It’s a repetitive sound that we’ve all heard on countless occasions: the sound of the activity within a fire. The crackling or popping varies in volume minute by minute as the flames proceed.
We’re all so familiar with it that you’d be forgiven for never having considered where the noise comes from and what it means.
This article looks to answer that query so you can fully understand why the crackling occurs at all the next time you get your fireplace roaring.
Answering the crackling fire question
As you might be aware, every piece of wood has some moisture content in it. It’s impossible to get 0% moisture in any wooden log. There are ways to remove moisture from logs, but it will only take out some, or hopefully most, of the moisture within the wood.
Perhaps the largest contributor to the crackling sound that you hear when your fire is burning is the moisture escaping from the logs. Generally, the more moisture in your wooden logs, the more crackling that you’ll hear.
It’s a chemical reaction happening in front of your very eyes; when the moisture inside the logs starts to boil due to the intense temperature it’s facing, the pressure within any gaps in the wooden logs will rise, thus resulting in the noise we hear when the moisture is transformed into vapour.
Not only does a lot of crackling indicate that there’s more moisture than there probably should be in your logs, but it also means that the moisture content within the logs is likely to give off emittants that aren’t always safe to be around. Remember though, that a little bit of crackling is fine because you won’t be able to remove all the moisture.
Less crackle, better flames
Logs that are certified as Ready to Burn are below the moisture threshold, thus being safe to light. If you hear lots of crackling from your wood, there’s a reasonable chance that it may not be Ready to Burn approved.
Deciding to opt for wood with a low moisture content is a smart decision. It means that you’ll receive more efficient flames increased in duration and strength, adding greater value to the money you’ve spent on your logs – even if this does mean you’ll hear less crackling!
Thankfully, every HouseFuel product is Ready to Burn approved with a moisture content below 20%, deemed smokeless and safe. You can explore our range of kiln-dried wood and Warm Glow Heat Logs online.
What else does HouseFuel supply? You can find out here as we have an array of smokeless wood and coal options that will provide you with excellent value for money and great performance.