We love a great fire here at Speedy Blaze, there's just no denying it. There is something beautiful that happens when we gather around the fire and watch those flames. Man has gathered around the fire for thousands of years to connect with those around us.
What do you do when you just can't get your fire going or get it to stay lit?! You can keep throwing matches and newspaper and twigs and get nothing but smoke and dying flames. You add more wood to the fire, and that just makes it worse.
We have the answers you need; you have come to the right place! Speedy Blaze knows fire and we love sitting around the fire and enjoying it. We are professionals in the firewood industry, so we will explain how to maintain a great fire and ensure it stays lit as long as you want.
The Fire Triangle
Every firefighter knows about the fire triangle - you must have these 3 components to start and maintain a good fire. Fighting a fire means removing any one side of the fire triangle.
Heat: you must have enough heat to raise the temperature to the ignition or burn point.
Oxygen: Without air, your fire will be snuffed out - this is required to sustain combustion.
Fuel: Something combustible (it will burn) in this case we're talking about wood of some kind.
All three of these elements must be present for a fire to be sustained.. If your fire won’t stay lit, most like one of these three elements is causing you some trouble. Conversely, in order to put a fire out, you just remove one of these 3 elements.
Having a good fuel source is key! Many times the issue people experience is due to using poor quality firewood. If you pick up wood off the ground it may be wet, decomposing, or moldy. That will never burn as well as firewood like Speedy Blaze.
Dry wood is also safer for your chimney. This reduces creosote build up which can cause serious problems. Dry firewood will burn hotter and create more heat and is much better for heater your home. Have you ever noticed how many people have stacks of firewood piling up? They are letting that wood dry out or "season" before they use it. If the seasoned wood is actually dry, it will be easier to light but it will burn more quickly as it is less dense.
Speedy Blaze firewood is amazing fuel source to use. It is compressed into a dense product, dried, water-resistant and will burn for hours.
How do I keep the oxygen flowing? How you stack the firewood is the key to maintaining good oxygen flow. You don't want to snuff out the flames by throwing big pieces of wood directly onto the fire, preventing the flow of oxygen. You also need to stack the logs in such a way that allows air flow. It’s always a good idea to start with smaller pieces of wood. They can easily receive oxygen and build heat, allowing you to wait and then stack larger pieces of wood on top to provide more fuel as needed.
This is definitely a consideration when lighting a Speedy Blaze fire - notice our recommended 4 brick stack pattern?
Heat, heat, heat The last element we mentioned was heat. The wood absolutely needs to be next to the heat source in order to burn. The further from the heat source, the cooler the air and the quicker your fire will go out. A you monitor your fire, you need to balance all 3 elements, keep the wood close enough together to get the heat, but far enough apart to allow the flow of oxygen. One to two inches of space should be sufficient.
We know that Speedy Blaze is an excellent fuel source and our fuel of choice. Here are some key benefits we are so proud of:
100% Recycled
100% Renewable
Safe to Cook Over
Zero Carbon Footprint
USDA Transport Compliant
Campground Friendly
Stored Inside or Outside
Easy to Light
Able to Light Frozen or Wet
Water Resistant
Mold Free
Mess & Pest Free
Pet Safe