If you’ve been reading the news recently, there’s a lot of talk around wood burning stoves, their sustainability credentials and the pollution levels they emit, leaving many homeowners questioning if there’s a way they can use a stove more sustainably? As the stove industry evolves, so too does the technology and efficiency, so to answer the above, yes you can.

Joanna Humphreys, fire and stove specialist at Direct Stoves, shares her insight on the ways you can reduce your environmental impact by burning your stove the right way this season.

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Look For A ClearSkies Approved Stove

When shopping for a new wood burner, look for one that is both DEFRA and ClearSkies approved as this will ensure it meets the current regulations around emissions in the UK. This trusted seal of approval helps to highlight how modern, more advanced stoves are much less polluting compared to older models and open fires; often releasing up to 80% less emissions. Modern stoves are also much more effective when it comes to heating, not only do they require less fuel but they produce less smoke and release significantly fewer pollutants into the air thanks to clean-burning technology.

Choosing The Right Size Stove For The Room

A stove that’s operating at 2kW when it can reach 5kW, for example, will not be burning at optimal clean burning temperatures. As a result, it will produce more pollution. Ensuring you get the right size stove for the room where you plan to use it is crucial for sustainable use. If you aren’t sure which size stove you need, we have a handy stove calculator on our website to help customers find the ideal model for their space based on its dimensions.

Choosing The Right Fuel

When it comes to sustainability, not all fuels are created equal and you may also need to follow some specific rules if you live in a Smoke Control Area. In these areas, which cover most cities, towns, and built-up areas in the UK, you must only burn approved smokeless fuels if you do not have a DEFRA-approved stove.  However, if your stove is DEFRA-approved, you can burn wood in a Smoke Control Area, but this doesn’t mean that you can throw any old wood on your stove. Pick the timber carefully – it should be free from any paint, chemical treatment, or other substances and have a moisture level of no more than 20%. To take it one step further, look for wood that is FSC-certified, this symbol ensures it has been grown and harvested sustainability and therefore is not contributing to habitat loss or deforestation.

Freshly cut wood is not only more complicated to light, but it’ll also release more pollutants into the air. Well-seasoned wood that has been cut and left to dry for a minimum of six months for softwoods and two years for hardwood, or kiln-dried timber are the best choices for your wood burner.

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Burning At The Right Temperature

Burning wood at too low of a temperature or slumbering can lead to a higher release of pollutants. Moreover, it can cause a build-up of creosote in your chimney, increasing the risk of a dangerous fire. To avoid these problems, ensure your wood burner operates at the right temperature – which is typically between 180-220 degrees celsius.

Keeping Your Chimney Clean

A build-up of creosote and other substances in the chimney is not only a severe fire hazard, but can also release more pollutants into the atmosphere. To prevent this and keep your chimney safe, you should aim to have your chimney swept at least once per year. Ideally, you should have your chimney cleaned before or after a long period of inactivity. However, most people tend to get this done just before or just after winter.

For more top tips and to view Direct Stove’s fantastic stove range, head to directstoves.com