Category: Firewood

Modern wood-burning stoves deserve a fair hearing in new homes

charnwoodstoves
20 Jun 2026

A recent BMJ article critiques the stove industry’s engagement with government over proposals that could have restricted wood-burning stoves in new homes, and it frames the industry as having behaved improperly by lobbying. We believe that framing is unfair, as this is not about shutting down debate or avoiding accountability. It is about making sure decisions are based on solid evidence and a clear understanding of how modern appliances differ from older forms of burning. 

At Charnwood, we believe cleaner air and resilient homes can go hand in hand. Continued advancements in stove technology, responsible fuel use and the replacement of older appliances offer a practical way forward, while modern stoves can provide dependable secondary heat during power cuts or periods of energy uncertainty. We’re not making a case for wood burning to be exempt from scrutiny, but for modern stoves to be judged fairly on the evidence and their real world performance. 

Accuracy is not silence 

The BMJ article criticises the Stove Industry Association’s engagement with the Scottish Government and UK departments. However, speaking with policymakers is a normal and necessary part of democratic decision making, particularly when proposed rules could affect households and the businesses that support them. 

Engagement does not mean opposing cleaner air. It means asking for policy that targets the highest emitting forms of burning while recognising the progress made in modern stove technology. When councils, campaigners or media reports use “wood burning” as a catch all term, they risk confusing the public and directing attention away from where the greatest improvements can be made. 

Not all wood burning is the same Modern new-build home with wood-burning stove installed as secondary heating

Air quality absolutely matters, and the stove industry will continue to play its part in improving it. A first step is recognising that open fires, older appliances and modern Ecodesign compliant stoves are not the same. Modern stoves are designed to burn dry wood much more efficiently and with substantially lower particulate emissions (up to 90% less) than the technologies they replace, while delivering far more useful heat into the home. 

Recognising that difference is not an attempt to avoid regulation but is essential to developing fair, evidence led policy. If the goal is cleaner air, the most effective route is to replace the worst forms of burning with the best available technology, while continuing to improve fuel quality and household burning practice. 

Read our essential stove tips here 

The latest data shows progress 

The BMJ article quotes Defra figures showing that PM2.5 emissions attributed to wood fuel are higher than 20 years ago. That statistic needs context. 

Over that same broad period, stove technology has changed significantly and the recent direction of travel is important. UK Government emissions reporting shows that total PM10 and PM2.5 emissions from domestic combustion fell by 26% between 2018 and 2024. This coincides with the introduction of Ecodesign requirements for solid fuel room heaters from January 2022 and improved fuel standards, including restrictions on the sale of wet wood in England. 

The latest figures suggest that policies focused on better appliances and drier fuel are helping to move particulate emissions in the right direction. So surely the sensible approach is to build on that progress, not ignore it. 

Why new homes still need resilient heat 

The BMJ article reports industry warnings that a ban could harm the economy, lead to redundancies and worsen fuel poverty. Those concerns are very real and all matter, but resilience is another important part of the discussion that is often overlooked. Modern wood-burning stoves give households a dependable secondary source of heat, particularly in rural and off-grid areas, as the SIA highlighted in its response. 

New homes are increasingly designed around electricity and heat pumps, supported by tighter building standards. These are an important part of the future, but they remain vulnerable to power cuts, rising prices and pressure on the wider energy system. A modern stove gives households another option, allowing them to heat the room they are using and stay warm when other systems are under strain. At a time of global uncertainty, removing a reliable source of heat from new homes would reduce both choice and resilience. 

Health, wellbeing and the life of the home 

The debate around wood burning is often reduced to emissions alone. Emissions matter, and we spend a great deal of time improving them. But a home is more than just the technology that heats it. They are places where people gather, rest and live. 

As Mike Parrott reflected in our recent Charnwood interview, the hearth has long been more than a source of heat. It gives a room a centre. It draws people together. It makes warmth visible and shared. That does not mean ignoring air quality. It means recognising that policy should consider the whole picture, including cleaner technology, household resilience, rural life, affordability and wellbeing. 

A better path forward 

We support sensible, evidence based measures that improve air quality. The practical route is to replace open fires and older appliances with modern Ecodesign stoves, use dry certified fuel, support good burning practice and enforce existing rules fairly, while continuing to improve appliance technology. This protects air quality without losing the unique benefits modern wood burning brings to households. 

Warm homes matter as energy bills rise again

charnwoodstoves
30 May 2026

With Ofgem confirming that the energy price cap will rise by 13% from July, many households will once again be thinking carefully about how they heat their homes. For a typical dual-fuel household paying by Direct Debit, the annualised cap will rise from £1,641 to £1,862 for the period from 1 July to 30 September 2026. That is around £18 more per month if this is sustained over a year. 

Cost, carbon emissions and air quality are all important, but there is another part of the conversation that should not be overlooked. Warmth itself really matters. The Stove Industry Association has highlighted this in its recent article, Why Warm Homes Matter for Health and Wellbeing, which is well worth reading in full. 

Staying warm at home is essential, particularly for older people and those with existing health conditions. UK Government cold-weather guidance states that anyone can become unwell if they get too cold, and advises people to heat the rooms they spend a lot of time in to at least 18°C where possible. 

Warmth supports health 

Our bodies work hard to maintain a stable temperature, therefore when a home becomes too cold, the body has to work harder too, and so prolonged exposure to cold indoor conditions can affect far more than comfort. The World Health Organization’s housing and health guidance recognises that indoor temperatures should be high enough to protect people from the harmful effects of cold, with 18°C proposed as a safe indoor temperature for general populations in colder seasons. It also notes that vulnerable groups may need warmer indoor temperatures. 

Cold homes can place extra strain on the cardiovascular system, worsen respiratory problems and affect mental wellbeing, sleep and daily comfort. It also notes that damp and cold homes can increase mould risk, particularly for people with asthma. This is why warmth should sit alongside air quality and carbon when we talk about heating policy. A healthy home needs affordable warmth and proper ventilation.  

Choice and resilience matter 

For many households, especially in rural or off-grid areas, having more than one way to heat the home provides a real sense of reassurance. Energy prices can change quickly, while severe weather and power cuts can happen at the worst possible time. In those moments, a modern wood-burning stove can be a genuine life saver by offering dependable heat from a locally available fuel source. 

The SIA has long argued that modern, efficient stoves should be recognised for their role in affordable warmth, consumer choice and household energy security. A modern Ecodesign stove using dry, seasoned wood fuel can sit alongside other heating technologies, including heat pumps and solar. It allows a household to heat the room they are using, reduces pressure on the main heating system and helps families retain independence when the grid is under strain. 

Responsible heating is the key 

Air quality matters deeply, and modern wood burning must always be done responsibly. That means choosing a modern, efficient stove, having it installed and maintained properly, using dry fuel at 20% moisture or below, and following the manufacturer’s guidance for clean, efficient burning. Good stove practice is essential and makes a huge difference to emissions.

Use our stove calculator to find the right size for your room.

Read our Essential Stove Tips here 

A balanced way forward 

At Charnwood we believe modern wood burning has an important role to play. A modern Charnwood stove provides efficient heat, unrivalled comfort and resilience, while modern clean burn technology continues to reduce emissions and improve everyday use. 

As energy bills rise once again, the answer should not be to narrow household choice. It should be to help people heat their homes well, safely and responsibly. Warm homes matter, and modern wood-burning stoves is one key way of helping provide that warmth when it is needed most. 

Charnwood Dealer Event 2026: innovation and resilience is the future of modern wood burning

charnwoodstoves
29 May 2026

This May we welcomed our Premier Dealers back to the Isle of Wight for the Charnwood Dealer Event 2026. It was a chance to reconnect in person, share our latest developments and celebrate our community who help bring Charnwood stoves into homes across the UK and Ireland. 

This year’s message was clear, in an uncertain world, we have solutions to the challenges. For us, that means continuing to focus on thoughtful design, clean burn performance, intelligent technology and the enduring value of a reliable fire in the home. 

Over two days, we shared new products, discussed the future of the stove industry and opened up our manufacturing and engineering facilities at A.J Wells. Just as important, we spent time together, listening, exchanging ideas and celebrating the people who represent Charnwood every day. 

New additions to the Aire range Charnwood Aire 4 wood burning stove, 4.9kW manual combustion

A major focus of the event was the introduction of two new additions to the Aire range, the Charnwood Aire 4 and Charnwood Aire 400, both available from July 2026. Each stove offers a different expression of the Aire range, with the Aire 4 providing simple manual control and the Aire 400 bringing Charnwood’s intelligent combustion technology to a bold new landscape format. 

The Aire 4 is a compact manual stove with a 4.9kW rated output, 86% net efficiency and a striking flame picture. Designed for ease and versatility, it features clean burn performance and a precise single air control, making it well suited to both freestanding installations and traditional fireplaces. The Aire 400, by contrast, brings a wider view of the fire in a shallow form, with a 5.0kW rated output and 85% net efficiency. Powered by Charnwood’s intelligent combustion technology, it automatically manages airflow for optimal efficiency, refined control and excellent fuel economy. 

Together, these new models showcase Charnwood’s approach to making stoves for the way people live today. By marrying beautifully simple elegant design with highly efficient heating, Charnwood continues to lead the industry forwards. 

A refined update to the Charnwood Bay Charnwood Aire 400 intelligent wood burning stove in landscape format

We also shared the latest update to the Charnwood Bay range, featuring a new front fence for enhanced flame visibility and improved ash retention, alongside an upgraded optional bench in seamless, one piece steel. 

The Bay has always had a strong architectural presence, and these refinements build on that character while making the fire easier to enjoy and the stove even cleaner in appearance. 

Fired Up and the life around the stove Updated Charnwood Bay wood burning stove with refined front fence and bench

Dealers were also introduced to the latest edition of Fired Up, our popular company magazine created for showrooms and customers. Edition 3 brings together short interviews exploring fire, connection, creativity and the place we call home. 

It reflects on the fact that a stove is much more than just a product. Sitting within the heart of a home, it shapes how people gather, slow down, experience and enjoy the colder months together. 

Read more about it here. 

Time together on the Island Charnwood Premier Dealer Event 2026 venue on the Isle of Wight

Thursday began in suitably British fashion with fish and chips, ice cream and some traditional British weather! Then guests were welcomed into the studio for an introduction and a tour through our manufacturing and engineering facilities. It was a chance to show dealers not only the finished stoves, but also the people and careful attention to detail behind them. 

From there, dealers moved through smaller sessions covering the new Aire 4 and Aire 400, intelligent combustion technology, marketing and the wider product range for 2026. Hugh also gave an insightful talk on the stove industry, reflecting on the challenges and opportunities ahead, before the day ended with a relaxed evening together at The Royal Hotel in Ventnor. 

On Friday, the group headed out across the Island, visiting Afton Valley Farm, the Garlic Farm, a local farmhouse for an aromatherapy session and Robin Hill Country Park, before coming together again at The Smoke House for lunch and the annual awards. It was a fitting close to two days centred on product and the shared relationships that make the Charnwood dealer network so important. 

Celebrating our Premier Dealers Charnwood team with Premier Dealers at 2026 annual dealer conference, Isle of Wight

A highlight of the event was recognising the commitment and service of our Premier Dealers. Their work is central to the Charnwood experience, from helping customers choose the right stove to ensuring installations are safe and beautifully considered. 

This year’s award winners are as follows: 

Stoake Golden Dog 

Direct Stoves Top Dealer North England 

RW Knight Top Dealer South West England 

Island Stoves Top Dealer South East England 

Ignite Stoves & Fireplaces Top Dealer Midlands 

Bonk & Co Top Dealer Scotland 

The Arcade Top Dealer Wales 

Flamestyle by The Soot Doctor Top Dealer Ireland 

Portadown Fireplaces Top Dealer Northern Ireland 

Opulence Stoves Best Newcomer 

Stoake Most Improved 

Jacqui Morrison Special Award 

Huge congratulations to all our winners, and thank you to every dealer who continues to represent Charnwood with such care and expertise. 

Looking ahead 

There was a strong sense of optimism throughout. Looking ahead to autumn 2026, the feeling is that demand will remain robust as customers increasingly return to stable, sustainable forms of home heating. As gas and oil prices continue to fluctuate, modern wood burning feels more relevant than ever, particularly with the rise of intelligent stoves that offer low emissions, high efficiency and simpler everyday use. With fuel that can be sourced locally and stored at home, wood remains a dependable and resilient choice in an uncertain climate. 

A season of small beginnings By Dammy Ponnuthurai

charnwoodstoves
01 May 2026

“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.” — Ecclesiastes 3

For some of us, particularly those who struggle with a lack of light, the arrival of May feels like a moment of return. A quiet re-entry into the world. Blossom appears on branches that only recently felt held in winter, and trees are slowly, then suddenly, given back their leaves. There is something in that shift that feels almost physical. A lifting of weight, rather than simply a change of scene.

Before Julius Caesar formalised the calendar, the Romans marked the beginning of the year in spring. It is not difficult to see why. This is the season that draws us outward again, towards picnics, longer days, and the small celebrations that invite us to stay outside a little longer.

April, in particular, resists definition. A run of bright, warm days can feel like early summer, only to turn without warning. The air cools, the clouds gather, and we are pulled back into something closer to autumn. There is a kind of yo-yoing to it. An uncertainty that sits alongside optimism.

It is tempting to feel gloomy about the inconsistency of April’s weather, but perhaps it offers something else. Not a flaw in the season, but a kind of metaphor. April is not quite predictable, and perhaps that is part of its gift. It keeps us noticing, keeps us slightly on our toes, and asks us to remain open-minded, to let go of the urge to hurry towards certainty.

We tend to organise our lives in clearer terms than this. Work and rest. Activity and pause. Weekday and weekend. The weekend, in particular, has become a container for recovery, a time set aside for a version of happiness that sits apart from responsibility. But in practice it rarely holds. We carry the week with us. Thoughts linger. Moods do not adhere to the calendar.

There is a quiet tension in this structure. An expectation of rest, and the reality of being unable to fully enter it. So the question becomes not how to separate these states, but how to remain steady within them, and remember to keep looking.

For me, there is something in the act of lighting a fire at the end of an uncertain spring day. After hours of warmth and wind, brightness and chill, the ritual offers a return to a familiar friend. The warmth gathers gradually, then lingers. Even when expected, there is something quietly surprising in the way it fills a room, almost like a cloak. It alters the atmosphere before one has quite registered the change.

The fire itself is responsive. It shifts with what it is given, never quite the same from one moment to the next. There is a dance to it, but an undirected one, a quiet movement that keeps drawing the eye back.

Perhaps this is where the season and the fire meet. Both resist control. Both move according to their own rhythm. And both ask us, in different ways, to pay attention rather than impose order.

To sit with a fire is to return to noticing. To watch without needing to resolve anything. In a culture that leans heavily on certainty and outcome, this can feel unfamiliar, but it is not without purpose. There is a kind of intelligence in observation, in allowing things to be as they are, even briefly.

The creative part of us, if it is to remain active, depends on this. Not on fixed conditions, but on a willingness to stay open and remain receptive to what is not yet formed. April, with all its movement, offers a kind of practice in this.

So while we look ahead to longer days and more certain warmth, there may be something to hold onto in this in-between time. Not as a waiting period, but as a time with its own purpose. A space in which to recalibrate, to observe, and to adjust.

Like watching a flame, it asks very little. Only that we stay with it long enough to see.

Five minutes with Nye Meyers

charnwoodstoves
17 Apr 2026

Nye installs wood burning stoves across London through his work with Stoake, moving between Victorian terraced houses, community spaces and, at times, more unexpected settings such as galleries. His relationship with fire goes back further. After moving to Australia as a child, he grew up in a culture where fire was part of everyday life, through barbecues, gathering and outdoor cooking, but also something that demanded care. That early awareness carries through into his work today. He speaks not only about the practicalities of installation, but about the enduring place of fire in the home, the appeal of wood burning stoves as a carbon neutral heat source, and the advances in stove technology that have made them strikingly simple to use.

Do you have any childhood memories of being around a stove or fire?

I always loved fire growing up. My parents came over from India in the 1970s, and we did not have a fire in the house. But when I was a little older, we moved to Australia, where barbecues were a big part of life, so there was always a fire going, with people gathered around it and all that came with it. In Australia there is also a strong awareness of fire in another sense, and of the need to treat it with care.

After school, I started work as a gas fitter and, through working with other renewable technologies, found my way to boiler stoves and then wood burners.

Day to day, what do you find most interesting about the different places and projects you install stoves for? 

One of the great things about working in London is meeting so many environmentally conscious people, particularly because everyone lives so closely together. People want to use the right stoves and make sure they are properly maintained. The work takes us into all sorts of homes and buildings, most often Victorian terraced houses, and every project has its own character. You might be working in a family sitting room one day, then in a completely different kind of space, such as a community farm, the next.

Your work has also taken you into unexpected places, including installing stoves for exhibitions at White Cube. What was it like bringing the element of fire into a contemporary gallery setting?

We installed six stoves for the artist Danh Vo at White Cube in Bermondsey. They were six Skye 7s, all connected to a single terminal and flued together, which is not something you would normally do in a domestic setting. Because it was a temporary exhibition in an industrial space, Building Regulations did not apply in the same way they usually would. Seeing all six running together in a white gallery space was quite something. It was a very different context for a stove, and a fascinating project to be part of.

Sitting beside a fire is such an ancient human act. Why do you think there is so much misunderstanding today about the ecological role of the modern wood burning stove?

It is such an ancient human act. A fire makes a house feel alive as well as warm, and those of us who work with stoves do not much like being in a house in winter without one. A lot of the misunderstanding comes from the way the issue has been represented in the media. There has been a tendency to blur the distinction between an open fire and a modern stove, and to simplify emissions reporting in a way that has confused people.

A modern stove, used properly, has very low emissions compared with many other sources of emissions. In reality, the picture is more nuanced. We began installing wood burning stoves because they are a carbon neutral heat source, and we have been particularly grateful for advances in technology, especially in stoves such as

the Charnwood Skye 700. Customers are genuinely interested not only in how well these stoves burn, but in how easy they are to live with. With a stove like the Skye 700, you still engage with the fire, but in a very simple way. You light it, close the door and let the stove do its job.

Setting the record straight: the stove industry is asking for fairness, balance and accuracy, not silence

charnwoodstoves
15 Mar 2026

A recent article is trying to suggest that the stove industry is attempting to silence councils by threatening legal action over anti-wood burning campaigns. That interpretation totally misses the point. 

The Stove Industry Association (SIA) has simply written to several councils asking that public campaigns about wood burning are accurate, proportionate and based on the available evidence. The issue is that too often messaging suggests that all wood burning is the same, or compares modern stoves to entirely different sources of pollution and it risks misleading the public rather than helping them make informed decisions.  

It should be no surprise that councils would be asked to correct the record or receive push back for misleading communication. 

If we want cleaner air, the starting point has to be good data and information.  

Not all wood burning is the same 

A persistent problem in the public conversation about wood burning is that very different technologies are often grouped together with campaigns treating the following as a single category: 

•Open fires

•Old poorly maintained stoves 

•Burning wet or unsuitable fuel

•Modern Ecodesign stoves burning dry logs

However, these are simply not comparable. Open fires and old appliances produce far higher emissions (up to 80-90% more) than modern designs! Today’s Ecodesign stoves burn far more efficiently, using advanced combustion systems to burn particles before they leave the stove. Treating all domestic burning as the same inevitably exaggerates the impact of modern stoves and distracts from where the biggest improvements can actually be made. 

The latest data shows emissions are falling 

UK Government statistics show particulate emissions from domestic combustion have fallen by 26% between 2018 and 2024. And between 2023 and 2024 whilst there was more wood burnt, the total emissions from EcoDesign stoves burning wood actually decreased by 1.44%. This is despite there being more EcoDesign stoves in circulation (as these are now the only stoves allowed to be sold).

The UK Informative Inventory Report backs this up stating, “since 2018, a decline in emissions from small combustion is evident although wood use has increased in the same period. The reduction in PM2.5 emissions from small combustion in recent years reflects introduction of cleaner residential wood-burning appliances into the market and also a reduction in emissions from use of wet wood.”

This is encouraging and reflects the following developments over the past decade: 

•The transition to modern Ecodesign stoves

•Introduction of Ready to Burn fuel standards

•Better public awareness about burning practices

Importantly to note, the domestic combustion category now includes additional outdoor burning sources such as fire pits and chimineas. Even with those included, emissions still fell and show that modern, cleaner appliances and better fuel are making a measurable difference. 

When campaign claims are challenged 

In 2024 the Advertising Standards Authority responded to complaints about Brighton & Hove City Council’s “Cosy Killer” campaign, which linked particle pollution to “1 in 20 deaths”. The ASA issued an advice notice after the complaint challenged whether this claim could be substantiated. The regulator explained that where consumers are likely to interpret a statement as an objective claim, advertisers must hold adequate evidence to support it. The council received guidance on how future messaging should align with advertising standards. 

Another claim used in the campaign missleadingly compared emissions from domestic wood burning with road traffic. When updated DEFRA emissions data became available, the council adjusted elements of the campaign messaging to reflect the newer information. 

The “1 in 20 deaths” statistic used in the posters was again misleading as it referred to particulate air pollution from all sources combined. Presenting the figure alongside an image of a stove risked implying a direct connection that the underlying evidence simply does not support.  

The lesson is that strong public claims require strong evidence and is why the SIA continues to communicate with councils and beyond. 

The real route to cleaner air 

If the goal genuinely is cleaner air, the most effective steps are already well understood and what we continue to champion. 

They include: 

•Replacing open fires and older appliances with modern Ecodesign stoves

•Using dry, certified fuel

•Educating users about correct burning practices

•Enforcing existing smoke control regulations

These measures target the highest emissions first and deliver the greatest improvements, while maintaining the unique benefits of wood burning– ever more vital in a world where energy security is increasingly unstable. In contrast, campaigns that treat all wood burning as the same end up distracting from the solutions that actually work. 

Progress comes from innovation 
 

For us and other stove manufacturers, reducing emissions has been a core motivation for decades. Modern stoves now use sophisticated combustion systems that dramatically reduce emissions while significantly improving efficiency. Our new intelligent I-Blu technology automatically optimises combustion and is pushing improvements even further. 

Cleaner air will not come from exaggeration or fear. It will come from continued innovation, better fuel standards and responsible use. The data shows that progress is already happening and the most effective path forward is to build on that progress, not ignore it. 

The Catastrophisation of Smoke

charnwoodstoves
07 Mar 2026

Smoke is bad. There, we have said it. You may well ask what a wood burning stove company is doing admitting that. Surely, we should be trying to defend smoke, because that is what stoves do, right? 

Well no, absolutely not. For over 50 years at Charnwood, we have been developing ways of reducing smoke emissions in our stoves, because we want clean air! That is what we do.  

We strongly believe that heating with wood has many unique benefits, including sustainability, increasing wellbeing, and community. However, we also recognise there are downsides, but that is true of every form of heating and, indeed, most things in life. Our job as stove makers is to keep innovating so emissions continue to fall while preserving the many benefits that draw people to a real fire in the first place. 

Progress, and why it gets ignored 

Modern stoves are 80-90% more efficient than older stoves and open fires

We and others in the industry have been very successful in cutting emissions. Since 1970 we have seen a huge reduction in smoke emissions and the air quality in the UK has never been better. More recently, since 2018 UK Government statistics show significant reductions in PM2.5 emissions from domestic combustion, despite a lot more stoves being installed over the period of the pandemic. 

However, the media headlines again recently have been telling us how stoves are causing health problems, even including making us fat! 

So what is going on? 

Catastrophising and fear 

To catastrophise means to ‘overestimate the danger and underestimate your ability to cope’. 

Rev Nicky Gumbel writes: Catastrophising leads to fear and is the opposite of faith. Fear tells you that you will not be able to cope. Faith tells you that your Father in heaven knows when you will need strength to cope and he will supply all you need just in time. God will arm you with the strength that you need for whatever lies ahead.  

This is about life, but it also says something about the current debate, and indeed other narratives in the media. In many ways modern society has become more and more risk adverse and scared. Things that we have long understood carry some risk are now sometimes presented as far more dangerous than the evidence suggests. Irrational and exaggerated fears seem to be constantlyprojected onto us. 

Smoke, and what we have always known 

Smoke is just one example, and we have known for a long time that it is not good for us. Whether it comes from car exhausts, bonfires, or cooking sausages in a frying pan or on a barbecue, when we are faced with a plume of smoke we instinctively turn away or cover our faces. 

Because we know it matters, we have tried to reduce exposure in sensible ways. Smoking has been restricted because the whole point of smoking is to inhale smoke, and that is not good for anyone. Where smoke is a by-product of something useful, like transport, cooking, or heating, work has been done to minimise emissions through better technology, better standards, and better behaviour. That approach has worked, and the UK’s air quality is now cleaner than ever, even if some of that progress has come at the expense of those countries that make many of the products we use. 

The consultation, and what it is really asking 

Recently we have seen a government consultation asking whether regulations should be tightened further and whether warning labels should be placed on stoves and wood fuel. We would not oppose further improvements in regulation. However, the real-world impact may be limited, since such changes would not affect the large number of older appliances already in use or other forms of burning, including outdoor fires, which can produce far higher emissions. Modern Ecodesign stoves are already very clean by comparison. 

Warning labels are also likely to be met with public scepticism. The emissions produced inside the home from normal activities such as cooking, frying and even burning candles can often far exceed those from a well run modern stove. Placing warnings on stoves without acknowledging these wider sources risks creating a distorted picture of indoor air quality. 

This is why some observers worry that the consultation could drift beyond sensible improvements into something closer to regulatory overreach, with calls from ‘clean air’ activists to restrict or even ban modern stoves despite the progress already made. 

So, what is the objective? Good air quality or a ban on stoves? Let’s be clear, attacking the cleanest products is not the same as improving air quality. What is truly behind the motivation of those wanting a ban is difficult to understand, and it would be unfair for us to speculate. What we can explain however, are our motivations. 

Our motivations 

Our company objectives are to transform lives and delight customers. To delight customers is obvious, we need to do that to keep getting sales. Transforming lives is more broad. As Christians we believe that lives are ultimately transformed by knowing Jesus and in our company this means that we strive to provide good employment, be a good customer, and make a positive difference in our local community, the Isle of Wight. It also means that we have a responsibility for the environment. We need to ensure we are acting sustainably, again as Christians, we believe the world belongs and is loved by God and so we have a responsibility to look after it. 

Many of our customers tell us how much they enjoy the warmth and beauty of a real flame. A fire has a way of transforming a room, drawing people together and creating a sense of welcoming comfort in the home. This recent article by Prof. Mike Parrott speaks beautifully about the power of fire and how for most of human history the hearth was the centre of the home, not just for heat but for gathering, conversation and shared life. Even today the presence of a real flame still draws people together in a way few other household features can. 

It’s also worth remembering that in a world where gas prices can spike suddenly, as recent disruptions to global LNG supply have shown, it makes sense to look for solutions that strengthen the UK’s energy resilience while preserving the warmth and social value of a real fire. 

At the same time we must ensure air quality continues to improve. That is why we focus on designing products that burn as cleanly as possible, most recently our Aire Intelligent range being a giant leap forward. By reducing emissions and encouraging good burning practices, we aim to improve life not only for our customers but also for their neighbours and communities. 

A better response than catastrophising 

So let’s not catastrophise the effects of smoke. But instead let us innovate to reduce emissions, giving ourselves the ability to cope and enjoy the many benefits and beauty of wood flames and heating. 

 

Further reading: 

https://www.charnwood.com/news/introducing-aire-intelligent-smarter-cleaner-wood-burning/ 

https://www.charnwood.com/news/how-modern-wood-burning-actually-helps-nature-homes-and-cleaner-air/ 

https://www.charnwood.com/news/when-the-weather-turns-resilience-matters-modern-wood-burning-helps/ 

https://www.charnwood.com/news/why-just-ban-it-is-the-wrong-answer-to-complex-problems/ 

https://www.charnwood.com/news/shared-goals-cleaner-air-reimagining-the-wood-burning-debate-with-healthy-dialogue-believing-the-best-in-each-other/ 

Wood burners and children’s air quality: what the headline misses

charnwoodstoves
02 Mar 2026

A more useful response to the latest headline

A recent monitoring study in Wales has made headlines after reporting higher PM2.5 exposure for children living in non-smoking homes where a “fuel burner or fireplace” was present, compared with non-woodburning, non-smoking homes. The research tracked 53 primary schoolchildren using backpack sensors and found the home environment was the biggest contributor to daily exposure. 

That should be taken seriously as PM2.5 matters, particularly for children. However, it is not accurate to read this as “wood burners automatically mean higher indoor pollution”. 

A 2022 review by Dr Amanda Lea-Langton of Manchester University found no scientific evidence of adverse health impacts from exposure to indoor air typically associated with modern enclosed wood burning stoves, while noting that other indoor sources, especially cooking, can release much higher levels of particulate matter. 

The big issue is not modern wood burning stoves 

When people say “wood burner”, they can mean very different things and all with very different implications. 

•An open fire potentially with wet wood 

•An older stove that is poorly installed or poorly used

•A modern, efficient ClearSkies stove burning dry wood  

These “wood burners” are not comparable when it comes to emissions and efficiency. A modern stove is up to 90% more efficient than an open fire and can even reduce PM2.5 in the home.  

This is why the phrase “wood burner” matters. It is a broad label that can hide the real causes, and the real solutions. 

More on the study’s wording 

Jason Scarlett, a modern stove expert and woodsman, gives an expert critique in a response shared on LinkedIn. 

“Terminology is used to identify woodburning that is vague … ‘fireplace or fuel burner’ could include open fires or glass fronted appliances burning house coal … smokeless coal, peat, dry wood, wet wood and gas … Without that granularity, the data cannot tell us whether a small number of poorly performing homes are driving the average, nor whether well installed, well used systems perform very differently.” 

That is not a technical quibble, it is the difference between a useful public health message and a blunt headline. 

If you do not sufficiently separate appliance type, fuel type, ventilation, and whether a fire was actually alight during monitoring, it becomes far too easy to collapse everything into “wood burning”, even though the real world is more complex than that.

What the monitoring in the study does add 

This work by no means settles the debate. It is a relatively small study and it reflects one place, one season, and a limited number of households. 

Its value, however, is that it underlines two practical truths and can help guide a measured response to improve exposure. 

1) The home is the main exposure setting 

Children’s PM2.5 exposure was driven more by time at home than by school or travel. 

2) Indoor sources stack up 

Indoor air is a mix of what happens in the home and how well the home clears it. 

Cooking is often the big PM2.5 source hiding in plain sight 

 

Many households don’t realise that cooking and even making toast can create far more PM2.5 than a wood-burning stove. As you can see from Firefly London’s excellent post, frying, grilling, and oven use can create very sharp spikes, even in homes with no stove at all. If ventilation is poor, those particles can spread beyond the kitchen and linger.  

This is exactly why indoor air quality should not be treated as a single source story. It is a whole home story. Cooking, candles, cleaning sprays, damp, and poor ventilation can all add up in everyday life. That is why the approach to indoor air quality needs to be holistic, not focused on one headline source. 

Modern stoves, used properly, are a different category 

A key detail often missing from public debate is when and how particles actually enter the room. It is not simply “a stove in the house”. It is the moments when smoke escapes, typically during lighting, refuelling, or poor burning practice. 

The London Wood Burning Project is especially relevant because it involved real homes, real behaviour, and indoor monitoring. It found that once a modern, high performing ClearSkies Level 5 stove was properly lit, refuelling did not increase indoor PM2.5, and in some instances indoor PM2.5 levels fell. 

So, when burning is efficient and contained behind a closed door, indoor pollution need not rise in the way many people imagine. This is exactly why it is wrong to lump modern stoves in with open fires and older appliances. It produces the wrong conclusions, and it pushes attention away from where clean air gains are biggest. 

What families can do right now about indoor air 

Families need practical steps that reduce exposure from all sources. 

Ventilation is the first line of defence 

If air is not leaving the home, pollution inevitably builds up. Extraction and fresh air make a measurable difference, especially after cooking. So don’t forget to turn on your extractor when cooking and regularly open your windows and “house burp” as the Germans do! 

Filtration can give extra control 

A good air purifier can quickly cut indoor PM2.5, especially in bedrooms where people spend a big chunk of their time. It is not a replacement for ventilation, but is a back up that helps when opening windows is difficult. 

Background levels can often sit low, then jump significantly during cooking. With extraction, a cracked window, and a purifier running, the numbers can drop back down again fast. The goal is not perfect air, but fewer big peaks, a lower daily average, and more control over the air children breathe at home. 

A clearer conclusion 

This latest study is a useful reminder that indoor PM2.5 can be higher in homes where solid fuel burning is present, if ventilation is poor and bad burning practices occur. 

However, we need to communicate more clearly that not all “wood burners” are the same.  

The most useful response is to focus on what reduces exposure in real homes most effectively. 

•Target the smokiest options, especially open fires and older, higher emitting stoves

•Use dry, certified fuel and burn well. You can read more about best practices here

•Treat indoor air as a whole home issue, with cooking and ventilation taken seriously 

If you would like some advice, your local Charnwood stockist can help you size and specify a stove, choose the right fuel and get set up to burn well. Taking action now can make next winter warmer, calmer and a little more in your hands. 

Five minutes with Patricia Rodi

charnwoodstoves
20 Feb 2026

Patricia Rodi designs interiors that begin with feeling, the emotional temperature of a room, the rhythm of daily life, the quiet clarity of spaces that are lived in. Shaped by cultural influences from Sweden and France, and by women who made homes both resilient and stylish, her work is grounded rather than performative. Now based on the Scottish coast, she speaks to us about the books she returns to, the pull of landscape, and what firelight does to a room as daylight fades. 

You’ve spoken about interiors as a way of telling a story. Are there any books you return to when you’re thinking about a project or product? 

I often return to Rachel Cusk, particularly the way she writes about feeling rather than describing things directly. She has this ability to capture atmosphere, tension and intimacy without ever spelling them out, and I find that incredibly instructive when I’m thinking about interiors. 

I’m less interested in how a room looks than in how it registers emotionally, what it holds, what it allows, what it reveals over time. Books like that remind me that spaces, like people, are defined as much by what’s unsaid as by what’s visible. 

When I do reach for architecture or interiors books, it is usually vernacular buildings or domestic history, spaces shaped by necessity, climate and habit rather than trends. Those imperfect, evolved homes feel endlessly instructive. 
 

When you begin a project, what helps you develop the interior? 

I always begin with emotion. I ask how this space should feel to live in. Calm, grounded, generous, intimate. Once that feeling is clear, every decision becomes easier. 

I am not interested in imposing a look. I want the interior to grow out of the building, the light, the landscape and the people who inhabit it. I think of design as an editing process, stripping things back until what remains feels honest, useful and deeply human. 

Landscape feels present in your work. Is there a particular kind of place that inspires you most? 

I am most inspired by places where architecture feels inseparable from its surroundings, where materials come directly from the land. Stone that mirrors the hills, colours borrowed from field, sea or sky. 

Living close to the landscape teaches restraint. You stop trying to decorate for impact and start designing for harmony. 

You live with woodburning stoves. How does firelight change your relationship with a room, particularly as daylight fades? 

Fire is a constant in our house, not something reserved for evenings. We have Charnwood stoves throughout, and having a fire lit during the day gives the rooms a sense of structure and calm. It anchors the space, almost like a piece of architecture, rather than acting as decoration. 

As daylight fades, firelight takes over quietly. It reduces contrast, softens edges and changes how scale is perceived. Rooms feel more contained, more focused. The emphasis shifts away from surfaces and towards presence, how the room is used, where people sit, how long they stay. Fire introduces rhythm and continuity, shaping the day rather than simply marking its end. 

For someone who feels slightly overwhelmed by designing their home, where would you suggest they begin? 

I always say begin by removing rather than adding. Clear what does not belong and see what the space is asking for. 

Then focus on one room, usually the one you live in most, and make it genuinely work for your daily life. A good home is not created in one decisive moment. It evolves slowly through use, mistakes and small acts of care. The goal is not perfection. It is coherence. 

 

How modern wood burning actually helps nature, homes and cleaner air

charnwoodstoves
12 Jan 2026

Some recent coverage has tried to wrap talk of “restoring nature” together with calls to clamp down on wood burning. It makes for a striking headline, but it completely blurs the lines. Far from modern stoves being the villain, when used correctly with dry fuel, they are part of a balanced, low carbon heating solution that actually supports better woodland management and biodiversity. 

Framing matters 

A common tactic used in articles such as these is to open a story with “wood-burning stoves” but then pivot to problems that are either unrelated or only marginally connected, such as illegal waste burning, PFAS or generic fly tipping. The impression left is that wood burning stoves are connected to every environmental harm listed. They are not, of course. Lumping everything under one banner misleads the public and muddies policy. 

Open fires are not the same as modern stoves 

Calls to curb open fires in dense urban areas are understandable. That’s because open fires produce far more particulate matter than a sealed, correctly installed stove burning dry logs. The difference is significant, with modern stoves engineered to burn cleanly and efficiently and being tested to strict standards. Treating them as if they were the same as open fires hides the very real progress that has been made. 

Cleaner air needs proportionate policy 

When the data is split properly, a much clearer picture emerges. London’s latest air quality inventory shows total PM2.5 fell between 2019 and 2022, and wood burning’s share fell at the same time. National figures also show that when households replace open fires and very old appliances with modern designs, emissions fall further. The fast wins come from replacing the worst burning with the best, enforcing existing rules and using dry, Ready to Burn logs, not from blanket bans that ignore real world trade offs. 

Woodlands thrive when they are managed 

Healthy woods do not look after themselves, and coppicing, thinning and bringing overgrown woodland back into rotation improves habitat diversity, resilience and carbon uptake. Responsible firewood is often a by product of that work, creating a short, local supply chain with clear provenance. When households choose local, well seasoned wood for a clean, modern stove, they support the very management that keeps woodlands alive for wildlife and for people.  

Read about the role of sustainable fuel in woodland management  

Energy security and wellbeing at home 

Households benefit from modern stoves because they provide controllable, local, renewable heat. They help during price spikes, cold snaps and power cuts and they allow a “heat the room you use” approach that saves money and reduces waste. In older homes which were designed to breathe via a chimney, a sealed stove can restore gentle air movement and steady background warmth. That helps keep surfaces drier and reduces condensation and mould, which are real health concerns. These practical benefits are more often than not missing from headline debates. 

Keep the focus where it counts 

If the aim is cleaner air and thriving nature, the sensible path is clear. 

– Phase out routine use of open fires in urban areas.  

– Never burn wet wood or waste.

– Specify and install modern Ecodesign stoves, ideally clearSkies-rated.

– Educate for good use and enforce the rules that already exist.

– Support active woodland management and local fuel loops.

Charnwood’s commitment 

We design and build stoves that meet or better the latest standards, with intelligent controls that help users burn cleanly and efficiently in daily life. We champion dry, responsibly sourced fuel and good practice because they make such a difference to reducing emissions. 

Modern wood burning, done well, is part of the solution. It supports managed woodlands, adds resilience at home and fits alongside heat pumps, solar and insulation. Let’s keep the conversation honest and practical, focus on the highest impact actions, and protect both the air we breathe and the landscapes we love.