Here's Why Kiln Dried Logs And Firewood Are More Environment-friendly

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There are several options to choose from if you want to keep your home warm. But if you’re going to go on the more eco-friendly route, logs dried through wood drying kilns are a great choice. This article tackles why.

Why Dry Wood?

To better appreciate the value of log drying kilns, it’s important to know why wood must be dried first.

Wood has a certain moisture content. If it has 60% moisture content, it means that 60% of the wood’s weight is water. This statistic can be brought down when the wood is exposed to dry air or an environment with low humidity.

Dried wood has several advantages. These include the following:

They produce less smoke

They burn hotter

They smell better when burned

The problem, however, lies in the amount of time it takes to dry a plank of wood. Though cheaper, the traditional air-drying method can last anywhere between two to 12 months, depending on your location. If you live in a more humid area, it will take longer for wood to dry out.

The Advantages of Wood Drying Kilns

Kilns used for drying wood produce an output that can ...
... be readily burned as soon as the process is finished. This saves you a significant amount of time instead ofair drying’s 2 to 12 months.

In kiln-drying, wood is subjected to a vacuum chamber. The chamber is negatively pressurized and has controls to let you set the air temperature. Both the heat and negative pressure take moisture content out of the wood. The result is dry wood with about 15% less moisture content than air-dried ones.

The Eco-Friendly Choice

One of the environmentally friendly characteristics of dry wood from log drying kilns is that they produce less smoke. If a block of wood is burned and it produces too much smoke, it will create the so-called localised particulate pollution hot spots. Significant levels of harmful chemicals will be released into the air and negatively impact the immediate surroundings.

It will also affect the health conditions of those who will be exposed to it, even if the exposure is short-term only. Apart from triggering asthma symptoms, exposure to wood smoke can also cause other respiratory illnesses (e.g. Acute bronchitis).

On a practical level, kiln-dried wood also produces less creosote. This makes it easier for you to clean your chimney and prevent a fire accident from happening.

Another reason to choose kiln-dried wood is that it’s free of mould, fungi, and bugs. If these are present in your wood and you store them in your home, it can cause water damage (from mould spread) or infestation issues. Both aren’t just hazardous to your immediate environment. They can also negatively affect the structural integrity of your home.

Another bonus of using kiln-dried wood is the aromatic wood fire they give off. They’re also pleasing to the eyes, giving your home that warm and cosy vibes while enhancing its aesthetic value.

Considering all these perks, this type of dry wood is the greater, more cost-effective and eco-friendly choice in the long run.