If your fire is fizzling instead of roaring, hissing like a snake, or painting your glass door with black gunk — spoiler alert: you’re probably burning wet wood. And if you’ve been blaming your stove, your chimney, or even the weather, it’s time for a little firewood intervention.

At OneStopFuel, we produce premium kiln-dried firewood that’s ready to burn, not steam. Here's how to tell when your logs are more swamp than spark — and what to do about it.

1. Your Fire Hisses Like a Cat on a Bad Day

That sizzling, hissing sound when you toss a log on the fire? It's not the sound of a strong burn — it's moisture boiling inside the wood. Wet wood contains up to 50% water, and your fire has to waste precious energy evaporating that before it can actually heat your room.

The Fix:
Use kiln-dried firewood with a moisture content below 20%. Certified firewood (like ours 🙌) burns hotter and faster — no angry hissing involved.

2. You See More Smoke Than Flame

If your living room looks like a scene from a ghost movie every time you open the stove, your firewood is almost certainly too wet. Excess moisture leads to thick, white or grey smoke, which is bad for your lungs, your flue, and the environment.

The Fix:
Look for Woodsure Ready to Burn certified logs. Our kiln-dried hardwood burns clean with minimal smoke, keeping the air (and your glass doors) crystal clear.

3. Your Stove Glass Turns Black Fast

Does your glass turn black after one or two burns, no matter how hot the fire gets? That’s creosote buildup — the sticky, sooty residue from unburnt fuel — and it’s one of the clearest signs your wood is wet and struggling to combust.

The Fix:
Burning dry logs reduces soot buildup drastically. That means less cleaning, more cozy evenings, and a longer life for your stove.

4. Your Logs Are Heavy and Feel Cold or Damp

Quick tip: if your log feels like a brick and smells a bit musty, it’s probably still full of water. Dry wood is light and can even have visible cracks on the ends, and feels warm to the touch. Don’t let a pretty-looking log fool you — the weight tells the truth.

The Fix:
Only burn wood that’s been properly dried and stored. Bonus points if it’s kiln-dried, stacked neatly, and delivered straight to your door (hey, that’s us!).

5. It Takes Forever to Get Going (and Still Doesn’t Stay Lit)

If your fire needs constant attention, won’t catch easily, and gives up halfway through, chances are your logs are holding onto more moisture than a sponge. Wet wood resists ignition and chokes out your flame instead of feeding it.

The Fix:
Dry wood ignites fast and burns steady. Pair our kiln-dried firewood with quality kindling, and your fire will start first time, every time — no begging, no babysitting.

Avoiding Wet Wood — the OneStopFuel Way

Here’s how to make sure you’re always burning clean, efficient, soul-warming firewood:

• Buy kiln-dried hardwood from a certified producer.
• Look for Woodsure Ready to Burn and EPA compliance.
• Store your firewood properly — off the ground, covered but ventilated.
• Avoid mystery logs from the back of a shed or supermarket parking lot.

Burning wet wood is like trying to make toast in a rainstorm — frustrating, smoky, and ultimately pointless. With the right fuel, your fire will start quicker, burn hotter, and leave far less mess behind.

At OneStopFuel, we produce and deliver kiln-dried, certified, ready-to-burn firewood and kindling across Ireland — so you never have to play the wet wood guessing game again.

Warmth, efficiency, and zero drama. That’s how we do fire.