Buy right firewood for cold temps

With cold temps around the corner andborderland residentslooking to warm up, ABC-7talked to some heating specialists…well, sort of.

Peoplehave mentioned how they want to crank up that fire pit or fireplace, so ABC-7 caught up with a local firewood seller in town.

“Every time it gets cold we usually get a pick up in business,” said Ricky’s Paintball manager Albert Valdez.

Ricky’s Paintball, off of Zaragosa Road,sells firewood.

“People think that wood is wood,” said Valdez.

But Valdez tellsABC-7,that isn’t the case.

“A lot of people don’t realize there aredifferent kinds of woods,” said Valdez.

It turns out the difference in the firewood can make or break a chilly evening.

“I always ask them, is it for the inside of your house, is it used for heating, are you going to use it for cooking or are you going to use it for outside your house just to keep warm,” said Valdez.

Ricky’s Paintballhas several types of fire wood.

Valdez tells ABC-7 some woods like Douglas fir, pine and pinion, don’t really cut it.

Those woods arenice, decorative and will burn, butthey wont last.

“Always when you’re buying wood, make sure and buy hardwood,” said Valdez.

Valdez says hardwood will give youmore bang for your buck.

Hardwood like Mesquite burns hot and for a long time, and juniper gives that pine forest smell, Valdez says.

He tellsABC-7 keeping warm isn’t the only reason his customers buy the wood.

“We have a lot of people that are buying for fireplaces because they’re figuring out it’s cheaper to buy firewood and heat up your home than to use an electrical furnace or anything like that,” said Valdez.

But when all is said and done, it’s just something about a fire that makes for an interesting night.

“When you light up a fire and you’re staring at it, it relaxes you, it soothes the mind, it’s real relaxing, soothing, it’s some kinda of therapy,” said Valdez.

For people with fire pits,remember there is an open fire ban within the city limits.

But fire officials tell ABC-7 fire pits can be used as long as the fire is contained, meaning the pit does have to have a grade or some kind of cover on it.