08 January 2018

Wood Burning Stove Efficiency Has Never Been More Important

2018 marks many things.  A brand new year with new opportunities, new possibilities and new invigoration to do this year right, and for very many wood burning stove owners it signals something else entirely. In the UK, wood burning stoves and multifuel stoves have always had to meet a minimum efficiency rating of between 60 and 80%, but in 2022, this is set to rise to a minimum efficiency of 80%. For many wood burning stove owners, 2018 has marked that it is four years until this will come into effect.

There are a number of questions which have been raised at this enforcement, and many wood burning stove owners are pondering as to whether or not they will have to change their existing wood burning stove in order to comply. The answer is yes – but there is a silver lining for many homeowners which utilise wood burning stoves as a heating source. Many wood burning stove manufacturers such as Charnwood wood burning stoves and Villager wood burning stoves have measures already in place with their offerings to ensure that 80% is already something which is being adhered to.

While indeed it can’t be considered the definitive way of knowing that your wood burning stove will still be compliant with environmental legislation in 2022, but it is generally considered that should your stove utilise CleanBurn technology (essentially, a feature which means that air is introduced to the fire from the top) then it should burn at above 80% efficiency.  

It’s only really older wood burning stove owners which have to worry about the legislation.

Should your wood burning stove be a vintage or an antique model, it may very well be phased out by the oncoming legislation, giving you no choice but to replace it in order to keep enjoying it. A positive to this is that wood burning stoves have really come on in the last 20 years, and the advantages to upgrading your existing system range from better heating to saving a lot of money on your fuel, as well as increased safety. There are a number of good wood burning stove retailers online such as FiresOnline, which have a range of wood burning stove brands varied enough for you to retain the look and feel of your older wood burning stove.