charnwoodstoves

Last week marked A.J Wells and Sons’ 50th anniversary and when taking a moment to reflect it is quite staggering to see how far we have come. From a local Island business to reaching markets across the globe, it is a testament to how much has been achieved that we can honestly say the time has just flown by. We look back with a sense of pride and look forward with real excitement – read on to hear about our amazing 50-year adventure!

The story so far…

Charnwood

 

In 1972, Alfred Wells and his two sons Alastair and John started a small engineering business in the idyllic coastal village of Niton on the Isle of Wight. Against the backdrop of the ‘70s oil crisis and the spread of Dutch Elm Disease in the UK, the trio decided to produce a small woodburning stove as an alternative way to help people heat their homes and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

The first step was to take a prototype stove to a small agricultural fair, where, to their amazement, a man came over and placed an order for twenty stoves! This kicked started the company and throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s the Charnwood range of stoves continued to grow and were sold across the UK. This momentum has never let up with new stoves regularly coming to market, with the latest, the Charnwood Cranmore, being incredibly well received.
 

Over the years, more family members joined, and the company moved the factory to Newport and invested in machinery and equipment in order to bring the manufacturing under one roof. From the original 3 in their ‘shed’ to now employing over 180 people in a site spanning 50,000 sq. ft, the business is enjoying record demand for its market-leading stoves.

A.J Wells Vitreous Enamellers

 

In 1990 A vitreous enamel plant was installed enabling the stoves to be enamelled in-house. This major investment was the start of a new arm for the company: A.J Wells Vitreous Enamellers. Shortly after, the Company began to produce signage specified for its long-lasting and durable finish. One of the first major contracts included London’s iconic Barbican Centre. This began a relationship with TFL which has seen A.J Wells become the principal supplier of signage and cladding for the London Underground. In 2007 the company manufactured much of the new DLR signage and London Overground in preparation for the London 2012 Olympics. There have been many standout projects since, with two of our most recent (below) getting a significant amount of media exposure.

Crossrail Elizabeth Line
 

The Elizabeth line railway, built by Crossrail for Transport for London, is now spanning more than 100km across the capital. The railway serves 41 stations including 10 major new London stations from Paddington to Abbey Wood. A.J Wells & Sons designed, developed, manufactured, and installed a range of signage and cladding solutions across the network including Tottenham Court Road, Paddington, Whitechapel, and Canary Warf. Read more…

TfL Northern Line Extension
 

London saw the first major tube expansion this century open to the public on Monday 20th September 2021. A.J Wells & Sons are proud to have surveyed, designed, manufactured, and installed the signage throughout the 1 billion pound Transport for London Northern Line Extension (NLE) project.

The NLE extension will serve two new stations; Nine Elms and Battersea Power Station. The whole area is undergoing massive redevelopment, with homes being built and many jobs created. Read more…

Bodj

 

 

The Bodj initiative was first conceived in 2001 when Ced Wells (under funding from The RSA and The British Council) travelled to Cambodia to work for a fair-trade business support organisation, Bright Arrows Development Ltd.

Upon his return to the UK and after learning about the experience and wonderful work that had taken place, A.J Wells & Sons (the family business) decided it wanted to get involved. As a long-established British manufacturer of Charnwood wood-burning stoves, the company decided to support one of the villages’ mini enterprises by selling their terracotta tiles. The product married well with the wood stoves and hence ‘Bodj’ was born.

A further three projects were established involving basketware, ironworking and recycling facilities which now produce a wonderful range of fireside products. Bodj seeks to strike a balance between western design practicalities and age-old Cambodian traditions.

A.J Wells and Bodj aim to continue assisting in building up these and other communities with carefully monitored fair trade practices: to relieve poverty and to improve social and environmental conditions – while respecting the culture and environment these villagers live in.

Vlaze

 

In 2013, A.J Wells & Sons featured as one of the faces of the ‘Business is Great Britain’ campaign. At the same time as being recognised for our existing business we were well on the way to starting a new division focused on a new exciting opportunity. In 2014 A.J Wells established Vlaze: a brand to focus on vitreous enamel for the living environment. Debuting enamel fireplace panels and heatshields for stove surrounds in collaboration with Charnwood. The business grew from strength to strength and undertook commissions for restaurants, hotels, and residential projects with a range of leading designers and architects including Thomas Heatherwick, Tom Dixon, Yinka Ilori and the Soho House Group.

Awards

 

Over the years we have received a number of awards we are proud of. In particular, the Green Business of the Year Award from our local chamber of commerce resonated strongly as it recognised a key part of the company ethos. However, the most significant award to date remains the honour of receiving the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: International Trade. The Queen’s Award is the UK’s most prestigious for business performance, recognising exceptional achievement by UK companies.

Today
Today, A.J Wells continues to design and make stoves, signage, cladding and export products worldwide reaching markets in Japan, South Africa, Australia, Europe and the US. We remain a privately owned British manufacturer and design house run by the second and third-generation family members and employing a fantastic team that continues to grow.

After two challenging years in which everyone has had to be cooped up, we are relishing the start of venturing out again towards new horizons. The end of 2021 and beginning of 2022 saw the launch of Charnwood.US and Vlaze.US to help us reach our customers and grow our market across the pond!

Charnwood.US

 

As part of this launch, we were proud to reveal another new stove – the revolutionary Charnwood Skye E700. It has a new intelligent microprocessor that is set to revolutionize the way we burn wood. Load the fire, close the door, set your room temperature using the Charnwood app on your phone and let the stove do the rest. A blissful stove experience!

The Skye E700 is coming soon to the U.S.A & Canada and then to other markets. Read more…

Vlaze.US

 

We’ve long heard the calls from our friends across the pond, so we were delighted to announce our Vlaze porcelain enamel indoor/outdoor modular kitchen units will be available in 2022.

Vlaze is perfect for both the UK and the US. While completely at home in the windy and wet weather we’re known for here in the UK, it is also perfect for the sunny Californian climate due to its unrivalled heat-resistance and durability – The colours won’t fade in the sun and won’t rust from the rain.

Now in its 50th year, A.J Wells has grown from humble beginnings to making Charnwood a leading global stove brand, while becoming the UK’s leading vitreous enamellers. Vlaze is equally promising, maintaining the same high stands for design and craftsmanship – characterising the very best of British.

Now, in 2022, with significant global challenges to face, A.J Wells and Sons will continue to be led by its core principles. Our vision across all businesses is to build relationships, transform lives and create products that delight people. We feel incredibly fortunate to be working on projects that inspire the whole team and want to finish by thanking all of you who have made the last 50 years so incredibly special.

charnwoodstoves

We welcome the latest UK government figures for particulate matter emissions. It reveals that indoor wood burning is responsible for less than half the emissions previously speculated (17% rather than 38%). This is based on the latest data which now recognises errors in the previous data set. 

17% is still significant, however, this figure includes all wood burning from open fires and old closed faced stoves. This suggests there is significant room for improvement as we know that Ecodesign stoves are 90% more efficient than open fires and 80% more efficient than stoves 10 or more years old. The SIA has established that Ecodesign stoves are in fact currently contributing just 2.7% to emissions. 

A government study in 2016 reports 40% of domestic burning is from open fires, while we know that Ecodesign regulations only just came into force this year. Therefore, there is real potential for significantly reducing the PM output of domestic wood-burning by encouraging open fire users and those with an old stove to upgrade to an Ecodesign stove.  

Commenting on the latest data Andy Hill, chair of the Stove Industry Alliance, said: 

“We welcome the revisions to the government’s statistics on PM2.5 from domestic combustion sources that have been announced. The SIA has long maintained that the volume of wood fuel used to calculate the previous figure had been significantly overestimated, and this has now been officially acknowledged.” 

“There is huge potential to lower PM2.5 emissions from domestic combustion even further by encouraging homeowners to upgrade their open fires to an Ecodesign stove, such as a clearSkies certified appliance. These stoves produce up to 90% less particulate matter emissions than an open fire so the further reduction in emissions levels that could be achieved is significant. A professionally installed, regularly serviced modern Ecodesign stove used with correctly seasoned wood fuel* is a very low carbon, low emission, sustainable and cost-effective way to heat our homes.” 

It is important to remember that a world without any PM emissions is not a realistic goal – certainly not with the current technology available and so it is right to pursue a strategy that seeks to minimise PM levels while maximizing the benefits of various heating solutions. With oil and gas prices rising and with the existing limitations of wind and solar power, there is absolutely a need for an efficient domestic combustion solution which Ecodesign stoves provide.

Read more on what to do about rising energy prices

Eco-design wood burning stove benefits:

1/ They can produce heat for long periods.

2/ Allowing them to work in conjunction with wind, solar and other energies helps make these great technologies more viable – They are not in competition with each other.

3/ An ideal emergency/low-frequency heat source.

4/ Wood is a carbon-neutral fuel as it gives off the same amount of carbon whether it is burnt or decays naturally. The carbon released from burning wood is balanced out by the carbon absorbed by the tree during its lifetime.

5/ Ability to source fuel locally and without fracking and deep-sea oil drilling.

6/ A good quality stove can last many decades and provide an affordable source of heat for low-income households.

7/ The right to repair. The majority of components used within a Charnwood stove are modular and can be replaced when or if they wear out further extending the life of your stove.

8/ Charnwood stoves and packaging are fully recyclable.

9/ Significant well-being benefits as a result of owning a wood-burning stove. Read about the Charnwood wellbeing survey and all the amazing benefits of owning a stove for your wellbeing.

The perfect open fire replacement

 

The Charnwood Cranmore is perfect to replace an open fire or old stove and suits an open fireplace beautifully. It is a classic new wood-burning stove that is traditional in style, however, benefits from the very latest in clean burn technology. The Cranmore draws inspiration from the Regency era with a single framed glass door and archetypal detailing. The stoves’ pleasing proportions make it well suited to a traditional fireplace and with its large picture window and mesmerising flame pattern it is an ideal replacement for an open fire. Read more about the Cranmore here… 

Proper stove usage is key

The benefits of an Ecodesign stove can only be realised with proper usage and by selecting the right type of fuel. – This is wood that has been stored and allowed to dry until the moisture content has reduced to 20% or less. Freshly cut or ‘green wood’ holds up to 70% water which causes far more smoke to be produced. It is for this reason we have long stressed the importance of using seasoned wood because it produces a significantly cleaner burn – reducing emissions by up to 50%. Additionally, improved efficiency equals cheaper running costs, while a cleaner fuel means your stove and chimney will require less maintenance. It’s a win-win. 

More information on sustainable firewood choices. 

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We believe that Ecodesign regulations will have a hugely positive impact and will improve emission targets further. Since regulations have only just come into force this year, most stoves surveyed were older inefficient stoves and open fires. Therefore, as more people make the switch to new efficient Ecodesign stoves, we will see emission output for domestic woodburning fall significantly – particularly if you help us spread the word! 

 

Sources:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/emissions-of-air-pollutants/emissions-of-air-pollutants-in-the-uk-particulate-matter-pm10-and-pm25 

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/517572/Summary_results_of_the_domestic_wood_use_survey_.pdf 

https://www.clearskiesmark.org/ 

charnwoodstoves

Wood burning stoves are incredibly popular, with many people using them to heat their homes. It is estimated that around 2.5 million households in the UK have them.

If you’re thinking of joining them and investing in a wood burning stove, you’ve probably got some questions. We’re here to help.

Here are some of the questions we are most frequently asked:

 

What to put behind a wood burning stove?

Because wood burning stoves must be kept away from combustible objects and materials, it’s important to only place fire-resistant materials behind them. As a result, brick, stone, and tiles are commonly used behind wood burning stoves.

If the stove backs onto the wall, many people choose to use firebacks or heat shields – decorative features that are placed behind the stove to protect the wall.

 

How to install a wood burning stove?

Your wood burning stove must be installed by a registered HETAS engineer or fitted in line with Building Regulations (document J) before being signed off by Building Control.

If you’re buying a Charnwood Stove, your official stockist will offer full installation, or recommend a registered installer – find out more here.

 

How to light a wood burning stove?

To follow your wood burning stove, follow these steps:

 

1. First, clear the grate of ash, then place 2-3 smaller logs on the stove bed.

 

2. On top of the logs, build a stack of 6-8 kindling sticks, before placing a natural firelighter inside.

 

3. Open the air control fully to allow for maximum air intake. This should enable quick and easy ignition.

 

4. Next, light the firelighter.

 

5. Close the door to the stove, but leave it slightly ajar to help heat the chimney flue for a clean burn.

 

6. Once the fire is burning well, close the door and reduce the air control.

 

7. Every time you add a log to the fire, open the air control again until the fire is burning well, then return it to normal.

 

To run your stove at maximum efficiency, with minimum emissions, try to refuel little and often.

Find more tips for lighting and using your wood burning stove here.

 

How to use a wood burning stove?

Before using your wood burning stove, make sure you familiarise yourself with the instructions and user guide, so you know what you’re doing from the start.

Next, you’ll need to choose the right fuel – either hardwood or softwood. Failure to do this will impact how long the fire burns, increase fuel costs and potentially damage internal parts of the stove, as well as the body and flue system.

When you’ve chosen your fuel, light the stove, following our guide.

Finally, once you’ve finished using the stove, make sure you clean it to keep it in optimum condition.

 

How much does it cost to install a wood burning stove?

Your wood burning stove must be installed by a qualified, HETAS registered fitter. The cost of installation will depend on a number of factors, including the installer you use, the scale of the job, and whether you are using an existing flue or not.

As a general guide, in 2022 a wood burning stove will cost around £2,000 to install.

When you buy a wood burning stove from Charnwood, your supplier will either provide installation or recommend an installer. They will be able to provide a quote.

 

How to clean a wood burning stove?

If you want to keep your wood burning stove performing efficiently and looking its best, it’s important you keep it clean.

Here are some tips for keeping your wood burning stove clean:

 

• Clean the exterior surface using a soft brush, damp cloth and vacuum cleaner, when the stove is cool and not in use.

• Empty the ash pan and firebox when the stove is not in use (although keep in mind that in the colder months, it’s easier to light your fire on a bed of ash).

• Inspect the rope seals on the doors and flue to ensure they are working properly.

• If your stove is looking tired, give it a fresh spray of paint.

 

Find out more about cleaning your wood burning stove here.

How to clean wood burning stove glass?

If you use your wood burner regularly, soot can build up on the glass door, reducing your view of the fire. To avoid this build-up and keep your stove looking its best, follow these tips:

 

• Take a damp paper towel or newspaper, crumple it up, and dip it in the fine wood ash. Use this to rub the stove glass clean.

• To remove significant build-up, burn a fire at a high temperature before you clean the glass.

• Always wait until the glass is cool before you clean it, spraying water on the glass when it’s hot can lead to cracking.

 

Get more tips for cleaning the glass of your wood burning stove here.

 

How much is a wood burning stove?

The cost of wood burning stoves varies from model to model. Explore our range of stoves and look for a stockist near you who will be able to provide a quote.

 

Are wood burning stoves bad for the environment?

There are lots of myths circulating about wood burning stoves being bad for the environment. But they simply aren’t accurate.

While it’s true that wood burners can give off fumes containing microscopic specks of soot, which can lead to air pollution, using approved fuels significantly reduces the risk of this. As of January 2022 all stoves sold must now meet with Ecodesign regulation which ensures a much cleaner burn. If you are burning wood correctly, it can become part of a carbon-neutral process, being balanced out by the carbon absorbed by the tree.

It’s also important to keep in mind that, as long as trees are replanted and woodland is properly managed, using wood for fuel can be part of a sustainable energy process.

Find out more about the environmental impact of wood burning stoves here.

 

How to fit a wood burning stove?

When it comes to fitting a wood burning stove, there are a host of things to consider, including whether you have a chimney breast or fireplace, the distance from any combustible materials, the size of the room, and the age of the property.

Your wood burning stove must be fitted correctly. If you’re in the UK, that means it must be fitted by a registered HETAS engineer or fitted in line with Building Regulations (document J) before being signed off by Building Control.

When you buy a Charnwood Stove, your supplier will offer full installation, or recommend a registered installer. Find out more here.

 

 

We hope we’ve answered your wood burning stove questions. If you didn’t find the information you were looking for, please get in touch.




Your wood burning stove questions answered




charnwoodstoves

Will energy prices rise in 2022?

Martin Lewis of Money Savings Expert fame has recently said “I’ve been calling for Government intervention to prevent an energy bill crisis before 1 April, when the price cap – which most bills are now based on – is predicted to rise 51%, adding typically £600/year to bills.”

This is sobering reading and it is understandable that this situation is leading people to question what alternatives there are that could help in the short, medium, and long term.

For most families, the optimum long term home energy solution involves a combination of renewable energy systems (such as wind and solar) alongside an Eco-design wood-burning stove.

Comparing alternative domestic energy solutions

This unprecedented price rise is coinciding with a greater appreciation of the need to do more to help our environment and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. We are big supporters of wind and solar energy – in fact, our factory roof on the Isle of Wight is covered with panels and many of us have installed solar on our roofs at home. However, they are only a part of the solution as they don’t offer a constant supply and there are still significant upfront costs involved. Heat pumps are also expensive and are not suitable for a substantial portion of housing stock.

Fossil fuels on the other hand are non-renewable and, as we all know, polluting. The main advantage is the ability to provide power 24/7 – but they are not a sustainable part of the world’s future and as we have seen they are no longer the cheap option!

Fortunately, there is a more sustainable way to provide consistent heat energy that doesn’t require burning fossil fuels – Wood-burning stoves! To be clear we are not advocating open fires, nor old stoves, we are talking about new EcoDesign that provide superb efficiency and are a far greener alternative.

Here is a useful breakdown of information for the domestic user regarding solar power, wind power, heat pumps, and eco-design wood-burning stoves:

Average up-front cost for family of 3 (including installation) Average maintenance costs P/A Can it offer constant supply? Potential to earn money selling back to the grid?
Solar Power £6000 – £8000 £150 – £250 No Yes
Wind Power £9000 – 30,000 £150 – £450 No Yes
Heat Pumps £8000 – 30,000 £90 – £150 Yes No
Wood-Burning Stoves £2500 – £5000 £60 – £100 Yes No

These figures are estimates

Analysis: Renewable energy systems benefit significantly from working alongside clearSkies wood-burning stoves as any shortfalls in energy production are mitigated. It depends on your budget and if you can afford to go straight to wind or solar, however for most families, adding a woodstove will be the most straightforward and affordable next step.

Eco-design wood burning stove benefits:

• They can produce heat for long periods.

• Allowing them to work in conjunction with wind, solar and other energies helps make these great technologies more viable – They are not in competition with each other.

• An ideal emergency/low-frequency heat source.

• Wood is a carbon-neutral fuel as it gives off the same amount of carbon whether it is burnt or decays naturally. The carbon released from burning wood is balanced out by the carbon absorbed by the tree during its lifetime.

• Ability to source fuel locally and without fracking and deep-sea oil drilling.

• A good quality stove can last many decades and provide an affordable source of heat for low-income households.

• The right to repair. The majority of components used within a Charnwood stove are modular and can be replaced when or if they wear out further extending the life of your stove.

• Charnwood stoves and packaging are fully recyclable.

• Significant wellbeing benefits as a result of owning a wood-burning stove. Read about the Charnwood wellbeing survey and all the amazing benefits of owning a stove for your wellbeing.

The latest data on domestic wood-burning supports the use of Eco-design stoves

There have been some reports in recent years that have attributed inaccurate emissions figures to domestic wood-burning stoves. It has long been argued that lumping open fires, bonfires and stoves together is misleading. Now, a new study has just released new data that confirms this. An overview of the results can be found below. For a deeper look click here.

“Outdoor wood burning was found to account for 51% (17,518 tonnes/year) of all domestic wood-burning PM2.5 emissions (total of 34,465 tonnes/year). These results therefore signify the importance of accounting for these outdoor sources and has implications for the future design of regulations which currently largely neglect outdoor domestic burning.

This therefore suggests that bonfires are one of the major sources of domestic PM2.5 emissions, possibly contributing as much as all wood burnt indoors.

Lastly, it was found that Ecodesign stoves contribute just 2.7% of PM2.5 emissions from the burning of wood logs (including waste wood and briquettes) despite using 9% of the fuel. On the other hand, open fires contribute 39% of the emission from burning of wood logs whilst burning 26% of the wood. These results therefore highlight the substantial improvements in emissions from indoor sources that can be made by switching to modern Ecodesign stoves.”

Wood burning best practices

Sustainable firewood choices

Wood can be a renewable energy source as trees suck carbon out of the atmosphere as they grow. Of course, there are best practices that need to be followed and selecting the right type of wood from the right sources is key.

Ideally, rather than felling a healthy tree, it is always much better to use wood from trees that have fallen naturally or have been removed via coppicing. When that isn’t an option, it is still important to source locally which experts consider to be within an 11mile radius. This way non-native insects and parasites are not introduced into new regions while emissions from transportation are reduced.

3 essential steps to burning wood with your stove efficiently

1/ Good fuel – This is wood that has been stored and allowed to dry until the moisture content has reduced to 20% or less. Freshly cut or ‘green wood’ holds up to 70% water which causes far more smoke to be produced. It is for this reason we have long stressed the importance of using seasoned wood because it produces a significantly cleaner burn – reducing emissions by up to 50%. Additionally, improved efficiency equals cheaper running costs, while a cleaner fuel means your stove and chimney will require less maintenance. It’s a win-win.

2/ Efficient stove – Charnwood is proud to have stoves certified in the inaugural clearSkies listing, an independent emissions and energy performance certification mark for stoves. Many Charnwood products carry a level 5 certification (the highest available rating) which guarantees performance levels and exceed the minimum EcoDesign criteria by a sizable 30%. This is only awarded to stoves that significantly reduce particle emissions while ensuring high efficiencies and a superior flame picture.

3/ Correct use – this is a variable that has until now been dependent on the experience and diligence of the end-user, providing mixed results. That is why Charnwood are developing new technology that will give the user the option of automating this process. This will mean the stove will burn at the most efficient rate possible, further improving its green credentials. Watch this space!

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References:
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2022/01/martin-lewis–the-energy-price-cap-s-now-predicted-to-rise-a-hor/
https://stoveindustryalliance.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/22-01-31-The-contribution-of-domestic-outdoor-burning-to-UK-particulate-matter-emissions.pdf