How to Heat a House: Firewood or Briquettes

Some country houses still use old-school wood stoves as their primary heat source. Many people aren’t considering switching to modern heaters. One reason is that there are alternative fuel options, such as briquettes. Sure, they’re easier and work better than regular wood. But they also cost more. So, each fuel has its ups and downs. It really comes down to what homeowners want. They usually look at what makes sense and pick the cheaper option.

Features of Different Fuel Types

Before you buy stove fuel, get to know what it’s all about—the good, the bad, and everything in between. Reading reviews from people who’ve tried different kinds and have some thoughts is also smart. Read this blog post for more info about new solutions available on the market.

Regular Firewood

Wood has significant advantages over other fuels – it’s considered the most environmentally friendly material and is odorless. Additionally, the following advantages of firewood are worth noting:

1. High heat output.
2. Ignites instantly and releases heat immediately, allowing the room to warm up very quickly.
3. Affordable.
4. Resistance to mechanical damage.
5. It can be harvested at home.
6. Produces essential oils that benefit human health.

Disadvantages:

1. Requires a lot of space.
2. To obtain high-quality fuel, prolonged drying in the open air is necessary.
3. Long-term storage partially loses some of its valuable properties.

Firewood has been used for centuries, and it’s a proven source of heat. However, technology has advanced, and modern fuels have replaced it. It’s rare these days to find a homeowner who chooses seasoned wood for their stove.

Fuel Briquettes

They are made from various waste products from the food and wood processing industries: husks (buckwheat, rice), peat, seeds, straw, branches, grass, and sawdust. The sawdust is compressed and then dried for an extended period. Since this product has no harmful chemicals, it doesn’t harm the environment when it burns. Modern products come in the following shapes: Roof, Pini-Kay, and Nestro. The latter differ only in density; there are no differences in calorific value or product composition.

The main advantages of Euro-firewood:

1. Ease of storage (due to its regular geometric shape).
2. Low smoke emission during combustion and no sparks.
3. Low ash residue after combustion.
4. Low moisture content and high fuel density provide significant heat output and a long burn time (approximately four hours on average).

You can also use 8-hour briquettes, so you don’t have to worry about heating while you’re sleeping or away. This is a surprisingly convenient alternative, unmatched by other fuels. They are produced in accordance with the UK government’s wood fuel certification scheme and hold allrequired certifications.

Watch the video for more details about this innovative and convenient fuel:

Night Briquettes Last For 8 Hours (Here’s How) | Wood Heat University

However, even this convenient solution has its drawbacks:

1. They are sensitive to moisture and crumble if improperly stored.
2. They are easily damaged mechanically, making them unusable.

Unlike firewood, briquettes don’t create a cozy atmosphere in the home. Their flames are weak and unattractive. Aesthetically, briquettes are not ideal for a fireplace. However, if you’re using them for a closed stove, this disadvantage won’t matter.

Briquettes or Firewood – Which is Better?

It’s a good idea to start comparing fuel types by reviewing material costs. Based on their price indicators, 1 m³ of briquettes will cost approximately twice as much as the same amount of regular firewood. Moreover, briquettes are made from raw materials of varying value, whereas the type of wood determines firewood prices.

Various products are available on the market. High-quality briquettes have a denser structure, are free of cracks or chips, and are often charred on the outside. Low-quality products are multi-layered, have a lower density, and are vulnerable to mechanical damage. Such fuel burns faster and produces less heat.

Comparative characteristics:

1. On average, fuel briquettes burn in a few hours, while firewood burns twice as fast. According to the industry wood stove certification scheme, briquettes are more energy efficient.
2. The heat output from briquettes is significantly higher because the stove’s fire remains constant during combustion. Wood ignites instantly, releases its maximum heat immediately, and then gradually fades.
3. After the wood burns, numerous embers form in the firebox, and the fuel briquettes are fully consumed.
4. The primary purpose of briquettes is to heat the home. They burn for a long time, generate high heat, require minimal space, and are environmentally friendly. Unlike conventional firewood, modern briquette materials do not create a cozy atmosphere in the room and emit an unpleasant odor when burning.
5. The briquettes sold in stores today are fragile and prone to crumbling. To avoid fuel loss during transport, choose durable, high-quality products. Such problems do not arise with wood.

Generally speaking, fuel briquettes or firewood are acceptable for heating a home with a stove. However, using European-grade firewood for heating a sauna or fireplace is not recommended, as it cannot fully replace the traditional fuel used in such areas and achieve the desired effect.

To evaluate the feasibility of using fuel briquettes in each case, it is necessary to conduct experiments and consider the multiple factors affecting the material’s efficiency. Only then will it be possible to determine whether it is more cost-effective to heat a stove with firewood or briquettes. The right decision will help ensure comfort in living spaces and reduce heating costs.

Conclusion

If you want to heat your home, briquettes are the best choice. Despite the higher price, they are much more efficient than firewood and burn longer, especially the innovative 8-hour briquettes. This means you can forget about adding fuel to your stove for an extended period. However, if your goal is to enjoy cozy evenings by the fireplace, it’s better to choose traditional firewood, as its combustion characteristics are ideal for this purpose.