The latest anti-wood-burning video now circulating on YouTube is a classic example of how an eye-catching experiment can look persuasive while telling us very little. Shot in a single living-room on the South Coast, the five-month “study” presents a handful of particle-monitor read-outs from a single family’s usage. However, what it does not present is a properly maintained appliance, a controlled test protocol or any of the peer-reviewed research already available on indoor air quality and modern stoves.
At Charnwood we welcome scrutiny, with every one of our products adhering to stringent clearSkies and EcoDesign standards before leaving the factory. But scrutiny must cut both ways. When a film is built around a stove with a loose door seal, burning inefficient logs, and without proper logging of cooking, candles or other everyday sources of particulate matter, the results simply cannot speak for the thousands of well-installed, responsibly run stoves already warming British homes.
The wider evidence base– what the film leaves out
The London Wood-Burning Project (2023).
Researchers placed high-grade monitors in London homes and compared different appliances including a Charnwood C-Five modern clearSkies Level 5 stove. Indoor PM2.5 did not rise when fuel was added to the C-Five; at times it actually fell as the stove’s draw pulled room air up the flue. Spikes in pollution were instead linked far more to frying, grilling and other cooking tasks. Technique mattered more than fuel type, and cooking easily out-contributed wood-burning as a source of indoor PM. Learn more here.
University of Manchester literature review (2022).
Dr Amanda Lea-Langton examined more than 35 studies across Europe and North America and found no scientific evidence of adverse health impacts from the indoor air typically associated with modern, enclosed stoves. In developed countries there was no demonstrated link between stove use and asthma risk, while activities such as pan-frying routinely produced far higher particle loads than an Ecodesign appliance operated correctly. Learn more here.
US residential cohort study (2019).
Seven-day monitoring in 137 New England homes recorded an average daily PM2.5 concentration of 6-8 µg m-3 in houses with a wood stove and 6-7 µg m-3 in those without. The authors noted that older, poorly sealed stoves and wet wood could raise readings, but that a modern appliance using seasoned logs had little effect on background air quality. Learn more here.
National trends
PM2.5 levels have dropped significantly over the last 20 years despite recent record stove sales
DEFRA’s latest particulate-emissions inventory shows that PM2.5 from domestic combustion fell by 17 per cent between 2020 and 2023, dropping below emissions from road transport. Adoption of Ecodesign-ready stoves and better-quality fuel is credited as a principal driver of that improvement. Learn more here.
Put simply, the longest, most rigorously gathered datasets contradict the YouTube film’s narrative and clearly show that a modern stove run on dry wood is a minor contributor to household PM2.5—well below that of everyday kitchen activities.
Why the test misleads
Screenshot from the Youtube video of the stove in the study showing a poorly maintained door seal
• A leaking door seal affects combustion and leaks particulate matter. It also raises questions about the maintenance of other aspects including the chimney.
• Inefficient fuel use (mentioned in the video) multiplies emissions. Moisture inhibits complete combustion, creating more soot and significantly more particulate matter.
• Without parallel tracking of cooking times, candle use or cleaning sprays, data is inaccurate and can mislead.
• Placing the monitor extremely close to the stove on the side where the seal is broken will inevitably maximise readings.
The responsible burning checklist
Choose an Ecodesign-Compliant Stove: Look for the clearSkies mark. If you’re currently using an older stove or open fire, consider upgrading to achieve up to a 90% reduction in emissions compared to open fires.
Check Smoke Control Area Requirements: If you live in a Smoke Control Area, you’ll need a Defra-exempt appliance. (All clearSkies Level 3 and above stoves are Defra-exempt.)
Seek Expert Advice: Visit your local SIA Retail Group member for help in choosing the right size stove and a detailed installation quote.
Professional Installation: Always ensure your stove is installed by a qualified competent person (e.g., HETAS or OFTEC registered).
Use Quality Fuel: Look for the Ready to Burn label to guarantee your logs are at or below 20% moisture content. Never burn treated wood or household waste.
Regular Maintenance: Service your stove and sweep your chimney at least once a year. An NVQ-qualified chimney sweep can also provide valuable advice for best practices.
Follow Manufacturer’s Instructions: Correct operation of your stove not only helps reduce emissions but also optimizes efficiency.
For more information about the Stove Industry Association and its ongoing work, visit
Follow those steps and your stove’s contribution to indoor PM will sit well within WHO daily guidance, even measured against the organisation’s newest, more stringent 2021 thresholds. At the same time you will be cutting your household’s reliance on fossil fuels, supporting sustainable woodland management and keeping a reliable source of heat should the power go off.
The bottom line
One thing we can agree on with the video is that there are big differences between appliances. Where the video gets it really wrong is in assuming a single, poorly maintained stove speaks for the best the industry now offers. Broader evidence and national emissions data show that a modern EcoDesign stove, fuelled with dry wood and properly maintained, is a very low-emission way to keep warm.
Learn more about our new intelligently controlled stove which takes smarter, cleaner wood-burning to the next level!