We asked the owners of wood-burning and multi-fuel kitchens if their stove had saved them money on their energy bills. While 43% said they had done it, 47% said they had not done it. So how can you make sure you are in the group that saves with a stove? Continue reading to find out.
Whether a Wood burning stove could save you money depends on many different factors. This includes the energy efficiency of your home, the frequency with which you use the stove, the efficiency of the stove and current heating costs.
You should also take into account the initial cost of the stove and the installation, which could reach thousands.
To help you determine if a stove can save you money on your heating bills, considering the initial expense, we have created a tool to give you an approximate idea before taking the step.
To use our tool and find out if you can make a stove pay for itself, go to the costs and savings of the stove.
Five ways to help you save money with a stove
Putting aside the cost of a stove, there are things you can do to increase any savings you can make on your heating bills:
1. Use free wood.
Using the free wood you have collected is the cheapest way to feed your stove. You can use wood from your garden or friends and family, from local forests or parks, or from companies that are throwing it.
Make sure you have the right to take it and do not use any wood that has been treated.
2. Learn to use your stove efficiently.
Whether you burn wood or coal, knowing how to start the fire and control it will help the fuel burn more efficiently. This means that your stove will emit more heat and use less fuel.
Depending on your stove and the fuel you are using, there will be an element of experimentation to discover what works best for you. But to give you a hand, watch our videos on how to light and control the wood in a wood-fired burner and smoke-free coal in a multi-fuel stove.
How to light a wood stove.
3. Turn off your heating
If you get a stove, you can turn off the heating in the room in which it is installed. However, it may be too cold in the rest of your home if you simply turn off the heating at all times.
Set all other radiator thermostats to low, so you don't spend money on the rest of your home. You might also consider getting zone heating or using a smart thermostat.
Zone heating means that you can configure it so that only one section or part of the house is on at a time. So, if, for example, you have your stove in the living room but you will be in and out of the kitchen all night, you can turn off the heating in the living room and simply have it in the kitchen.
4. Get the right stove for your home.
There are two main types of stoves: firewood or multiple fuels. As expected, wood-burning stoves can only burn wood, while multi-fuel stoves can also burn coal.
If you are only going to burn wood, we recommend that you get a wood burner, instead of a multi-fuel stove. This is because wood and coal are burned differently, and not all multi-fuel stoves are optimized to burn both fuels.
5. Consider buying a stove with a rear boiler.
If your central heating system is old, you may want to consider buying a stove with a biomass boiler, one that uses organic materials, such as wood and pellets. This means that with a boiler connected to it, the stove will not only heat the room in which it is located but your entire home.
With the rising cost of gas, burning wood or other biomass material could save you money, especially if you use free wood. But you will have to take into account the initial costs; It could cost around £ 15,000
