As escalating energy tariffs spark concern amongst UK bill payers, the Stove Industry Alliance (SIA) is urging homeowners to consider wood as a cheap alternative to electricity and gas. The SIA reports a price rise in wood fuel of just 1% this year, compared with the dramatic 9.1% hikes announced by leading electricity and gas suppliers. With figures from SIA manufacturers estimating 200,000 stoves were fitted in the last year alone, representing a 20% year-on-year increase, it seems consumers are already catching on to the advantages offered by wood burning.
Wood offers significantly reduced costs when compared with other fuels – a wood burning stove is an impressive on average 77% cheaper to run than an electric fire, 29% cheaper per kWh than a gas effect fire, and 43%/50% cheaper than an oil and LPG fire respectively.