Eco-design stoves

Will wood-burning stoves be banned? We get Faraday Stoves’ expert opinion.

We can all appreciate the dancing flames and warmth of fire and there’s something inherent within us that responds to the flickering glow, after all it’s our oldest form of central heating and something that defines our humanity.

“to do your bit for the environment it’s best to purchase an Eco Design-ready stove that is more environmentally friendly”

However, there has been a lot of negative press recently regarding wood burners and misleading headlines that wood-burning stoves may be banned. Graham Terry of Faraday Stoves says the stove industry’s main regulatory body HETAS has stated that a ban isn’t going to happen; the government is simply concerned about air pollution and wants to reduce emissions from domestic wood burning. This will be achieved by ensuring that stoves produce very low harmful emissions and all new stoves are Eco-Design compliant by 2022.  What does this mean for us then?  Well, to do your bit for the environment it’s best to purchase an Eco Design-ready stove that is more environmentally friendly.

However, if you already have a stove or use an open fire then here are some of Faraday Stove’s top tips to help reduce your impact on the environment. Graham explains: “Make sure to burn wood that has been properly dried and ensure the moisture content is less than 20%, or buy fuel with the ‘ready to burn’ logo on pre-packed logs and you’ll be set to reduce your emissions. Burning damp wood produces more smoke, burns slower and produces less heat, making well-seasoned dry wood a more efficient option all round. Don’t let your stove slumber, always burn with some flame. Slumbering not only leads to the production of noxious smoke, it also causes tar and creosote to settle in the chimney which can lead to chimney fires. Keeping your chimney clean is just as important as keeping your stove clean so for optimum results, make sure to get it serviced regularly and the chimney swept at least twice a year.”

And finally, Graham tells us: “When replacing older stoves make sure to look for more efficient ones, ideally those that have emissions meeting the new Eco Design standards.” Getting a more efficient stove means you’ll be able to help reduce emissions and do your bit for the environment too.

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Kiln dried wood is ideal for burning since it has low moisture content. For more information regarding the proper use of your stove make sure to visit: www.burnright.co.uk