Does a wood-burning stove really save you money? Perhaps the best way of judging is by drawing upon an independent piece of research by a trusted organisation.
Consumer advice organisation Which? carried out a survey in which it asked its members who own wood-burning stoves whether their appliance had helped their finances.
Of those surveyed by Which? in December 2014, 61% of wood-burning stove owners said getting their stove had helped them to save money.
It is worth considering that respondents were only asked whether they thought their stove had saved money, so the results are only based on their perception and not necessarily any factual basis. However, given that all those surveyed are members of Which?, it is safe to assume that they paid closer attention to the success of their purchase than a random cross-section of society would have.
By the same taken, some of those respondents might have factored in the cost of buying and installing their stove and therefore deemed that it had not yet delivered a net saving in comparison to avoiding that outlay and continuing to pay their old heating bills. So, perhaps over time the figure would prove to be even higher than 61%.
Key factors
It is worth bearing in mind that the savings made to heating bills have a lot to do with the way in which the stove is operated. The more efficiently it is used, the greater the savings that can be made.
The type of wood your choose to burn, the degree to which the logs are seasoned, the frequency with which you refuel the appliance, the quality of insulation in your home, the way you operate the air vents and how clear your chimney are among the key factors in this regard.
Click here to learn more about efficient use of a wood-burning stove.
