Hearth and Home Technologies C-40 Wood Fuel Hardwood vs. Softwood, Moisture content, Seasoning

CAUTION

ALL wiring should be done by a qualified electrician and shall be in compliance with local codes and with the National Electric Code NFPA/NEC No. 70-current (in the United States), or with the current CSC22.1 Canadian Electric Code (in Canada).

I. Wood Fuel

Hardwood vs. Softwood

Your fireplace’s performance depends a great deal on the quality of the firewood you use. Contrary to popular belief, one species of wood varies very little to the other in terms of energy content. All seasoned wood, regardless of species, contains about 8,000 BTU’s per pound. The important factor is that hardwoods have a greater density than softwoods. Therefore, a piece of hardwood will con- tain about 60% more BTU’s than an equal size piece of softwood. Since firewood is commonly sold by the cord (128 cu. ft) a volume measurement, a cord of seasoned oak (hardwood) would contain about 60% more potential energy than a cord of seasoned pine (softwood).

There are many definitions of hardwood and softwood. Although not true in every case, one of the most reli- able is to classify them as coniferous or deciduous. Softwoods are considered coniferous. These are trees with needle-like leaves that stay green all year and carry their seeds exposed in a cone. Examples of softwood trees are Douglas fir, pine, spruce and cedar. Softwoods, being more porous, require less time to dry, burn faster and are easier to ignite than hardwoods. Deciduous trees are broadleaf trees that lose their leaves in the fall. Their seeds are usually found within a protective pod or enclosure. Hardwoods fall into this category. Some examples of deciduous trees are oak, maple, apple, and birch. However, it should be noted that there are some deciduous trees that are definitely not considered hardwoods such as poplar, aspen and alder. Hardwoods require more time to season, burn slower and are usually harder to ignite than softwoods. Obviously, you will use the type of wood that is most readily available in your area. However, if at all possible the best arrangement is to have a mix of softwood and hardwood. This way you can use the softwood for starting the fire giving off quick heat to bring the appliance up to operating temperature. Then add the hardwood for slow, even heat and longer burn time.

Moisture content

Regardless of which species of wood you burn, the single most important factor that affects the way your fireplace operates is the amount of moisture in the wood. The majority of the problems fireplace owners experience are caused by trying to burn wet, unseasoned wood. Freshly cut wood can be as much water as it is wood, having a moisture content of around 50%. Imagine a wooden bucket that weighs about 8 pounds. Fill it with a gallon of water, put it in the firebox and try to burn it. This sounds ridiculous but that is exactly what you are doing if you burn unseasoned wood. Dead wood lying on the forest floor should be considered wet, and requires full seasoning time. Standing dead wood can be considered to be about two-thirds seasoned, if cut at the dry time of the year.

The problems with burning wet, unseasoned wood are two fold. First, you will receive less heat output from wet wood because it requires energy in the form of heat to evaporate the water trapped inside. This is wasted energy that should be used for heating your home. Secondly, this moisture evaporates in the form of steam which has a cooling effect in your firebox and chimney system. When combined with tar and other organic vapors from burn- ing wood it will form creosote which condenses in the relatively cool firebox and chimney. See the maintenance section of this manual for more information regarding creosote formation and need for removal.

Even dry wood contains at least 15% moisture by weight, and should be burned hot enough to keep the chimney hot for as long as it takes to dry the wood out - about one hour. To tell if wood is dry enough to burn, check the ends of the logs. If there are cracks radiating in all directions from the center, it is dry. If your wood sizzles in the fire, even though the surface is dry, it may not be fully cured.

Seasoning

Seasoned firewood is nothing more than wood that is cut to size, split and air dried to a moisture content of around 20%. The time it takes to season wood varies from around nine months for soft woods to as long as eighteen months for hardwoods. The key to seasoning wood is to be sure it has been split, exposing the wet interior and increasing the surface area of each piece. A tree that was cut down a year ago and not split is likely to have almost as high a moisture content now as it did when it was cut.

November 11, 2008 Heatilator • Constitution EPA Fireplace • 480-1091C Page 47