▁a ▁slower ▁rate , ▁resulting ▁in ▁sust ained ▁output . ▁Many ▁soft wood s ▁are ▁derived ▁from ▁con if ers , ▁which ▁are ▁fast ▁growing ▁and ▁may ▁burn ▁at ▁a ▁faster ▁rate . ▁This ▁is ▁one ▁reason ▁why ▁soft wood ▁pel lets ▁( for ▁pel let ▁st ov es ) ▁are ▁popular . ▁ ▁The ▁primary ▁advantage ▁of ▁hard wood s ▁are ▁that ▁they ▁tend ▁to ▁contain ▁more ▁potential ▁energy ▁than ▁the ▁same ▁volume ▁of ▁a ▁soft wood , ▁thus ▁increasing ▁the ▁amount ▁of ▁potential ▁heat ▁that ▁can ▁be ▁stack ed ▁into ▁one ▁st ov elo ad . ▁Hard wood ▁tends ▁to ▁form ▁and ▁maintain ▁a ▁bed ▁of ▁hot ▁co als , ▁which ▁release ▁lower ▁amounts ▁of ▁heat ▁for ▁a ▁long ▁time . ▁Hard wood s ▁are ▁ideal ▁for ▁long , ▁low ▁burn s , ▁especially ▁in ▁st ov es ▁with ▁a ▁poor ▁ability ▁to ▁sust ain ▁a ▁low ▁burn , ▁or ▁in ▁m ild ▁weather ▁when ▁high ▁heat ▁output ▁is ▁not ▁required . ▁ ▁So ft wood s , ▁in ▁contrast , ▁tend ▁to ▁burn ▁hot ▁and ▁fast ▁with ▁little ▁co aling . ▁They ▁may ▁leave ▁less ▁ash ▁than ▁hard wood s . ▁So ft wood s ▁are ▁ideal ▁for ▁fast , ▁hot ▁burn s . ▁They ▁produce ▁excellent ▁heat ▁and ▁do ▁not ▁fill ▁the ▁st ove ▁with ▁co als , ▁a ▁frequent ▁problem ▁for ▁those ▁pushing ▁their ▁hard wood - f ired ▁st ov es ▁hard ▁to ▁get ▁the ▁maximum ▁possible ▁heat ▁out ▁of ▁them . ▁ ▁Not ▁all ▁hard wood