| Wood Burner or Multi Fuel Stove? | | | | lean fuel. |
| Before you make a decision on buying a wood | | | | The wood ideally needs to be seasoned for 18 |
| burner or multi fuel stove you have to decide what | | | | months to 2 years before it is burnt; the reduced |
| your main fuel source will be. If you have a plentiful | | | | moisture improves the heat output, which makes the |
| supply of seasoned wood you may just want a | | | | wood burn more efficiently. Seasoned wood also |
| wood burner but if you want to supplement that | | | | reduces the smoke and gas produced and gives of a |
| supply by burning the odd bag of coal you will have | | | | lovely smell. |
| to opt for a multi fuel stove. Environmental factors | | | | Coal as a fuel |
| may also help you make a decision, a wood burner is | | | | Burning coal as a fuel is not kind to the environment |
| more environmentally friendly but is limited to burning | | | | as it not only emits carbon dioxide but sulphur, |
| wood, a multi fuel stove is environmentally friendly | | | | nitrogen oxide and mercury. The sulphur mixes with |
| when you only burn wood but you also have the | | | | oxygen to form sulphur dioxide, which when |
| option of burning a bit of coal. | | | | combined with water will produce acid ran which can |
| Wood as a fuel | | | | affect trees and rivers. Nitrogen oxide helps create |
| As a tree grows it absorbs carbon dioxide during | | | | smog, and mercury in the water can build up in fish |
| photosynthesis this carbon dioxide is then released | | | | and shellfish, which can in turn be harmful to both |
| when the wood is burnt as fuel. If the wood has | | | | animals and people when they are eaten. Although if |
| come from a managed forest where the trees are | | | | you want a choice of whether to burn wood or coal |
| being replace you are creating a ‘carbon-in, | | | | you will have to opt for a multi fuel stove. |
| carbon-out’ cycle, this is where the carbon | | | | A multi fuel stove will not burn wood as efficiently as |
| dioxide release by the wood during burning is equal to | | | | a wood burner but the option of being able to burn |
| the carbon dioxide absorbed during the life of the | | | | other fuel like coal is the added advantage. |
| tree. The burning of the wood is classed as a carbon | | | | |