With the cost of living crisis starting to bite, people are looking for ways to save money and be in more control of their expenditure. While the cost of a new stove may, unfortunately, be too much for some, a growing number of people want to exercise control over their heating costs and reduce their reliance on electricty and gas, which is spiking to ludicrous levels.
The sharp increase in the sale of wood-burning stoves recently has been fueled by electric and gas price spikes, along with a growing awareness of how sustainable and environmentally friendly Ecodesign stoves are.
Five Reasons Why You Should Consider a Stove:
1. Wood doesn’t cost anything. Although you will need to buy packaged logs, gathering your own firewood is always an option – just check you’re not taking wood that belongs to someone else and that you season the wood before burning.
2. Burning wood is a renewable energy source. In fact, burning wood on an ecodesign stove can emit less CO2 than leaving it to rot naturally on a forest floor!
3. You enjoy total independence from the fluctuations of global markets – the invasion of Ukraine has caused huge spikes in the price of electricity and gas. As we have mentioned, more people than ever before want to regain control over their heating costs.
4. Wood-burning stoves can increase your house price. This very much depends on your home and the stove you have fitted, but in many cases, a wood-burning stove can increase the value of your home, not to mention its desirability.
5. That wonderful flame – Nothing beats the look, sound and smell of burning wood. There is something magical about it, especially so on a cold winter’s night.
Other Considerations
As much as we love the advantages that wood-burning stoves bring. They are certainly not a perfect solution to the pains of electric and gas prices. Firstly they are generally only designed to heat one room. While some stoves have been built into a home’s heating system, this is certainly not common. Secondly, a little work is involved in starting a fire and then cleaning it afterwards. Some people love this, but for others, it’s a chore.
Finally although you can source your own firewood, it’s not as simple as chopping in the morning and adding to your fire in the afternoon. You need to season wood, which can take up to two years. So you need to have adequate ventilated storage space to allow this to happen. Seasoning wood means drying it so the moisture content is around 20%. A moisture content which is too high is bad news. It will dramatically increase emissions, lower heat output and increase smoke and associated risks such as carbon monoxide positioning and chimney fires.
While stoves give you options and control, being aware of all points will help you make an informed decision. Is a stove right for you? If the answer is yes, you can start your search with us. Browse our range of wood-burning stoves. If you prefer to see a range of stoves and have a chat with someone, you can find a showroom local to you here.
