Getting a lie-in as the clocks change

Winter is fast approaching, already the mornings are dark and the days short with limited time to take in the logs from the log store and empty the ash so having a log store situated close to the house is always useful, as is having an outside light!

Our Dorset Log Stores come in a wide range of sizes

to suit most locations and budgets 

Getting the fire lit in the evening and snuggling up feeling cosy from the glow of an open fire or log burner is a very satisfying feeling, better still if a lovely candle is flickering on the mantle piece and your favourite TV programme is on.

Fireside accessories
and baskets add style
to any fireplace

You probably have a bedtime routine that means you stir through the embers to make sure they are under control ensuring there is nothing likely to stray from the grate, put up the fire guard and make sure the candle is out before you head up to bed and after a few nights it becomes the norm. How many times have you wondered if you did those things, only to wander down to the cold and realise that you did them without thinking?

Do you have the same habit when it comes to testing your smoke alarm though? Ideally your smoke alarm should be tested once a week, a quick poke with the vacuum cleaner pole will usually get the desired result without having to balance on chairs or get the ladder out.  We are urged by the Fire Brigade to use the end of British Summer Time this weekend to do the #TickTockTest to check the battery. 

Did you know that in England an average of 7,600 chimney fires occur every year? If you haven't yet had your chimney swept, you might like check out our how-to sweep a chimney blog or find a local chimney sweep. According to statistics, in the majority of fatal house fires, smoke alarms were either absent or did not go off - and a common cause was missing or flat batteries. Sadly over 50% of house fire deaths are amongst the over 65s so as well as checking your own smoke alarm, take a few minutes to check that of an elderly relative or neighbour. 

Having made the life saving decision to check your smoke alarm battery or install a new alarm, you can enjoy the extra hour in bed courtesy of the end of British Summer Time!

For more information on our log stores, you can leave a comment below or call us on 01300 345916 to speak to a member of the Dorset Log Stores team.

Thanks for reading.
Phillip

Time to get the log store ready for winter

October is here, bringing with it the reduced day-light hours as the clocks get set to change and shorter, colder days make us realise that we don't have long to get ready for keeping ourselves warm this winter.

Choosing your log store

If you are still keeping logs in an untidy pile under a tarpaulin, and feeling less than satisfied when you try and get damp logs to burn, then perhaps it's time to consider purchasing a log store.  See our blog What to look for when choosing a log store 

All Dorset Log Stores are made to the highest quality, using only the finest pressure treated timbers.  Each log store is designed with a 3/4 inch gap between each board to provide superior air flow, minimising the time it takes for your logs to dry. 

If you already have a log store

Before you stack your log store full of logs, it is worth dragging out any remaining logs and giving the inside and outside a thorough sweeping.  Aside from a few cobwebs, which cause limited inconvenience, you are likely to come across leaves that may be blocking the airflow or creating damp spots, or creatures moving in for hibernation.  And whilst we are pleased to make room for the odd hedgehog that wants to make the log store their winter home, we are less impressed when we take the logs indoors on an wintry evening and are confronted with sleepy wasps!

Preserving your log store

All our log stores are made of FSC Swedish Redwood that has been treated against fungal attack and rot by the Tanalith-E® process (pressure treatment), a modern, environmentally friendly treatment to prolong the life of your log store. And we offer a 15 year warranty with all Dorset Log Stores, Garden Stores & Wheelie Bin Stores against fungal attack and rot. 

  

That said, depending on the age and location of your log store, green or brown fungal growth may be visible, this can be scrubbed off with a stiff brush before it takes hold and makes the log store look unsightly.

Having emptied, brushed and scrubbed, the next step would be to pick a dry day to apply two coats of Restol wood oil to the exterior and roof (if timber) to ensure a weather-proof log store, which will look even smarter.  It is a high quality linseed based oil that dries quickly and is especially good for pressure treated timber.

Stacking logs

When your new logs finally arrive, and you see the massive task ahead to get them all stacked, try to resist the urge to just throw them in!  Stacking logs in neat rows will allow air to circulate, helping to dry and season the wood ready for easy burning. Further more, on those dark evenings when it's time to fetch the logs in, you won't have to worry that logs will fall on you, or on any children that might feel the temptation to climb or hide in the log store. See our 'How To Stack Logs' blog.

The Arch Log Store

For more information on our log stores, you can leave a comment below or call us on 01300 345916 to speak to a member of the Dorset Log Stores team. 


Thanks for Reading.
Phillip