Over the last few months there has been a concerted campaign amongst local authorities and some politicians suggesting that wood-burning stoves are causing serious air pollution. While there is no doubt that burning any fuel creates a degree of air pollution, the highly efficient wood-burning and multifuel stoves of today release relatively small amounts of pollution. They have primary, secondary and tertiary combustion stages which effectively burn the fuel, burn the excess gas and then burn the gas again. This ensures that before any gas is released into the flue pipe and up into the atmosphere it has been burnt as many times as possible. This also ensures maximum efficiency.

If you would like any advice please feel free to contact us on 01706 813393 or email us at sales@bowlandstoves.co.uk.

Wood-burning stoves and coal fires

We live in an era where politicians regularly introduce new environmentally friendly regulations and look to tackle air pollution. It is a little bizarre to put wood-burning stoves and coal fires in the same report when you consider their efficiency ratings. Modern day wood-burning stoves can be in excess of 80% efficient while their open coal fire counterparts are often between 20% and 30% efficient. The problem with wood-burning stoves, which is readily highlighted in the IPPR report, is created by those burning wet wood. Due to the make-up of the wood, when too moist there are more pollutants released into the atmosphere, some of which come into the PM2.5 category. However, burning dry wood on a wood-burning stove does not create anywhere near the same type of problem.

Even though there are well in excess of 1 million wood-burning and multifuel stoves in the UK, have you ever sat back and wondered just what kind of technology is under the surface? Have you ever wondered how heat continues to seep into your room even when the fire is out? How primary, secondary and tertiary air flow systems work? Or do you just prefer to sit back, kick off your shoes and enjoy the deep seated heat that comes with the modern day wood-burning/multifuel stove?

Centuries-old stoves

The history books are littered with mention of basic stoves going back literally hundreds of years. The ability to burn wood and retain heat to keep you warm over a long period of time must have been the Holy Grail of life in the olden days. It was only in the 18th century that stove designs began to change into something similar to what we see today. Initially the stoves were seen as highly inefficient but over-time they have been reset focused and reset again to become some of the most efficient forms of heating available today.