It’s been one of the big home interior trends of the last few years – installing a wood burning stove. If you’ve been considering getting a stove for your home then there are several big advantages to doing so.
Cost Savings on Monthly Fuel Bills
Wood burners are more environmentally friendly than many other sorts of fuel, like oil, coal or gas. Wood is a “carbon neutral” fuel – that means that it emits only as much carbon as the tree absorbed when growing in the first place. As wood burners have this carbon neutral effect, some heating systems using a wood burner or wood fired boiler qualify for the government’s renewable heat incentive, slashing your bills further. Wood is a resource which we are not going to run out o, unlike fossil fuels.
You Don’t Need a Chimney
Unlike coal or wood fires in a traditional fireplace, wood burning stoves don’t require a chimney. That means that whatever the style of your property, you can easily find the ideal location for a stove. In most cases, it’s easiest to locate your wood burner on an exterior wall as this makes locating the flue easy. Get a wood burning stove expert in to give advice on what size and type of stove is the best match for your needs.
Smoke Control Areas
There are lots of parts of the UK designated as “smoke control areas”. If you live in one of these areas you won’t be allowed to have a fire, unless it uses special smokeless fuel. Get caught with an unauthorised coal fire, and you could be fined up to £1000. Many wood burning stoves fall into the approved category, so you can still have the cosy warmth of a real fire and keep on the right side of the law. Just make sure you are buying the correct sort of fuel for your woodburner.
Wide Selection of Styles and Models
The boom in popularity of wood burning stoves has led to a much greater selection of styles, models, shapes and sizes on the UK market. Choose a traditional stove if you hanker after the country cottage look, or a cutting-edge contemporary design for a modern home. Speak to a specialist retailer about what capacity of stove you’ll need if you are thinking about using your stove for heating water as well as for heating your home. You’ll also need to get the professionals in to fit it, and make sure it is properly ventilated.
Efficiency
It’s been estimated that 90% of the heat from a traditional open fire disappears straight up the chimney. If you’d rather heat your room rather than the air above your house, then a wood burner is far more efficient. Around 75% - 80% of the heat generated stays in your home. Wood burners also operate efficiently, providing very low quantities of ash when compared with coal or open wood fires. If you choose seasoned wood, this will make your wood burner more efficient still.
Cost of a wood burning stove
Expect to pay from £500 for a decent 4kw wood burning stove. You can expect to pay between £700-£1,000 for installation of the appliance itself, but each project is unique, so costs vary.
