From correct installation to burning the right fuel, these tips will help keep your property's wood burner as energy efficient as possible during winter.
Image: Nordpeis ME woodburner
Whether classic or modern, a wood-burning stove adds a characterful focal point to a space. More efficient than an open-fire, all installations must meet clean air legislation and current building regulations.
Ensure the most environmentally friendly burn from your stove this winter with these key things to consider.
Know when to use your burner
Image: Morsø 7449
A wood burner isn't the most efficient choice to rely on for the lion's share of your home's heating capacity. Rob Bohm, building project manager for Oxfordshire at CLPM, explains: "You may need to use a wood burner occasionally during very cold weather in a home with a ground source or on air source heat pump."
Upgrade to an eco model
Image: Arada i600 in Mist
When looking to update your stove in the near future, ask if it is compliant with 2022 rules. New legislation will come into place in 2022 and all stoves sold after that time will need to meet these requirements. Many brands, including Arada stoves, have started to upgrade their stoves ahead of the deadline, including technology which will burn off excess gases before they are released into the atmosphere.
Choose the right heat requirement
Image: Morsø 3112
When upgrading your stove, you need to chose one with the correct heating requirement for your space. The wrong size will cause over-firing or under firing, which can be problematic for the stove and flue, but also the environment.
Declan Kingsley-Walsh, managing director at Morsø, explains that to find the figure, you need to work out the volume of the room and then divide it by 14. This should give you a figure you need to try match with kW output.
Sweep your chimney
Image: Mendip
Declan Kingsley-Walsh, managing director at Morsø, suggests that "a solid fuel appliance should be swept at least once a year prior to season heating." While this is not a requirement in the UK to sweep a chimney before you use a stove, it will affect the cleanliness of the emissions your home produces according to HETAS.
Use dry wood
Image: Parker & Coop woodstore
Using the correct type of log fuel is important for effective, clean burning. Use dry firewood, ideally kiln-dried with a maximum moisture content of 20%.
If burning your own home-chopped wood, leave it to dry for 2 years before considering it stove-ready. A recently felled tree can contan as much as 60% moisture.
Wet wood takes more energy to burn, and changing wet wood to dry can halve the amount of emissions from your product.
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