The wonder of wood

The issue of climate control and the environment has been in the news quite a bit recently, however, some of the issues are being misreported which is causing Flames customers some confusion.

Since the government announced its Clean Air Strategy some of the press were suggesting there would be a ban on wood stoves – please be assured this is not the case. What is happening is an emphasis on burning the right fuel – good wood and - purchasing an eco design product – good stove.

Good wood

Wood is a renewable energy and burning wood is almost carbon neutral which makes it the perfect renewable energy source. Even the ash created by burning wood can be used as fertilizer and that’s just as good for the environment.

It is vital of course that our beautiful woodlands are well managed and replanted and that’s where the Forestry Commission and the UK Woodland Assurance Standard come in.  Did you know it’s actually illegal to walk into a woodland and remove wood – even if it’s just lying on the ground?

Not only that but just collecting wood illegally and then burning it – is also very bad for the environment.  Studies have found the number of particulates in the air is damaging our health and environment. These are caused by numerous things, car exhausts, household solvents and burning solid fuels like wood.

That doesn’t mean that the government is going to stop us burning wood in our stoves. We can help reduce particulates from the latter by only burning good wood. Essentially that means using wood that is well seasoned – or well dried. You can do that easily by ensuring you only buy wood that has the Woodsure Ready to Burn label.  This means you can be confident the moisture content is low – which means it is much better for the environment.

Good stove

If you are upgrading your old stove or buying one for the first time, make sure you only buy from a reputable fire and stove retailer in Manchester like Flames.  This will ensure you purchase a stove carrying the SIA Eco-design Ready label.

Eco-design means designing products with the environment in mind and ensuring whatever it is has limited negative impact on the environment in terms of materials and resources used. This initiative has been applied to the Stove and Fireplace Industry and will ensure your new appliance meets the new government standards for ultra-low emissions.

The stoves have been rigorously tested to ensure they meet the requirements of the new air quality standard that will become legal in 2022 and they can reduce particulate emissions by 90% compared to an open fire and 80% compared to using an old stove.

Essentially, not all wood is the same and not all stoves are the same.  Buy an Eco design stove and burn Woodsure Ready to Burn wood – and you can be assured you are playing a part in protecting our environment.