Wood burning stoves have had a touch of a tough time within the press in recent years. It really all comes back to the moment when the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, introduced a ban on wood burners in urban areas in London, during a bid to undertake and improve air quality. It came out of the blue and it left many stove manufacturers’ scratching their heads, and wondering about the disruption it will cause. Of course, for many leading brands, the initial concerns about the impact was softened, because many log burners are in fact incredibly efficient and it’s mainly the older models that are causing problems in London.
If you remember correctly, Sadiq Khan requested that the Clean Air Act be amended to permit the creation of zero-emission zones after he triggered London’s emergency air quality alert for the seventh time in thirteen months. If you’re based in London you may be wondering whether log burners are right for you, or perhaps you’re baffled as to why people need them when central heating is installed to most new build homes. Well we’re going to touch on some of these points below.
Don’t read into the negative stats
Research by King’s College London estimates that between one quarter and one-third of London’s fine-particle pollution comes from domestic wood burning. This seems incredibly gloomy, but actually 70% of wood-burning emissions actually come from open fireplaces, not stoves. Stove pollution is in fact very low.
Modern stoves are far more eco-friendly
Okay so stoves are not 100% eco-friendly, but there have been some huge improvements made by manufacturers in recent years. The technology and materials used mean that stoves have come a very long way, and they’re nowhere near as polluting as they once were, and as mentioned, even less so than fire. Furthermore, it’s reported that by 2022, all wood-burning stoves must suit the Ecodesign European directive which is part of the mission to tackle pollution and reduce particulate emissions. Many stove manufacturers are on top of this. You’ll, therefore, discover Ecodesign Ready stoves that already exceed the directive by as much as 75%.
Last but not least, it’s also worth touching on the value these can add to a home and the character they can inject. With a log burner, also known as a wood-burning stove, you immediately have a feature in a room, and it very much completes the space. So from an interior design angle, even if you do not plan on using the stove much, you create a place that immediately feels more ‘homely’ and welcoming, and this can have a big impact on resale value, so it’s worth keeping it in mind.