Wood burning stoves seem to be enjoying something of a renaissance, perhaps as more people look for ways to reduce their heating bills as well as their carbon footprint. With wood burning stoves available in a variety of styles and size, they are proving to be a popular addition to many homes. Read on to find out about some of the benefits of this form of room heating.
Wood burning stoves are certainly not a new type of product but they offer an excellent form of room heating as well as sometimes having the option of a back-boiler for hot water. From an environmental perspective, wood is considered to be carbon zero providing that the wood is from a sustainable source, as the carbon dioxide emitted during burning is the same as that which the tree would have absorbed when alive. As long as new trees are planted to replace those cut down, this results in much lower emissions than fossil fuels even allowing for transportation etc. Of course, the more local the wood source, therefore the better. In addition, waste wood which might otherwise be sent to landfill could be used in wood burning stoves.
From an aesthetic point of view, there are a wide variety of stove designs available, some with a more traditional look and others suitable for a more modern home. The size required will depend on the space available and the space the stove is required to heat, and a reputable installation company can advise on this.
A typical wood burning stove might cost in the region of £2000 whilst fuel costs will vary considerably dependant on use of the stove as well as whether wood is bought locally, transported some distance or is available for free.
The installation of wood burning stoves has to meet building regulation standards, so advice from your local authority should be sought. Planning permission is not usually required, but again this is worth checking locally. If you live in a smokeless zone only permitted wood burning stoves may be installed. And don’t forget that wood will need to stored, so consider the space required for this in advance.
Source: www.est.org.uk 2011
During autumn/winter 2011/12 our blog featured posts from our Web Marketing Director, Hayley Jones, on her family’s new wood burning stove and their experiences! Great information if you are thinking of installing a stove.
