Tips & Tricks – The Fire Man

July 13, 2021July 15, 2021 Post By admin

Ash Disposal Tip

Supercharge your compost by adding your recycled ash. Growing plants need plenty of trace elements that ash contains, and it will actually increase the PH of your soil as ash is naturally alkaline. This will allow you to grow plants such as lavender and honeysuckle that are much loved by bees which wouldn’t be able to thrive in more acidic soils.

What’s more, if you have problems with slugs and snails, sprinkling ash around your plants will deter these creatures without having to use lethal poisons or expensive salt.

Tips & Tricks

July 13, 2021July 15, 2021 Post By admin

Choosing the correct wood.

Information on our unique “dry guarantee”, understanding log moisture content & important facts to consider when buying your wood

WHAT IS THE FIRE MAN’S “UNIQUE DRY GUARANTEE” & WHAT IS “LOG MOISTURE CONTENT”?

All our wood products come with our unique Dry Guarantee. Logs are classed as dry if they have a moisture content reading of below 17%. The optimum moisture content for economical combustion and warmth production is between 13%-17%. Lower than 12% will burn too quickly, especially in an enclosed unit. Over 18% moisture content means the logs will be more difficult to ignite and will blacken the screen of a glass fronted unit. In order to achieve our optimum moisture content range, our logs are chopped then seasoned through at least two years lying in fields where they are exposed to the elements. Repeated exposure to rain, wind and sun is what seasons/dries our logs. Seasoning is the process of reducing the natural moisture content in wood, resulting in less smoke and a more uniform combustion when used as firewood. Seasoning is the traditional method for drying wood and can take between 18-24 months. Air flow through the stack is the key to removing moisture through evaporation. We are so sure that our logs contain this optimum moisture content that we will replace, refund or swap anything that falls outside of this range.

There are different wood types for different uses. Here, The Fire Man offers some advice on how to get the best from your wood supplies.

Firewood Lifestyle Tips & Tricks

August 31, 2020June 22, 2024 Post By admin

Indoor open fireplaces

There is no limitation to the type of woods one can burn in an open fireplace. As long as your chimney is cleaned each year and your vents are working correctly, your choices are then endless. For the most economical burning, we recommend blue gum or black wattle, Both are alien, very thirsty trees, and have been designated for removal anywhere near natural water sources. Blue Gum is a hard, dense log from the Eucalyptus family, long-lasting and burns longer before creating a fire heart. Black Wattle is a slightly softer wood, easier to ignite, and thus, is excellent hot burning firewood that was traditionally prized for wood-fired bakers ovens. It also lends itself to occasional braaing as it creates small residual coals. Beef Oak is a non-indigenous, invasive tree, originally from Australia.and only found in certain pockets around running water in South Africa. It is quite a hardwood and therefore, creates lovely coals that provide long and hot warmth in your fireplace. Beef Oak is also highly recommended for open and enclosed fireplaces, this adds longevity of heat, making your fire heart last longer. We are very happy to have found a supply, but it is limited at this time.

Lifestyle Tips & Tricks

August 31, 2020July 15, 2021 Post By admin

Glass fronted enclosed units & stoves

Glass fronted heaters such as Morso, Heat & Glo, Jet Master, Heat Glo and the cast iron heating stoves (Franco Belge and Earth Fire Ceramic stoves) must be treated with the respect they deserve. Never use pine for example in one of these units as pine produces a resin which leaves an invisible film inside the flue pipe which becomes a serious fire hazard over time. Kameeldoring should not be used solely in a glass-fronted unit as the coals produced become so hot that over time, the metal of the unit will bend and the glass door can crack. Black Wattle and Blue Gum can be used alone or mixed and will create a beautifully constant source of heat. Beef Oak is a non-indigenous, invasive tree, originally from Australia.and only found in certain pockets around running water in South Africa. It is quite a hardwood and therefore, creates lovely coals that provide long and hot warmth in your fireplace. Mixed with blue gum, which is also highly recommended for open and enclosed fireplaces, adds longevity of heat making your fire heart last longer. We are very happy to have found a supply, but it is limited at this time.

Lifestyle Tips & Tricks

August 31, 2020July 15, 2021 Post By admin

Braai & Grilling Wood

Kameeldoring & Mopane is often referred to as ‘The Rolls Royce’ of braai wood. It forms extremely hot coals in approximately 1 hour and can be used inside and outside for cooking and grilling for many hours thereafter. Rooikraans produces coals in around 40 minutes and can be used for cooking for up to an hour. Rooikraans also smokes so adds a certain taste to meat cooking.