Wood stoves and the environment

This summer we are seeing more people installing wood stoves than ever before. Mainly due to the cost savings they can provide. One question our fitters are always asked is how good are stoves for the environment?  The green benefits of burning wood are gaining wider and wider support. Burning wood cleanly only releases the same amount of CO2 into the atmosphere as from a tree when it is left to rot naturally as it would do at the end of its life cycle. What is more, harvested trees are replaced with new trees, which in turn absorb CO2 in the process of photosynthesis as they grow. So in short for the environment, they are good!

The important aspect of this argument is that the wood is burnt correctly, using a modern efficient stove that employs secondary and even tertiary burning.

To get the best from any wood burning stove it is important that the wood you burn has a moisture content of less than 20% – otherwise some of the heat is wasted boiling the water in the wood instead of generating warmth. Burning wood with a moisture level of below 20% will give twice the heat output of freshly felled timber, and will also help to reduce a build-up of tar in your chimney.

To achieve this correct moisture level, the wood needs to be seasoned or matured for approximately two years. Storage should ideally be outside and be stacked to let the air flow around the timber, this will then dry naturally.

Can we help?

If you are considering installing a wood burning stove it is very important to select the correct one for your home. We have fully qualified fitters who will be able to advise you on the best stove to meet your needs so please do make contact.