For most people, thinking about firewood is the last thing on their mind in the spring. They are just finishing their burning season and in their minds, winter is a long way away. But the smartest, most experienced firewood users know that right now, before summer, is the time when they should be stocking up on firewood.
Most people wait until the last minute and buy their firewood in the fall. Some may even think they are buying their wood ahead of time by buying it in the late summer. Buy I hear a lot of stories from people who buy their winter supply of firewood late in the season and then commonly end up spending the whole winter struggling to stay warm trying to burn wood that is not dry or seasoned.
Firewood can appear to be dry on the outside and may even have cracks but may still be full of water or sap on the inside. The sap inside green wood can take a whole summer to dry depending on the drying conditions.
The best way to ensure you have fully seasoned firewood is to buy your wood before the summer and dry it yourself. When you buy your wood ahead of time you can buy it green, usually for a lower price than that of seasoned firewood. Late in the season is when everyone else is buying their wood and that is when firewood prices are more likely to increase. Early in the year demand for firewood is lower and you can usually find better prices.
What the Really Experienced Firewood Users Do
The really experienced firewood users buy their wood a year in advance. They already have their wood for next winter that they got last year. Now this spring they are stocking up for the winter after next. This way their wood has over a year to dry and they always have a year supply of wood on hand.
This may not work so well for people who do not have the space for two years supply of firewood but for those who do, they always know they will have dry wood and they are a full year ahead of price increases. This method can also be good for consumers who have a hard time paying for a full year supply all at once. Since you are buying your wood so far ahead of time you can buy a little at a time throughout the year as your budget allows.