I was chatting with a good friend of mine recently. I’ll call him Colin to protect the guilty…
(Actually his name is Colin). He’s a lovely chap, kind to children and animals, works hard for his family, but can sometimes be a little opinionated. I’m sure you know the type. Our meanderings turned to energy and heating, a common topic everywhere these days. ‘I seem to be paying a King’s ransom for my energy these days.’ says Colin, brooding over his pint.
I mention my wood burner saying how efficient it is, and maybe he should think about getting one in his substantial house. ‘Why on earth would I want a wood burner?’ he blurts. With some belligerence I notice. Uh-oh, I thought, here we go. ‘Why on earth would you not?’ I retort, feeding him good naturedly. Maybe also a little mischievously I’ll admit. Taking the bait, he puts down his beer on the table and leans forward.
‘Well for a start they are dirty smelly things’
‘Why do you say that?’
‘Well they are aren’t they?’
‘Quite the opposite. Modern stoves are very clean burning and certainly not smelly.’
‘But all that ash to deal with and faffing around with building the fire. Not for me thanks.’
Wrong again, I think to myself. ‘Setting a fire takes less than a minute, and you’d be amazed how little ash is generated. Maybe you’re thinking of your Grandmother’s open fire. You can’t compare the two.’ I decide to get my nerd out. ‘An Ecodesign-ready wood burner produces up to 90% less particulate emissions than an open fire and consumes 70% less logs for the same heat output. I could easily fit the ash from three or four firings into your beer glass.’
He picks it up and eyes it suspiciously. ‘Really?’
‘Easily.’ I repeat. ‘And you know how your wife loves gardening. Give her a beer glass of ash once or twice a week to sprinkle on the garden and she’ll have magnificent blooms. Full of natural fertiliser.’
‘Hmm. Well, the point is though it’s not very green is it? Burning down forests just to warm one room of your house.’
He leans back like a chess player after a particularly clever move. Why is he so ill-informed? He’s an intelligent guy, I don’t get it.
‘Colin, the facts are incontrovertible.’
I stumble slightly over the word. It is my second pint.
‘But before I spout off at you, you do know that a stove in just one room can heat the majority of your house?’
‘Really?’ he says again. He sits back up and I can see I’ve piqued his interest.
‘Really. It’s time for some facts my friend. Buy wood locally from sustainable well managed woodland and the cycle is as close to carbon neutral as you’re likely to get, because the CO2 absorbed by the tree as is grows is approximately the same as the CO2 released when it burns. That cycle is limitless.’
‘I guess that makes sense.’ he admits. ‘I’d never looked at it that way before. What was that you said earlier, Ecodesign? What’s that?’
‘It’s a new range of stoves now available that meet the very strict latest emissions standards. Using a modern wood burning stove will save money on your central heating and you can enjoy a cosy wood fire which produces the least CO of any fuel.’
‘Hmm.’
‘And,’ I say, raising a finger in the air, ‘I won’t have to listen to you moaning every time the price of gas goes up.’
‘Haha fair enough. Where can I go to see one?’
Wood Burner Oxfordshire
‘Visit ‘Iron and Wood’ in Kidlington or Banbury. Their showrooms have the latest Ecodesign stoves made by the best companies both from the UK and abroad.’
‘Thanks, I will.’ He looks at me and smiles. ‘Anyway, who’s round is it?’
‘Mine.’ I confess, reaching for my wallet. He reaches over and stays my hand.
‘No let me get this one. It sounds like you might have saved me some of that King’s ransom. Same again?’
Ralph Jeffries