Should I Burn Hardwood Or Softwood Pellets

Softwood pellets burn hotter than hardwood pellets.

Should i burn hardwood or softwood pellets. There s a couple reasons for this total turnaround when it comes to pellets. This is completely different than normal firewood heating in which hardwood i e. As a result folks who heat with wood pellets tend to use softwood pellets during winter and supplement. Therefore unlike firewood in a woodstove softwood pellets will have the same high density as hardwood pellets and will burn just as clean as hardwood pellets if the bark is removed.

Softwood pellets produce more heat meaning they have a higher btu output. Should i burn hardwood pellets or softwood pellets we think this is a very personal decision. Oak hickory etc is a far greater heat source than softwoods i e. It s all about choosing the right fuel for you based on a variety of things including your stove your budget and the amount of maintenance you re willing to do.

The real distinction wood species between hardwood and softwood is not the deciding factor in pellet quality. A good clean softwood pellet will look nice and pure almost blonde in color. There should be no bark in them and therefore no pitch. Hardwood pellets are often sold as premium pellets and costs more than softwood pellets.

The pellet stove and how it is operated can influence how clean the pellets burn. This is counter intuitive for anyone who is used to burning standard non pellet wood since hardwood always burns hotter in standard cord wood form. People ask us all the time.