The summer months are busier than ever before

Sales of wood burning stoves are increasing year on year, this year has seen exceptional growth compared to the same period last year. The strange thing is that the summer is normally quieter than the winter months, but this year is completely different as sales and maintenance enquiries keep rising.  All this and Covid-19 says a lot about the growing popularity of this form of heating.

When you look at the facts these figures are not that surprising especially as traditional heating costs seem to be increasing daily. The increases we are told are down to the looming Brexit talks and the weaker pound so if this is the case will they ever reduce?

Homeowners have responded to these increases by looking for alternative forms of heating and a log burning stove is extremely high on the wish list.

As the cost of electricity, oil and gas remains sky high, heating a property can be extremely expensive. Although the initial cost of a wood burner may be more than a gas fire, it will certainly save you money in the long run. When used efficiently, a kilowatt of heat per hour costs about one fifth of kWh of electricity and about one third of kWh of oil and gas.

Use matured logs only

Wet or unseasoned logs will leave more sooty deposits and could increase the number of sweeps you need, so it’s best to use seasoned or kiln-dried wood to cut down on maintenance (minimum 2 years old).

If you have a pellet stove, you will also need to have a yearly service, as the stove has electrical working parts. This can cost around £150-£250. It’s also a good idea to clean out the ash from the ash pan and to clean the glass regularly. Keep in mind though that leaving a layer of ash can help to start a wood fire and keep it burning longer and cheaper.

It’s best to check the manufacturer’s guide for specific instructions on how often to clean your stove. If your stove has a cool air vent that helps to stop tar building up on the glass, you may not need to clean the ash or glass as often. Some stoves also have special clean-burn or clean-heat technologies, which pull in extra air to help burn off more smoke, reducing sooty deposits.

Can we help?

For all your wood burning appliance needs please get in contact and one of our registered (HETAS) fitters will be happy to assist.