Energy crisis: Log burners surge in demand with fears of a shortage looming this winter

They added that it would cost around £1,500 to install a log burner in a household with a pre-existing chimney, and over £2,000 to add a flue system if the home doesn’t have a chimney.

Andy Hill, of the Stove Industry Alliance, told the Telegraph: “With rising fuel costs, wood-burning becomes ever more cost-effective and our members are reporting increased demand for wood fuel supplies as concern grows about the financial impact on families of the energy price rises.

“Using an eco-design wood-burning stove comfortably heats the room in which it is situated, while also warming the whole home, reducing our reliance on gas, electricity and oil for heating and offering an effective way of reducing home energy bills this winter.”

However, the alternative heating systems have sparked controversy due to the harmful matter particulate matter – tiny solids floating in the air – that are produced when the wood is burned. These particles threaten to cause respiratory illnesses. A study by the University of Sheffield in 2020 warned that for some log burners, four hours of use can result in a tripling of household levels of this harmful matter.

Rohit Chakraborty, a Grantham Scholar at the University of Sheffield, said: “Our findings are a cause for concern. It is recommended that people living with those particularly susceptible to air pollution, such as children, the elderly or vulnerable, avoid using wood burning stoves.”

Article source: https://www.express.co.uk/news/science/1699291/energy-crisis-wood-burning-stoves-log-burner-bills-gas-electricity