wdst:wood_stoves

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wdst:wood_stoves [2026/03/11 13:55] – [Specialist curators of this topic] Simon Grantwdst:wood_stoves [2026/03/26 18:33] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
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-# Wood stoves+This topic is part of [[gt:power|Power & heating]]. 
 +====== Wood stoves ======
  
  
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-## What are wood stoves?+===== What are wood stoves? =====
  
 They are stoves for burning wood to heat your space, your water, and even to cook on. A basic stove will be of cast iron or steel (lined with fire-brick to retain heat), usually with a door at the front for loading, lighting and ash removal – but sometimes on top in small stoves. They are stoves for burning wood to heat your space, your water, and even to cook on. A basic stove will be of cast iron or steel (lined with fire-brick to retain heat), usually with a door at the front for loading, lighting and ash removal – but sometimes on top in small stoves.
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-### Types of stove+==== Types of stove ====
  
 **Traditional:** typically have a square shape and one or two doors on the front, sometimes with glass in them. They can come with large back boilers. **Traditional:** typically have a square shape and one or two doors on the front, sometimes with glass in them. They can come with large back boilers.
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-## What are the benefits of wood stoves?  +===== What are the benefits of wood stoves?   =====
  
 This is a controversial topic. Burning wood for heat has come in for a lot of criticism, in three main areas - removal of forest, carbon emissions, and pollution, especially in urban areas. Lets look at these three points in turn. This is a controversial topic. Burning wood for heat has come in for a lot of criticism, in three main areas - removal of forest, carbon emissions, and pollution, especially in urban areas. Lets look at these three points in turn.
  
-### Forests+==== Forests ====
  
 Forest cover is increasing in colder regions. Even though rainforests are still declining, China has undertaken a huge tree planting programme, trees are returning in their billions to abandoned farmland in Russia, and [woodland is increasing in the UK](https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmenvfru/619/61905.htm). So the firewood resource is increasing globally, not declining (and to be clear, we’re definitely not advocating the burning of tropical wood). Forest cover is increasing in colder regions. Even though rainforests are still declining, China has undertaken a huge tree planting programme, trees are returning in their billions to abandoned farmland in Russia, and [woodland is increasing in the UK](https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmenvfru/619/61905.htm). So the firewood resource is increasing globally, not declining (and to be clear, we’re definitely not advocating the burning of tropical wood).
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-### Carbon emissions+==== Carbon emissions ====
  
 Wood is a carbon-neutral fuel, i.e. burning releases CO2 (the same amount as if the trees died and rotted) but new trees absorb it. As long as we plant new trees and maintain forest cover (which is happening – see above), then it’s not possible for wood burning to increase the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. Remember that whether we burn wood or not, the carbon in trees will end up back in the atmosphere anyway, as the trees fall to the ground and rot. This is not the case for fossil fuels, which should be left in the ground. Wood is a carbon-neutral fuel, i.e. burning releases CO2 (the same amount as if the trees died and rotted) but new trees absorb it. As long as we plant new trees and maintain forest cover (which is happening – see above), then it’s not possible for wood burning to increase the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. Remember that whether we burn wood or not, the carbon in trees will end up back in the atmosphere anyway, as the trees fall to the ground and rot. This is not the case for fossil fuels, which should be left in the ground.
  
-### Pollution+==== Pollution ====
  
 Emissions from wood burning are lower than coal, oil or gas as regards NOx and SOx (acid rain) and carbon monoxide, but worse for particulates. For space heating, emissions and energy losses from power stations make conventional electricity the worst option environmentally; and wind and photovoltaics are as yet too expensive for heating. Emissions from wood burning are lower than coal, oil or gas as regards NOx and SOx (acid rain) and carbon monoxide, but worse for particulates. For space heating, emissions and energy losses from power stations make conventional electricity the worst option environmentally; and wind and photovoltaics are as yet too expensive for heating.
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-### Other benefits+==== Other benefits ====
  
 In rural areas, it’s difficult to know what is better for heating than wood, in terms of pollution, carbon emissions and price. Logs are the cheapest way of heating your space (around 1/5 the price of electricity per kWh) – especially if you harvest the wood from your own land, or from nearby woodland for free. It will probably get relatively cheaper too, as fossil fuel prices rise, and carbon-neutral fuels get tax breaks. In rural areas, it’s difficult to know what is better for heating than wood, in terms of pollution, carbon emissions and price. Logs are the cheapest way of heating your space (around 1/5 the price of electricity per kWh) – especially if you harvest the wood from your own land, or from nearby woodland for free. It will probably get relatively cheaper too, as fossil fuel prices rise, and carbon-neutral fuels get tax breaks.
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-## What can I do?+===== What can I do? =====
  
 Basic wood stoves start at around £400, (c. £1000 for clean burn) new, or cheaper [second-hand](http://www.salvo.co.uk/directory.html). Your supplier should be able to recommend an installer, or you can install yourself. Make a register plate for the chimney (can be a thin sheet of stainless) with a hole for the flue pipe, seal flue and plate with fire cement, put fire string round door (both from plumbers’ merchants or online). Basic wood stoves start at around £400, (c. £1000 for clean burn) new, or cheaper [second-hand](http://www.salvo.co.uk/directory.html). Your supplier should be able to recommend an installer, or you can install yourself. Make a register plate for the chimney (can be a thin sheet of stainless) with a hole for the flue pipe, seal flue and plate with fire cement, put fire string round door (both from plumbers’ merchants or online).
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 Stoves need air and if the output of your stove is above 5kW then you need to provide permanent extra ventilation. Stoves need air and if the output of your stove is above 5kW then you need to provide permanent extra ventilation.
  
-### Build your own stove+==== Build your own stove ====
  
 If you have access to sheet steel and cutting and welding equipment, you could even build your own, which would work out cheaper still, but don't underestimate the work needed to build an efficient stove. It’s hard to roll and seam weld flue pipe so unless you have the equipment you are better off buying it. If you have access to sheet steel and cutting and welding equipment, you could even build your own, which would work out cheaper still, but don't underestimate the work needed to build an efficient stove. It’s hard to roll and seam weld flue pipe so unless you have the equipment you are better off buying it.
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-### Hearth+==== Hearth ====
  
 Stand the stove on a slate, concrete or other non-combustible slab extending at least 150mm at the sides and 300mm at the front. This slab must be 250mm thick or 150mm with a 50mm air gap underneath unless your stove has been officially tested and shown to not heat the hearth to more than 100 degrees. If this is the case then the hearth can be 12mm thick. There is a minimum hearth size of 840mm x 840mm. Stand the stove on a slate, concrete or other non-combustible slab extending at least 150mm at the sides and 300mm at the front. This slab must be 250mm thick or 150mm with a 50mm air gap underneath unless your stove has been officially tested and shown to not heat the hearth to more than 100 degrees. If this is the case then the hearth can be 12mm thick. There is a minimum hearth size of 840mm x 840mm.
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-### Flue / chimney+==== Flue / chimney ====
  
 Old chimneys will need re-lining, as tar could be deposited, causing a fire hazard, plus gases could seep through into living areas. Chimneys must be swept every year to remove creosote and tar and avoid chimney fires. Old chimneys will need re-lining, as tar could be deposited, causing a fire hazard, plus gases could seep through into living areas. Chimneys must be swept every year to remove creosote and tar and avoid chimney fires.
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-### Firewood+==== Firewood ====
  
 5 tonnes of wood per year is more than enough for a basic stove in your main living area – but that’s assuming it’s in use most of the time from October to April; unseasoned wood is heavier because of the water content. 5 tonnes of wood per year is more than enough for a basic stove in your main living area – but that’s assuming it’s in use most of the time from October to April; unseasoned wood is heavier because of the water content.
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-### Lighting the stove+==== Lighting the stove ====
  
 Leave a layer of ash, add paper, dry kindling (you don’t need firelighters) followed by a few small, dry logs. There will be an air inlet to adjust air flow – have this open at first, and slowly shut it down as the fire becomes more established. Many stoves have a primary and secondary air supply. Often, the primary air vent is near the base of the stove with the secondary vent nearer the top. To light the stove, open the primary air supply up. When it is lit then close the primary air down and use the secondary air to control the fire. Because the secondary air supply comes in from above this makes for more efficient combustion of the wood. Leave a layer of ash, add paper, dry kindling (you don’t need firelighters) followed by a few small, dry logs. There will be an air inlet to adjust air flow – have this open at first, and slowly shut it down as the fire becomes more established. Many stoves have a primary and secondary air supply. Often, the primary air vent is near the base of the stove with the secondary vent nearer the top. To light the stove, open the primary air supply up. When it is lit then close the primary air down and use the secondary air to control the fire. Because the secondary air supply comes in from above this makes for more efficient combustion of the wood.
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-## Further resources+===== Forum ===== 
 + 
 +This topic belongs to the section [[gt:power|Power & heating]]. You can ask questions or add information on the corresponding [Forum section](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/power). 
 + 
 +===== Further resources =====
  
 - [Heating with Wood: Wood Fuel, Stoves and Home Heating](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/heating-with-wood-text-1.pdf) - free book - [Heating with Wood: Wood Fuel, Stoves and Home Heating](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/heating-with-wood-text-1.pdf) - free book
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 - [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood-burning_stove) - wood-burning stove - [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood-burning_stove) - wood-burning stove
  
 +===== Related topics =====
  
-## Related topics +- [[fire:firecraft|Firecraft]] 
- +- [[wodl:woodland_management|Tree / woodland management]] 
-- Firecraft +- [[lico:cooking|Low-impact cooking]] 
-- Tree / woodland management +- [[sohw:solar_hot_water|Solar hot water]] 
-- Low-impact cooking +- [[fell:felling|Felling axes & crosscut saws]] 
-- Solar hot water +- [[msry:masonry_stoves|Masonry stoves / kachelofens]] 
-- Felling axes & crosscut saws +- [[rock:rocket_stoves|Rocket stoves & mass heaters]] 
-- Masonry stoves / kachelofens +- [[biom:biomass_boilers|Biomass boilers]] 
-- Rocket stoves & mass heaters +- [[chsw:chainsaws|Chainsaws]] 
-- Biomass boilers +
-- Chainsaws +
  
  
-## Specialist curators of this topic+===== Specialist curators of this topic =====
  
  
  • wdst/wood_stoves.1773237353.txt.gz
  • Last modified: 2026/03/11 13:55
  • by Simon Grant