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If you
have an open fire or a stove in your
property in
Portugal you will no doubt be looking to burn logs
through the autumn and winter months to generate heat.
However so you don't block your chimney with sooty resin
you need to you need
to ensure the logs (lenha) you are going to burn
is properly seasoned.
Ensuring your firewood is
seasoned, not just dry, will not only help to stop the
interior of your chimney or flue pipe from clogging up,
it also means the wood will burn at a higher
temperature, something we could all do with in the
depths of winter in Portugal.
A general aim is to try and
burn wood with less than 25% moisture content. Anything
higher than this and |
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you probably won't feel the
benefit of the wood
you're burning. Using a moisture metre is a sure fire
way of finding out the moisture content of your firewood
before your burn it. However if you don't have access to
a moisture metre then you can do a quick check of your
logs visually. If your firewood is well seasoned is to
watch our for cracks or splits at the end of the logs. |
Hard or
Soft Wood - Which is the Best Wood to Burn in Portugal?
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Hard wood, such as oaks and
olive, does take longer to dry out than softwoods such
as pine, however the density of the fibres do mean they
will burn longer and hotter. Soft woods such as pine and
fir do tend to dry out quicker though they also burn
quicker. |
When is it
Best to Buy Firewood in Portugal?
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Although the last thing you
will probably want to do in the middle of a hot,
Portuguese summer is buy logs for the fire, it is
possibly one of the best times to do so. You may find
your local log supply is able to offer a cheaper deal
out of the peak season and it also affords you the
time to store and dry them out ready for use in the
winter. Storing
the logs in a covered shelter (alpendre), raised
off the ground to allow the air to circulate will
hopefully help the seasoning process and provide you
with sufficient fuel for the winter months. |
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