring may look like solid wood from one edge. EPA’s guidance excludes ocean driftwood and materials containing treatment, paint or adhesive. Peeling, sanding or seasoning these finds is not a fuel-preparation method.
Make a practical household fuel pile
Keep known untreated firewood separate from renovation waste, beach finds and packaging. Store appropriate firewood off the ground with the top protected and sides open for drying. Ask the local waste service how to handle treated wood and construction scraps. Do not hand unidentified wood to another household as fireplace fuel.