Firelogs

My mother is in her 80's and chopping wood and making kindling is something that isn't possible for her.

She has a great woodstove for emergencies and a bit of dry seasoned wood.

When I visit her on my days off, I always build a fire in her woodstove for her to supplement her regular heat.

I got a couple of cases of those duraflame logs that are easy to light and I also got her a bunch of pres-to logs. The presto logs put out a lot of heat, but they are a real bitch to get burning unless there is already a fire going.

I experimented with cutting a presto log in half and then busting off several rounds from a presto log and constructing it all so that the presto log would catch as the duraflame did its thing and letting it burn.

It worked well and required no kindling and all she has to do to bust off a piece of a presto log is to drop it against a brick (they are really brittle.)


Now I see that Duraflame logs aren't supposed to be used in wood stoves.

What the hell? That stove is 40 years old and nearly 1/3 inch thick steel. We've burned Oak and Madrone in it and it can handle the heat, so I don't think it is a heat matter.


Why the hell wouldn't they be ok in a wood stove?


I don't get it.