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Style Magazine

Ask the Experts

Oct 05, 2012 09:21AM ● By Style

Q: What kind of wood should I burn in my wood fireplace?

A: The most important thing to know about what kind of wood to burn is that it needs to be dry and seasoned. Wet or “green” fresh-cut wood will create more problems for the stove or fireplace operation and produce more creosote in the chimney. In our area, oak is the preferred wood for the highest BTU output and longest burn time. It’s always a good idea to have a soft wood on hand, like cedar, to use for starting your fire. Manzanita is plentiful in El Dorado County but is not recommended, as it burns dangerously hot.

Country Elegance
4496 Missouri Flat Road, Placerville
530-622-9338, countryeleganceplacerville.com

 

Q: When should a decision about entering a hospice program be made, and who should make it?

A: Hospice care is ideal for people with six months or less to live, if the disease they have runs its normal course. Oftentimes, patients have an end-stage illness such as cancer, cardiac disease, lung disease, kidney disease, AIDS or a neurological disorder. The decision to start hospice is an emotional one; the conversation is often started by a physician, then continued by the patient, their family and friends, as they decide that they desire to change from curative measures to those of comfort.

 — Jennifer Eells, Community Outreach Coordinator
Snowline Hospice of
 El Dorado County, Inc.
6520 Pleasant Valley Road,
Diamond Springs
530-621-7820, snowlinehospice.org