All About Wood


Frequently asked questions about wood
  1. What is a fireplace Insert?
  2. What is a Btu?
  3. Is there a difference between hardwood and softwood?
  4. How much wood will I use?
  5. What is a cord?
  6. Will a fan improve the heating?
  7. What is the difference between Tempered & Ceramic glass?
  8. Do I need a CO2 detector?
  9. Do I need a building permit?
  10. How long does it take to install a fireplace?
  11. What do I do if my question is not answered by this FAQ?


Answers to questions about wood
What is a fireplace Insert? This type of fireplace is designed to be installed into an existing masonry fireplace and makes use of the existing masonry chimney.
What is a BTU? "British Thermal Unit" - technically speaking it is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 lb of water by 1 degree fahrenheit. However, it is useful for comparing the energy inputs and outputs of various fireplace models.
Is there a difference between hardwood and softwood? Hardwood contains about 29.03 million Btu per cord. Softwood contains about 17.74 million Btu per cord.
Following is a list of wood species from hardest to softest:
Ironwood, rock elm, hickory, oak, sugar maple, beech, yellow birch, ash, red elm, red maple, tamarack, douglas fir, white birch, manitoba maple, red alder, hemlock, poplar, pine, basswood, spruce, balsam.
How much wood will I use? A fireplace with an input rating of 50,000 Btu requires 50,000 Btu of wood per hour. Therefore, one cord of hardwood will last about 580 hours.
What is a cord? Firewood is measured in cords. A full cord measures 4' x 8' x 4'. Many firewood dealers sell wood in 'face cords' or 'stove cords', which measure 16" x 8' x 4' (1 full cord = 3 face cords).
Will a fan improve the heating? Yes. Heat radiates from the front of the fireplace into the room. Additional heat from other parts of the fireplace can be blown into the room using a fan.
What is the difference between Tempered & Ceramic glass? Tempered glass reflects heat, whereas heat can radiate through ceramic glass. Therefore, ceramic glass will allow more heat to pass into the room.
Do I need a CO2 detector? A CO2 detector is mandatory.
Do I need a building permit? A building permit is required for the installation of a wood fireplace.
How long does it take to install a fireplace? About 1 day to install the basic unit and then another 2-3 days for finishing (depends upon the type of finishes chosen)
What do I do if my question is not answered by this FAQ? See the Contact Us section for information on how to ask Hubert Heating for more information.