Fuels

• Seasoned Wood:

  This is wood that has been dried for a period (typically 6-12 months) to reduce its moisture content. Seasoned wood burns more efficiently and produces more heat with less smoke and creosote build-up.

• Kiln-Dried Wood:

  Wood that is dried using a kiln. This method removes moisture faster, resulting in wood with very low moisture content. Kiln-dried wood burns very efficiently and produces minimal smoke.

• Softwood:

  Wood from trees like pine, spruce, or fir. It burns quickly and provides a good heat output but may create more ash and resin build-up, which can cause more maintenance. Softwoods will burn well but it tends to produce much more impurities and will tar up the flue far more quickly. As softwood has a much lower density than hard wood the volume of fuel required will increase significantly, to maybe 8 times the volume for a comparable coal output.

• Hardwood:

  Wood from trees like oak, ash, or beech. Hardwoods tend to burn longer than softwood and produce higher heat output with less creosote, making them ideal for long-lasting fires. Hardwoods have approximately half the calorific value of solid fuel, so twice as much in weight terms and about six times as much in volume terms will be required to match the heat production of solid fuel.

• Moisture Content: Wood with high moisture content (unseasoned or wet wood) will burn inefficiently, produce less heat, and create more creosote and smoke. Always use well-seasoned or kiln-dried wood. Firewood should have a moisture content of 15-20%.
• Storage: Wood needs to be stored properly, off the ground and in a dry, well-ventilated area, to prevent it from absorbing moisture. Freshly harvested wood has a naturally high water content of between 65 and 90%. For natural air drying, it’s recommended that you season your logs for up to two years.
• Creosote Build-Up: Burning wood can create creosote, a highly flammable substance that can build up in your chimney. Regular chimney cleaning is essential for safety and efficiency. Slumbering or sustained wood burning at low levels, such as banking up a stove and shutting it down overnight, is inefficient and can harm your chimney. Burning at consistently low levels without supervision can lead to soot and tar buildup in both the stove and flue. This accumulation, coupled with irregular chimney sweeping, increases the risk of a chimney fire.

When burning wood you will use the stove's air controls differently from when burning solid fuel. When wood is burnt, it is in fact wood gases that burn this combustion requires a good supply of air from above the fuel.

The primary air control should be used only during initial lighting or to revive a fire during re-fuelling. Subsequent burning control should be achieved using the airwash and with the primary air control closed. As much as 40% of the heat from burning wood is obtained from secondary combustion and this is severely hampered by air entering the fire box from below, as for example, via the primary air inlet control.

Wood should be burnt with a clearly visible energetic flame to avoid the window glass from becoming blackened and increased tarring of the flue.

• Grate and Ashpan:

  Multi-fuel stoves are equipped with a grate that allows air to circulate beneath the fuel. This promotes better combustion of coal and other fuels that need a supply of air from below to burn efficiently. The ashpan collects the ash produced by the fuels, making cleanup easier.

• Airwash System:

  Many multi-fuel stoves have an airwash system that helps keep the stove’s glass clean by directing a stream of air over the glass door to prevent the buildup of soot and tar.

• Adjustable Controls:

  Multi-fuel stoves often have adjustable controls that allow you to regulate the amount of air reaching the fuel. This helps manage the burn rate for different types of fuel.

• Fuel Quality:

  While multi-fuel stoves allow you to use a variety of fuels, it's essential to use the right type of fuel for optimal performance. Using inappropriate fuels like treated wood or wet wood can create harmful emissions and reduce efficiency.

• Chimney Maintenance:

  Different fuels produce varying amounts of ash and creosote. Coal and smokeless fuels tend to produce more residue than wood, so regular chimney sweeping is essential to ensure safety and prevent chimney fires.

• Fuel Storage:

  You'll need space to store different types of fuel. Each fuel has different storage requirements; for instance, coal and smokeless fuels should be kept dry, while wood needs to be well-seasoned and stored in a ventilated area.

Solid fuel burning is quite straight forward, the burn is controlled with the primary air control.

The primary air control adjusts the amount of air coming into the fire chamber underneath the fuel via the grate. A very small amount of airwash air is required only to keep the glass clean and plays no part in the normal burning of solid fuel.

Solid fuel requires regular riddling of the grate to prevent ash-masking and the stove will need to be de-ashed each time it is refuelled for the same reason.

• Fuel Supply: Gas stoves require a connection to either a natural gas line or an LPG tank. Availability and cost of gas may vary depending on your location.
• Upfront Costs: While gas stoves tend to be more affordable to run than some other heating options, the initial installation cost (including plumbing and connection) may be higher than that of a wood or pellet stove.
• Environmental Impact: Although cleaner than burning wood or coal, natural gas is still a fossil fuel, so it is not as environmentally friendly as renewable sources like wood pellets.

• Electricity Costs: Depending on local electricity rates, running an electric stove can be more expensive than using gas or wood stoves for heating, especially for large spaces or prolonged periods.
• Limited Heat Output: While electric stoves are perfect for smaller spaces or supplementary heat, they may not be suitable for heating large rooms or entire homes.
• Dependence on Electricity: Electric stoves require a reliable power supply, and during power outages, they won’t work unless you have a backup power source.