With energy bills on the rise, households are increasingly searching for alternative ways to keep warm without turning on the central heating - something that has made wood burning stoves more popular in recent months.
More than 1.5 million households across the UK have a wood burning stove to keep them toasty in the winter - but whether you already have a stove or are considering getting one, it's important to be aware of the strict laws surrounding them. From what style of stove you can have to what you can burn, there are several regulations that must be followed.
These rules have been introduced by the Government in a bid to reduce the impact of wood burning stoves on the environment. If you don't follow them by purchasing the right kind of stove and ensuring you only burn certain fuels, you could face a hefty fine as well as putting your health at risk, Leicestershire Live reports.
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Stove styles
New wood burning stove laws have been introduced in recent years to help curb particulate matter air pollution in the country, 38% of which is caused by the stoves according to the Government. Although the buying and installation of wood burning stoves is not banned, there is a production ban on older-style stoves.
When buying a stove you should look out for the Ecodesign mark, which proves that it has been tested to meet all the requirements on air quality and particulates. According to the HomeOwners Alliance all wood burning stoves, as well as multi-fuel stoves and fireplaces, that are made now have to meet these strict Ecodesign guidelines.
Types of fuel
There are also restrictions around what you can burn as fuel in your stove. In May 2021, the Government began phasing out the sale of coal and wet wood for the purposes of home burning, and sales of these products in units under two cubic metres are now illegal.
This is because coal and wet wood are a major source of the pollutant PM2.5 – tiny particles which can enter the bloodstream and lodge in lungs and other organs. This been identified by the World Health Organisation as the most serious air pollutant for human health, according to the Government.
The Government recommends using RTG (Ready To Burn) wood, meaning it has been tested and has a moisture content under 20% - you should look out for the Ready to Burn logo when buying wood for your stove if you want to burn it immediately. DEFRA appointed HETAS and Woodsure to run the RTB fuel certification scheme in order to achieve cleaner burning of wood.
While wet or unseasoned wood is cheaper to buy, it needs to be seasoned (dried) before burning, according to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). Wet wood contains moisture which creates smoke and harmful particulates when burned, which can also damage your chimney.
DEFRA recommends purchasing a moisture meter to check that your logs are dry enough - 20% moisture or less - before burning them. Households are warned not to burn treated waste wood, like old furniture or fence panels, or household rubbish as this can emit harmful fumes into your home.
Smoke control areas
There are Smoke control areas across England - meaning that if you live in one of these areas you must only burn fuel which is on the official list of authorised fuels, or the smokeless alternatives anthracite, semi-anthracite, gas or low volatile steam coal, unless you are using an exempt appliance. This spans most of the North East including Newcastle, Gateshead, North and South Tyneside, Sunderland, Durham and Northumberland - you can check whether your postcode is affected and if there are any exemptions in place on this interactive map.
You can also contact your local council directly to find out whether you live in a smoke control area. The Government say: "In England you may have to pay a penalty of up to £300 if your local council decides your chimney releases too much smoke. You can be fined up to £1,000 if you burn unauthorised fuel without an exempt appliance."
Government advice for households
DEFRA advises getting your stove serviced on an annual basis to make sure that it is in good working condition. They also say that households with a wood burning stove should get their chimney swept up to twice a year, to get rid of soot and tar which can increase the risk of chimney fires.
Households are urged to install a carbon monoxide detector, which will alert them to any dangerous fumes coming from the stove and reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Finally, the Government also encourages people to "consider burning less" and look at whether lighting their fire is necessary, particularly if their wood burner is the second source of heating in the home.
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