Need to know whats safe to burn in my fireplace !?

Question

Ok, its pretty bad weather in upstate NY right now. Luckily I have power but my family members lost power and may not have in it in their area for a while. In their house they have a fireplace but used up all their dry seasoned wood. Our house has tons of boxes, packaging peanuts and newspapers in the basement but theyre unsure if its safe to burn it. Also what else could they burn for heat. They live in a wooded area but certain trees your not supposed to burn. Also how about particle bored or anything else that would be in a house they could burn for heat.

Any tips would be helpful thanks !

Answer 1

You can burn the black & white print newspaper pages, but not the glossed/shiney ones. NO plastic or rubber, styrofoam of any type. Those little peanuts is a no no too! Such things produce CAUSTIC smoke, that can KILL a person or pets, and can damage the enviroment. And ... DO NOT burn funrniture that has been treated or has a top coat on it, such as polyurethane or other.

Seasoned wood that has been sitting for 1 yr. can be burned. Boxes, dry papers such as cardboard, and you can burn old paneling.

DO NOT burn any wood that has poison Oak or Ivy on it, the smoke from the fire will give you a bad rash.

They can burn old books they no longer want, papers that are dry and not coated with anything. They can ALSO use pine cones, Cow pooh, and other DRY animal droppings as igniting fuel. This is the way Native Americans started fires. They used Buffalo & other animal droppings.

You will want kindling too, small sticks and such, and paper products.

Place your kindling in the fireplace, then with the larger logs build a little teepee out of the wood. This allows the fire to breathe and to start better. Light the kindling and keep adding more kindline, until you have the fire going good. And REMEMBER to keep an eye on it, so it won't go out. Keep adding logs as needed.

Attempts to burn improper items such as scrap lumber, vegetation or even parts of a Christmas Tree can create an excessively large and hot fire that actually damages the fireplace and chimney or suddenly becomes uncontrollable. Each year, people lose their homes to such fires, which often spread quickly. However Small amounts of CHEMICAL-FREE scrap lumber can be used. But remember most lumber is treated, and what they use to treat is CAN cause too hot a fire, or even caustic smoke.

Answer 2

Don't burn anything that isn't natural (besides those fake logs you can buy); it can release hazardous fumes and smell awful, so pass on the packing peanuts and anything else of that sort. This also includes particle board, as it contains lots of toxic chemicals. I'd skip the newspapers because they'll burn out quickly and not provide any lasting heat, plus they can get stuck up in the chimney and cause a blockage. I'd risk burning wood you found in the area over any of the aforementioned.

I'd strongly recommend your family seek other shelter, either with a friend/family member or public shelter, if the situation is that dire. I hope they're doing OK!

Answer 3

DO NOT BURN PAPER OR PLASTIC!! If seasoned wood is not available,burn 2 to 3 inch diameter green wood.Plywood,particle board etc all contain resins,don't burn them either.Next would be pallets or skids.They are made of hardwoods with no additives.You can burn pine.poplar,spruce etc. just be sure to keep the chimney clean. once a year is fine.

Answer 4

You can burn paper products but DO NOT burn packing peanuts as they are styrofoam and will emit dangerous gas. Also, do not burn plastic as it melts and will drip. (I burned my finger to the bone because someone put a little plastic in our fireplace and I was stoking the fire. The plastic dripped on my ring finger. It took months to heal.)

Answer 5

BOXES...if the cardboard boxes do not have anything printed on them, they should be fine, they will burn kinda quick though.
PACKING PEANUTS...NO NO NO NO NO!!! enough said.
NEWSPAPER...ya. but they burn super fast and are generaly used more just for helping to start a fire in a fireplace.
PARTICLE BOARD...ya, so long as there isnt any paint on it.
NO PAINT, PLASTIC, OR EXCESSIVE INK.

Answer 6

do you have access to one of those newspaper roller machines that turn newspaper into logs? they work great. there's a big crank on the side. they turn old newspaper into solid logs that burn almost as long as real wood. as for wood thats safe to burn: use only solid wood, dont use anything with glue or chemicals like plywood, chipboard, pressure-treated, etc.

Answer 7

You may burn any hard-wood (oak,hickory, etc.), commercial fire logs but do not burn any material producing creosote, particularly pine wood.

Answer 8

If your neighbors are not home and they have wood siding on their house it would be excellent to burn. Or any of their furniture would be fine also but stick to all wood things though like tables or nightstands.

Answer 9

severed limbs

Answer 10

Please consult your local fire department they have info handy. Good luck.