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Are Wood Burning Stoves Going To Be Banned?

18 September 2018 10:59

Are wood burning stoves going to be banned is a popular question on Google. And of course with all the scaremongery surrounding wood stoves it's not surprising that people are wondering what the future of the humble wood stove will be.

Defra's draft Clean Air Strategy 2018 states that: "air pollution is the top environmental risk to human health in the UK, and the fourth greatest threat to public health after cancer, heart disease and obesity". Citing the increase rise in popularity of wood burning stoves and open fires as one of the causes of increased air pollution, it is natural to wonder if woodburners are going to be banned, especially as Defra are proposing stricter controls on the type of stoves that will be available for sale from 2022.

So are wood burning stoves going to be banned?

The important thing that has come out of Defra's consultation paper is their recognition that not all wood burning is the same. Defra identified the main source of particulate matter is from open fires and older wood burning stoves. Interestingly particulate matter from woodburners is actually decreasing in the UK as people switch from open fires to new wood burners, or replace their older stoves with new ones.

So the new Ecodesign Ready stoves are the way forward if you want to buy a woodburner.

What is an Ecodesign Ready stove?

Ecodesign Ready stoves are designed to be highly efficient and to reduce particulate matter emissions significantly by burning wood more efficiently and completely. These stoves are independently tested, with results being verified by HETAS and listed on the HETAS website. The need to introduce more efficient stoves has been driven by the European Ecodesign directive that was introduced at the beginning of this year. This directive will come into force in the UK in 2022 (even if Brexit does not go ahead!) so stove manufacturers are already producing wood stoves that have a minimum thermal effective level of 75%, rather than the current requirement of 72.5%.

Where can I find an Ecodesign Ready stove?

This is where it is very important to consider where you buy a woodburner from. Naturally there are always bargains to be had from ebay, or Facebook Marketplace, but how legal is the stove? And will the stove be as efficient to run as an Ecodesign stove?

It is always best to buy a stove from an approved dealer. You have a guarantee then that the person you are buying from has experience and expertise, so that you buy the right stove. After all a wood stove is an investment, and you certainly want to ensure that you have the right one for your room that not only matches the look that you are trying to achieve, but has the right heat output for the space that you are heating. Also if you purchase from an approved dealer your stove comes with a guarantee so if in the unlikely event there is a problem, then you can go back to the dealer and ask for help. Plus because of their experience they will know immediately what the problem is.

Do Bradley Stoves have Ecodesign Ready stoves?

We have a large range of stoves that are highly efficient and compliant with the EU directive. Whether you are looking for a contemporary stove from Stûv or a more traditional stove from Charnwood, you will find an Ecodesign Ready stove. Why not come and visit us to see what would be best for your home or office, or take a look at our online stoves to find something that would suit your needs.

Conclusion

Fortunately the day of the wood burning stove is not over, in fact, wood stoves will soon be more popular than open fires. However, the days of slow burn stoves are over and only wood stoves that are highly efficient will be available on the market.

 

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