Wood Burner Boom: Why Stoves Are Hot on Trend

Posted by Ollie Lyon on Thursday 30th November 2017, updated on Friday 12th January 2024

Wood burner and multi-fuel stoves have soared in popularity in recent years, and it is easy to see why. These burners make great focal points for interiors and offer cleaner and more efficient heating than open fireplaces. With the cold winter nights drawing in, you can sit back, put up your feet, and bask in the amber glow of the crackling flames...

Highly efficient heating

Wood burning and multi-fuel stoves can be used instead of radiators to dramatically reduce your heating bills. They offer on-demand heat in the room that they are situated in and prevent you from over-heating areas of the house that are not in use. When you want a toasty living room, you won't have to rely on radiators that heat up the entire home!

Thanks to their traditional cast iron manufacture, wood and multi-fuel stoves can offer efficiency ratings of up to 80%. This is because the heat output is released slowly and evenly for a comfortable and ambient room temperature, as opposed to an open fire where most heat is lost through the chimney. HETAS (which offers a government approved installer scheme) reports its installers have seen a 60% increase in the number of wood-burning stoves being installed over the last 7 years.

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Wide Fuel choice

Multi-fuel stoves are a great choice for properties affected by the Clean Air Acts. Multi-fuel stoves burn a wide range of smokeless fuels (such as anthracite coal and smokeless charcoal) that are permitted to be burned in Smoke Control Areas. Multi-fuel stoves offer unparalleled flexibility because they can also burn a wide range of materials such as wood logs, peat, turf and coal. Multi-fuel stoves have a raised grate with moving bars or a central riddling grate and ash pan, allowing the burning fuel to be de-ashed in different ways to maintain effective combustion conditions for all types of fuel burning.

Torn between a wood burner and multi-fuel stove? A multi-fuel stove offers greater versatility than a sole wood burner as it can burn a range of approved fuels as well as wood. You will be able to choose from a greater number of suppliers and therefore select the nearest. This will help you to reduce the time and money spent on fuel and fuel transportation. The heat output of a multi-fuel appliance will be similar, if not identical to that of a wood burning stove. Ultimately however, both types remain highly efficient options.

Modern developments such as Cleanburn technology allow you to enjoy new and improved heating efficiency. Cleanburn is a system by which hot air is introduced into the firebox just above the normal height of the fire. This ensuresÂ the combustion of unburned hydrocarbons in the smoke stream to provide a cleaner burn and to maximise the intensity of the flames.

Multi-fuel stoves available from Dimplex, Valor and Hamlet at PlumbNation also feature Airwash systems. The airwash system helps keep the door glass sparkling clean as well as increasing your stoves efficiency. Airwash works by directing preheated air from the chamber evenly across the fire door. This creates a shield between the main firechamber and the viewing glass, keeping the door glass squeaky clean for a clear view of the flickering flames.

Renewable fuel source

Wood burning is an ideal choice for eco-conscious homeowners as it is largely carbon neutral. This is because the C02 given off during combustion is roughly equivalent to the amount that was absorbed by the tree during its growth.

When buying wood for your stove, it is highly important to collect it from a reputable supplier who sources from well managed woodland. The wood must be 'treated' (air-dried) too. Newly chopped wood tends to have a moisture content of 60% - 80% which when burned, releases a large amount of pollutants into the air. It will also cause creosote build-up in your chimney which may create a fire hazard. Always make sure you buy seasoned or kiln-dried wood. Dry wood provides much more heat energy and is over 50% more efficient allowing you to get far more warmth for your money.

If you choose to season your own wood, you can do so by storing it in a covered, open-sided log store. The store should allow air to circulate whilst protecting the wood from the elements. It can take over 6 months to season wood, so make sure to plan ahead in the spring to avoid disappointment in the winter.

If you don't want to burn wood, then smokeless fuel is recommended for multi-fuel stoves. Smokeless fuels give out a higher heat output and can last as much as 40% longer than regular coal. Burning premium smokeless fuels is much more cost effective than ordinary coal and actually work out less expensive over the course of a year.