Firewood Racks Help Add Warmth on Cold Winter Days

With winter approaching, many people turn to concerns about utilities and heat. With the economy in recession, more and more people are turning to wood burning stoves and fireplace inserts to help with heating their homes. Firewood racks help store the wood needed to get through long winter days.

If you are thinking about buying a firewood rack, you may want to consider the following tips:

- Quality of material. What is the rack made of? Is it made of a solid metal or steel? If you are storing your wood outside, you will want a firewood rack that will hold a large quantity of wood and be able to withstand harsh winter weather. Some firewood racks are only weather-resistant, or are built with an inexpensive metal and sprayed with a coating. These racks may not last the entire winter season without deteriorating. If you are unsure about a specific firewood rack that you are considering, or are having doubts about, move on to another store or item. Investing in quality firewood racks is a smart idea that will pay off over time.

- Size of firewood racks. How much wood will you be storing? Most wood is purchased by the cord. A cord of wood is a tightly stacked grouping of wood that is 4 x 4 x 8 in size (or 128 cubic feet of wood). If you will be storing a full cord or more than one cord of wood, you will either need a large firewood rack or several firewood racks. When making your purchase decision, know what size will suit your needs for storage.

- Manufacturer of the firewood rack. You will want a manufacturer with a good reputation. Check consumer reviews on the internet. If you are hearing positive comments and reviews from other buyers of firewood racks, that is a good sign. If you cannot find reviews or the comments are negative, you may want to keep looking.

- Is it an interior or exterior firewood rack? Some racks are designed and built for interior use only. These tend to be more decorative in design and manufacture. However, interior firewood racks are a great convenience. You do not have to travel outside in the harsh winter weather to grab firewood from an outside rack. If you are unsure about a firewood rack that you are considering, talk to the sales representative at the store. He or she should be very knowledgeable about the items that are being sold and should be able to answer all of your questions.

- Cost of the rack. Expensive doesn't always mean better. Shop around for firewood racks that suit your budget needs. You may be able to find the firewood rack that you love at different stores or on internet shops. If so, try to find the best deal. You can always call the store and tell them that you found a better price elsewhere and see if they will match it. Also, ask the sales representative about the warranty provided by the store or the manufacturer. Make sure that the seller has a thirty-day return or exchange policy. You want to be comfortable with your purchase decision