It is important to burn firewood that has a moisture content below 20% as this ensures that the logs will burn evenly and efficiently. The process of reducing the amount of moisture in firewood is known as ’seasoning’ and it certainly isn’t the same as what we put in our food! There are several factors that can influence the seasoning process and, in this blog, we’ve decided to go over the role of relative humidity. Read on to find out more…

In layman’s terms, humidity is the amount of water vapour in the air. When this figure is high on a hot summer day, it creates that sticky feeling as the body perspires in order to cool down. Relative humidity is this water vapour amount expressed as a percentage over the maximum amount of water vapour that the air could hold. Whilst this scientific jargon may sound confusing, relative humidity will determine how fast moisture will be removed from firewood during the seasoning process.

In fact, there are two sub-components that can also influence the way that relative humidity behaves. The most prevalent is perhaps temperature as a hotter room will actually reduce its relative humidity and subsequently increase the potential for drying the firewood efficiently. After all, high-levels of water vapour in the air means that the moisture from the firewood is less likely to make its way into the surrounding atmosphere.

Air movement is the other sub-category that can affect the seasoning process as per the role that relative humidity plays. Dry air is more favourable than moist air because it is vital that the air is able to circulate between the stacked logs and draw the moisture out. This is also why it is important to stack unseasoned firewood is a particular manner when it is going to be put through the tedious seasoning process.

Here at Pearson Fuels, we strive for efficiency and affordability at every opportunity. After all, nobody wants to spend an extortionate amount on their fuel and receive a lacklustre burn in return. For all your coal and firewood needs, get in contact with the best coal merchants on the market and speak to a member of the Pearson Fuels team today!