Why have sales of wood stoves risen in the past decade?

Wood-burning stoves were traditionally found only in countryside homes, which had a shed of wood close by and draughty rooms to keep warm. A decade ago, wood-burners were just not found in towns and city homes, but they’ve since gained ground in urban areas as well which has increased sales considerably.

Are wood stoves effective and efficient?

A professionally fitted wood-burner can shave as much as 45% off your heating bill – although this does not take into consideration the cost of installation.

There are three main elements you’ll need to pay out for – the stove itself, the installation and the fuel. Just imagine if you can source your own wood free of charge from a local woodland the savings you can make.

Stoves now come in a vast variety of models and on average basic stoves cost between £400 and £1500.

The best wood for burning in stoves

To get the best heating results from your stove hardwoods are generally better for burning than softwoods. As a rule of thumb hardwoods are produced by slow-growing deciduous trees and therefore the logs have a greater density than the faster growing softwoods from evergreen trees.

Since hardwood logs are heavier than the same sized softwood logs they will provide you with much more heat output – up to 50%.

For the stove owner, using hardwood logs means having to fill the stove up less often than they would with softwood logs.

Most important: Only ever use dried, fully seasoned chopped wood logs with a moisture content of less than 20%. Always check with your supplier when the wood was cut and how long has it been drying: This should be a minimum of 2 years.

Help required?

If you would like help choosing or installing your new heating machine please do make contact and one of our fully qualified fitters (HETAS registered) will be happy to assist.