If you’ve got a wood-burning stove, it’s important to remember all stoves come with different instructions in terms of airflow settings and if you alternate between using kiln dried heat logs or firewood, the way you light a fire may be slightly different.
WHAT YOU NEED TO START A FIRE
- A good supply of dry, quality fuel - we recommend using Woodsure ‘Ready to Burn’ approved heat logs. With a moisture content of below 5% and uniform shape, you can be guaranteed of a fuel that is ready for immediate burning and provides consistent, high heat output time and time again. We’d recommend you use our Hotties heat logs.
- Natural firelighters - the beauty of a natural firelighter is that they are odourless, provide a long burn and you only need one to light a fire - say goodbye to smelly paraffin firelighters!
- Matches
If you haven’t already, now is the time to get your chimney swept, September and October are the best months to do so before the cold weather really hits and before sweeps across the country get booked up before Christmas. We’d recommend visiting the NACS website to find your nearest accredited Chimney Sweep.
WHAT ARE HEAT LOGS?
Heat Logs are an alternative to traditional logs used for fires. Usually made from compressed raw materials, heat logs are sometimes referred to as briquettes, they’re compact and consistent and can be used in indoor and outdoor fires such as wood burners, open fires, wood-fired pizza ovens, fire pits and hot tubs.
WHY USE HOTTIES HEAT LOGS?
Hotties heat logs are manufactured in the UK from renewable raw timber materials, which are sourced from the UK. Hotties provide a consistent burn, time and time again and in comparison to wood logs moisture content of between 20-50%, have a moisture content of below 5%, meaning they can be used for immediate burning and provide maximum heat output - you’ll find you use fewer heat logs than traditional logs but get even more heat. Hotties are suitable for all stoves, log burners, firepits and chimineas - they’re easy to light and you’ll start to feel the heat in no time.
If you’d like to find out more about Heat Logs and how they compare against other Firewood see our Technical Information page.
Hotties are also approved under the Woodsure ‘Ready to Burn’ scheme and are a member of Grown in Britain.
HOW TO LIGHT A FIRE
Step 1
Break one Hottie into three equal length pieces by tapping it against another Hottie until it cracks and breaks.
Step 2
Arrange the three pieces into a triangle in your stove or fire and put one Ignite natural firelighter in the middle.
Step 3
Use another short length of broken Hottie to stand upright, forming a “chimney” above the Ignite firelighter.
Step 4
Light the firelighter and open any airflow controls to allow the fire to start quickly. Once your fire is burning, add more a few more heat logs to build a consistent base to your fire.
Note: be careful not to add too many heat logs in your wood-burning stove, the beauty of heat logs, is you can use fewer logs than you would when using firewood and get the same amount of heat.
