There is a lot of misconception amongst the general public regarding the use of wood burning stoves, but we’re here to set the record straight so you can rest easy in the knowledge that you’re heating your home in a more efficient and environmentally kinder way.
Will the Sale of Wood Burners be Banned?
The answer is no, as long as the stove being purchased is an Ecodesign model or was manufactured before the 1st January 2022. All stoves on sale will have to meet one of these criteria. So you will be able to purchase and use a wood burning or multi-fuel stove in 2022 and beyond. They are better for the environment thanks to this new country-wide legislation that aims to reduce harmful emissions.
Ecodesign Regulations – All you Need to Know
As of the 1st January 2022, new Government legislation has been put into action, changing the rules for placing new energy-related products on the market in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Many energy-related products, including stoves, are now being regulated to ensure they meet specific measures relating to their energy usage to improve energy-efficiency and cut greenhouse gas emissions.
What Does this Mean for my Stove Purchase?
If you’re looking to purchase a new wood burning or multi-fuel stove, you should look for a stove that is an Ecodesign compliant model. At Arada, we developed our own technology ahead of the new legislation coming into play so that we could offer our customers stoves which exceeded Ecodesign as far back as 2017, with these appliances being friendlier for the planet. In fact, our Ecodesign Ready stoves produce 90% less emissions than open fires and 80% less than a 10-year-old stove.
Our stoves are:
- Low carbon
- Low emission
- Renewable
- Sustainable
What Can I do to Help Cut my Emissions?
Did you know that open fires and older stoves account for 51% of the UK’s annual wood fuel consumption (according to the Stove Industry Alliance)? Replacing old stoves or any open fires with an Ecodesign Readywould reduce emissions by nearly 45%. It is therefore vital that you look to update your old wood burners or open fireplaces with stoves that filter out some of these harmful toxins.
How can I Burn Better?
- Make sure your stove is installed by a certified installer
- Look for the ‘Ready to Burn’ logo on log packaging and choose seasoned, dry wood
- Choose sustainably sourced wood or solid fuels
- Store logs in a dry area
- Only burn the fuel your stove is compatible with
- Change from coal to smokeless fuel
- Regularly clean and maintain your stove
- Only open your stove door to restack your fire and reload onto embers
- Restack your fire with multiple logs to prevent multiple door openings
- Burn at a high burn rate
- Have your chimney swept every year
What Does is Mean if I Live in a DEFRA Smoke Exempt area?
If you live in a DEFRA Smoke Exempt area, it means that you’re not allowed to emit smoke from a chimney unless you’re burning an authorised fuel or using ‘exempt appliances.’ You could in fact be fined £1000 for breaching this requirement. We therefore offer many DEFRA Smoke Exempt Stoves which have been modified and have passed the criteria for emission levels. A DEFRA Smoke Exempt Stove will always provide the minimum level of combustion air so that the wood burns effectively without producing unnecessary smoke, which therefore complies with the Clean Air Act.
We hope that’s cleared things up a little so you can make the right stove purchase for your home. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us if you have any further questions.
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Ecodesign and environmentally friendly stoves
Useful links
Where to buy an Arada Stove
You can locate your closest Arada retailerhere
Can I get a brochure?
You can download brochures for our stoves here
