Wood Burning Stove Installation.

Are Woodburning Stoves Bad for the Environment?

There has recently been a lot of negative press attention and misinformation regarding woodburning stoves and their impact on the environment.  On the 14th of February 2023, DEFRA released the New Emissions of Air pollution data, which shows that PM2.5 emissions across all sector sources including industrial processes, domestic combustion, road transport, and other sources increased in 2021 compared to 2020.

It is important to note in this data that all domestic combustion appliances are grouped together including open fires, older stoves, and modern eco-design ready wood-burning stoves.

According to the DEFRA report, domestic combustion accounted for 22.7 thousand tonnes of PM2.5 in 2021, which accounts for around 27% of the UK total, of total admissions attributable to domestic combustion only 4.8% is attributable to modern Eco-Design ready woodburning stoves, and in the wider context is just.

The data therefore, shows that a modern EcoDesign ready is more efficient and produces fewer emissions. Pm.10 and PM2.5 emissions have significantly decreased over the years, as a result of increased environmental awareness and the reduction of coal as a heating source.

The stove industry continues to improve stove appliances, the Chairman of the Stove Industry Alliance(SIA), Mr. Andy Hill has stated the following:

“The UK stove industry continues to innovate, producing modern wood-burning stove appliances that are more efficient and less polluting than ever before”.

At Rigby’s we therefore, encourage our customers to consider the following before purchasing a wood-burning stove:

  1. Choose an EcoDesign Ready stove, such as a clear skies certified appliance. All the stoves we supply are compliant with the latest regulations!.
  2. DEFRA: If you live in a smoke-controlled area your stove will also need to be Defra exempt. All clearSkies Level 3 and above models are certified as Defra exempt.
  3. Safety:  Ensure your stove is fitted and maintained by an appropriately qualified person, all of our engineers are HETAS registered.
  4. Quality:  Ensure you burn good quality wood. Look for the ready-to-burn logo, and invest in a moisture meter to ensure you are burning the right wood.
  5. Maintenance:  Have your chimney swept at least once a year. We provide a chimney sweep service!