Firelogs won’t spark, and though they may split when burning, mostly they just sit in one place, slowly deteriorating. As wood burns it can pop and send out sparks that may even pass through your screen. Wood fires need constant attention, and even when the flame is out, hot coals may smolder for hours. They light without fuss, burn steadily for two to three hours, and when they’re done you have only a small pile of ash to sweep up. The main attraction of firelogs is that they’re easy. Don’t expect to dry your wet mittens by an artificial-log fire.Īrtificial firelogs look cozy and warm, but they produce very little useful heat compared with wood. During the same three-hour burn with cordwood, you could use up to 25 pounds of split logs, generating a whole lot more heat per fire. The catch, however, is that per manufacturer instructions, you should burn only one firelog at a time. The site Science 2.0 explains that the heat content of standard white oak cordwood is about 6,983 BTU per pound, and a 5-pound firelog’s heat content runs from 12,000 to about 14,000 BTU per pound. However, firelogs don’t produce as much of one of the most beneficial byproducts of burning wood: heat. The manufacturers claim that burning firelogs produces 80 percent fewer fine particles and 75 percent less carbon monoxide, and independent studies (PDF) verify these claims. Because they’re made from recycled materials, firelogs have been promoted as being more environmentally friendly than regular wood logs, and as producing less emissions, including carbon monoxide. Most are made from postindustrial sawdust, cellulose, and waxes. Photo: Grant ClauserĪrtificial firelogs are basically big candles. Just don’t roast your chestnuts over them. Artificial firelogs, made mostly from sawdust and wax, create much of the ambiance of a real wood fire, with less of the work.
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