The solid fuel industry recognises that as its very core: burning wood releases emissions. But when it comes to air quality and health, an Ecodesign stove has a significant advantage over open fires and older non-compliant stoves, and can be part of the solution to a low carbon future.
Here we will unpack some of the commonly asked questions regarding Log Burning Stoves. Especially with the New Build Heat Standard (NBHS) in Scotland that has been receiving a lot of press attention as of recent.
Have Log Burners been banned?
No, there is no blanket across the UK and Republic of Ireland. They’re recognised as a reliable source of heat, hot water and cooking for many households. As of April 2024, some new-build properties and conversions cannot have one in Scotland.
The UK government have banned common house, coal and fuels with a high sulphur content as well as restrictions placed on the sale of Wet wood, and we are in full support of this.
Will my old stove be banned?
No, as long as you are abiding by local smoke restrictions, you can continue to use your older stove. We do strongly recommend upgrading non-eco appliances to new. We stock a range of Ecodesign Plus stoves, if you would like to explore the range, click here.
How do woodburners minimise environmental impact?
Firstly, and perhaps most obviously, Ecodesign log burners are glass fronted with a door that keeps all combustion within the stove, with any gases exiting up the chimney. Their enclosed design and advanced firebox engineering also allows for more complete combustion of wood, which significantly reduces emissions related into the air, in comparison with open fires.
This can be as much as 90% reduction of emissions - having a huge impact on improving air quality.
Is burning wood ‘Green’ ?
Burning wood in an eco friendly stove is considered a good choice if you want to maximise on renewable energy. Ensure you use sustainably sourced timber from a well-managed woodland.
Additionally, sourcing timber locally can bolster local economies, and shortening the supply chain inevitably ensures a reduced carbon footprint.
Wood as a fuel is widely regarded as sustainable and renewable, It is virtually carbon neutral as it relates approximately the same amount of carbon into the atmosphere as that which was absorbed during the growth of the tree.
How does a wood-burning stove affect my indoor air quality?
It’s commonly understood that there are other sources of indoor pollution that have a much greater impact on your home’s indoor air quality than your wood burning stove. But, to help you keep any impact of your stove to an absolute minimum, we’ve put together some useful tips:
- Upgrade to an Ecodesign stove or fire.
- Refuelling correctly and burning dry wood/authorised fuel
- Using the top down method for optimum efficiency.
- Keeping the stove door closed.
- Ensuring you have the right size stove for your environment
- Avoid having any air extraction systems installed within close proximity to the fire (e.g kitchen extractors), or negative mechanical ventilation heat recovery.
Can I burn pallet wood or fence posts in a log burner?
No, please don’t! We do not recommend this, we would not recommend using anything other than good quality firewood, or authorised smokeless fuels if you are using a multi-fuel stove.
Pallets and treated fences are packed with chemicals, derived from treatments, stains and varnish - these can release harmful gases and leave residues in your flue when burnt. These substances categorically harm your health, and the environment, not to mention the damage they will do to your stove. They are best avoided.
To summarise, let’s recap on Five Key Tips:
- Burn dry wood
Poor quality/wet wood has a high moisture content, resulting in poor combustion and the production of harmful emissions. Look for wood between 14-20% moisture for optimum burning, and ensure it has the Ready to Burn logo. - Keep stove door closed
When the stove is closed, the products of combustion are exited safely through the chimney. - Ensure the stove is sized correctly
The stove or fire should be sized for the environment - a 5kW stove run at 2kW will not burn at required optimum clean burn temperatures. - Use an Ecodesign stove
We are proud to stock some of the Ecodesign plus range by Stovax. Click here to explore the range. - Ensure that you comply with any smoke regulations in your areas
Head to www.stovax.com/smokecontrolmap to view the UK Government’s interactive map of all Smoke Control Zones in England.