Picking up wood

There was an interesting item recently on BBC Radio Four's You and Yours programme about wood theft from forests.  Although many people think it's fine to pick up any wood which you may see lying around if you're out on a walk in woods or a forest, it is actually theft and you  need to get permission from the landowner before collecting wood. Apparently, some offices of the Forestry Commission offer members of the public the possibility of purchasing the rather wonderfully titled Firewood Scavenging Permit which will allow you to pick up wood for your woodburner. Rotting wood is an important part of the forest ecosystem, which is why landowners don't want it all taken away.

It is, however, legal to pick up drift wood from a public beach below the high water mark!

We'd always advise caution when using wood you've picked up yourself anyway as you need to leave it to dry out first and this takes a long time. We sell moisture meters at Westcombes which will help you to work out when your wood is ready to use.  Never use unseasoned, damp wood as it will not burn properly, will produce a lot of smoke and can clog up your chimney and stain the glass.

We sell a range of kiln-dried logs, kindling and flamers which we always recommend to our customers as you will find it easier to light your stove and it will burn more effectively and efficiently.

Happy New Year

We wanted to take the opportunity to say thank you to all our customers past and present, and to wish you all a very happy 2014.

It has been a busy year for us, and we've been extending our range of woodburners, stoves and fireplaces (now we just need to find time to add them all to the website!)

Our wonderful logs, kindling and flamers have proved popular along with our smokeless coal, and it has been great to see so many of you coming back to stock up on fuel.

Happy New Year from all the team at Westcombes!

How to light your fire or stove?

We're often asked how to light a fire or stove, as the art of fire-lighting is no longer something we're taught as we're growing up. Although it's nearly summer, it's still very chilly outside and we've got our woodburner blazing away to keep us cosy, so we thought we'd bring a timely reminder of how to light a fire or stove.

First, you need to prepare your stove or fireplace. Check that the damper is open, and that the air vents on your stove are all open,

Then, lay your kindling.  We like to use either our flamers firelighters - or some scrunched newspaper - which we place inside across the base.  Then, make a pyramid of kindling on top.

Light the paper or flamers, and once the kindling begins to burn you can layer some slightly larger pieces of wood, and as soon as the fire is established, put on your coal or logs.

You will need to tend to the fire or stove to top up the fuel as necessary.  You should always make sure that you have a smoke alarm in the same room and don't ever leave the fire unattended.

Finally, it's worth remembering that using the right fuel is key to lighting a fire successfully.  All too often, we've had customers reporting problems when they've been using damp unseasoned wood - it makes it really difficult to light a fire, and what's more it will fill your chimney with soot and tar.  The kiln-dried logs we sell here at Westcombes are ideal - and that's why people who've bought them tend to keep coming back for more.  Once you've used dried logs, you'll know why it makes such a difference!

April showers

It may be good for the garden and after so many dry months, we do need some rain but the grey skies and drizzle outside feel rather gloomy after the sunny weather we've enjoyed in recent months.  There's no better way to cheer up a chilly spring evening than to light a fire or stove for some instant warmth and cosiness.  We're well stocked up with kiln-dried logs and kindling here at Westcombes if you need supplies - and if you don't have a fire or stove,  come and choose from our huge selection!