With plummeting temperatures and soaring fuel costs, more people are looking for effective ways to heat their homes. But with mixed messages about the cost, efficacy and carbon footprint of woodburning stoves, it can be challenging to know what to do for the best. In this series we will aim to answer most of your questions so that you can heat your home effectively, with a clear conscience.
Types of log burners
The type of log burner you choose will come down to a range of factors. Top of the list should be whether it is ecofriendly and efficient, but cost and aesthetics will of course come into it, too. There are broadly five types of wood burning stove:
- Radiant stoves, which tend to radiate heat in the direct vicinity of the stove like a traditional fire.
- Convection stoves suck the cold air from the room into a convection layer. The air is heated by the stove and emitted once it is hot enough to rise, effectively heating a large area with maximum heat output.
- Boiler stoves power your radiators and generate hot water, too. You can even link some to your existing heating system to save more money on your bills while minimising your carbon footprint.
- Multi fuel stoves allow you to choose between burning wood or other smokeless fuels, such as coal. Because of this, a multi fuel stove has a raised grate, which means that the window is often smaller than that of a radiant stove.
- Pellet stoves are a good option for people who want a wood burning stove but want to keep an eye on their carbon footprint. Pellets made from compressed wood or biomass are delivered to the stove via a hopper, allowing for a long, autonomous burn.
The benefits of having a woodburning stove
Apart from the fact that they look great, wood burning stoves are a great way to heat a single area of your home, as well as being low cost to run and environmentally friendly, provided you buy the right wood.
The downsides to having a woodburning stove
The only real downsides of owning a wood burner are the cost and maintenance factors. It is absolutely essential that your stove is properly maintained and the chimney swept by a professional chimney sweep at least once a year; failure to do this could put you at risk of a chimney fire and, without a certificate from your chimney sweep, you may not be insured for any damage incurred.
It is possible to minimise the built up of soot and other byproducts of burning by using high quality, well-seasoned wood. Follow Trust A Trader on Twitter or Facebook for next week’s blog, when we will take you through the A-Z of things that you can burn, and which is best for your wood burner.