How to ensure a wood burner is eco-friendly

If you have a wood burner, there are plenty of things you can do to make sure it operates as sustainably as possible. Here are our top tips for maintaining and running a sustainable stove:

inset wood burner

• Only use your log burner when needed. Once your home feels warm enough, stop using it
• Regularly maintain your log burner and get a professional to clean your chimney or flue at least once a year. This means your fire can burn more efficiently and cleanly and also operates more safely
• If your wood-burning stove is over ten years old, consider replacing it with a more efficient Ecodesign model
• Build your log fire slowly, as overloading it with too many logs can lead to smoke. Avoid using accelerants like gasoline or lighter fuel, as these release toxic fumes
• Fit a flue liner. This helps improve airflow, meaning more efficient combustion

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• Make sure your wooden logs stay dry by sheltering them from rain and snow. A moisture meter is an affordable way to make sure they're dry enough to burn
• Buy sustainably sourced firewood from fast-growing forests where one tree is planted for every tree felled. Look for Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification
• Don't burn paper, cardboard, plastic, or treated wood, as these can release toxic fumes
• Burn smaller logs, as larger ones can smolder and release smoke at low temperatures
• Consider an alternative to wooden logs, like coffee logs or paper bricks. These produce less emissions but still create lots of heat

outside wood burners

indoor wood burner