Burning leylandii branches ( the green stuff)

I have been using cuttings off my leylandii to get the fire started. They produce a bit of smoke at first and then burst into spectacular flames which is very hot and gets everything going. I have however read allsorts about creosote build up and was wondering if this would lead to such a problem?

David

Reply to
Enchanting Ari Bowles
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From what I read on a US government advisory site (can't remember where but I expect it's still there) the creosote problem with certain woods or damp wood is fallacious. The problem is apparently with a high moisture content reducing the temperature of the burn and so hence lower flue gas temperatures leading to more condensation of tarry products on the flue walls. So from this I understand it doesn't matter what you burn as long as it is pretty dry. Smoke may indicate damp combustibles, I guess, so make sure it's dry and it should be ok.

An occasional roaring burn is supposed to help as it burns flakes of tar on the walls of the flue. Or it sets fire to your chimney :-) Don't blame me if that happens.

Sam

Reply to
Sam

Yes, that's my understanding too, cresote/tar build up is purely a consequence of burning wood with too mach water content. It has little or nothing to do with the type of wood being burnt (except to the extent that some species have more water in them and thus need more drying). We burn quite a lot of leylandii as we have bee slowly felling a row of twenty or so really big ones with trunks a foot or so in diameter. As long as it's well dried (12 months or more) then it makes excellent wood for burning, it's rather harder and thus longer lasting than pine etc. and, in my experience, comparable with aspen which we have a lot of too. There are better woods to burn, ash is supposed to be one of the best because it has a low water content initially. However since our leylandii and aspen are free we'll keep using them.

The more frequently you get a really hot fire burning the better as tar/soot won't build up so much. You should still get the chimney checked/swept annually though.

Reply to
usenet

I offered a friend a butchered Leylandii for his fire, and he turned it down saying it was too resinous and would muck up the inside of his chimney. W.

Reply to
Woodspoiler

He is right.

Dangerous to burn indoors.

Bonfire it.

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

Only to the same extent as burning any wood indoors is. As I said earlier in this thread there's nothing particularly odd or special about Leylandii wood, it's just wood like that from other trees. Season it (i.e. dry it) properly and it makes good firewood.

Reply to
usenet

Agrred, but when burnt 'raw' it generates copious clouds of very resinous smoke. That is bad news for chimeny fires. Having had three or four, due to not sweepng a coal fliue(1) and burbning green wood for a year (3) WITH proper annual sweeoping, i'd say anythi ng that increases soot deposition is bad.

In all cases the flue caught fire just above where a NORMAL fire burns teh soot off. In all cases I was using somehing rather more inflammable (cardboard/hardboard) to get the fire going.

Leylanndi produces first of all smelly smoke (quite pleasant smell - sandalwoodish) then a roaring flame from teh greener bits and twiglets. NOT good if you have preloaded the fle with resins...

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

Well, yes, applies to burning any garden rubbish 'raw' as you call it.

Reply to
usenet

Not quite. Its the quantities and stickiness of teh initial products that concerns me, together with teh extreme rapidity of burning once it catches..

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

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