This publicity has been somewhat misleading causing many of us to associate the potential harmful effects of burning wood with wood-burning stoves.
This is simply not the case. When it comes to harmful emissions the situation depends largely on the quality of the fuel and perhaps even more importantly the appliance it is burnt on.
To put it in perspective an open fire produces 10 times more particulate emissions than a modern day wood-burning stove.
Government statistics show that we burn 40% of our wood on open fires. In London alone this rises to a staggering 70% despite the fact that this is not permitted under the current Clean Air Act.
What is being done about it?
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has been gathering evidence to understand the health implications when using different fuels. The aim was to enable the government to assess how stoves can be used to minimalise their impact on the environment.
All this information has now been fed into the Clear Air Strategy, published in January 2019. It lays out its pledge to cut emissions from particulate matter by 30% by 2020 and 46% by 2030.
To help achieve this the Government have introduced a certification for stoves that meet stringent greener standards. These new appliances are clearly labelled with an “eco-design” sticker to give consumers confidence that they are purchasing an environmentally friendly product.
The government is not going enforce a ban on stoves, but instead educate consumers and introduce measures that will make sure we burn cleaner fuels and that stoves emit fewer pollutants.
What can we do to help?
If you currently have an open fire or a stove that is more than 10 years old you should consider replacing it.
Independent tests have shown that Ecodesign ready produce 90% less emissions than an open fire and 84% than a stove made in 2008. With efficiencies of up to 80% means that not only are you being kinder to the environment you get more heat for your money too!
Here at fire BY design we are doing our bit to try to encourage consumers to upgrade their existing stoves. As an incentive we are currently running a scrappage scheme in conjunction with our installation package whereby we remove your old appliance for free and give you 10% discount on the purchase of your new Ecodesign 2022 stove. We offer a huge range of stoves that already meet or exceed the new standards from leading manufacturers including Chesney, Charnwood, Stovax, Contura, RAIS and Hunter.
If however we can’t persuade you to change your old appliance there are some simple changes you can make which will make a difference…
To help reduce potentially harmful emissions from your stove, only burn wood with 20% or less moisture content.
Finally, it is strongly advised to regularly sweep your chimney. Clearing your chimney of soot will improve the quality of the smoke leaving your house – not to mention help prevent a chimney fire.
For more information about the services we can offer, the stoves we supply or anything else, please contact us or visit our showroom in Wimborne.
CONTACT
t. 01202 888561
e. info@firebydesign.co.uk
w. www.firebydesign.co.uk
a. 13D Riverside Park, Wimborne. BH21 1QU
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