New rules on fireplaces and log burners leave millions of homeowners baffled
Many people have questioned whether they now need to remove their fireplace
In light of the recent energy crisis, people are making desperate bids to warm their homes - but recent changes to the rules around fireplaces and log burners have left people confused about what they can do.
In May earlier this year, the UK Government began banning the sale of coal and wet wood for use in home fires as part of a plan to reduce air pollution.
The Government rules state: "Burning at home, particularly with traditional house coal or wet wood, is a major source of the pollutant PM2.5 - which has been identified by the World Health Organisation as the most serious air pollutant for human health.
"People with log burners and open fires can still use them but will be required to buy cleaner alternative fuels – if they are not already – such as dry wood and manufactured solid fuels which produce less smoke.
"Burning dry wood also produces more heat and less soot than wet wood and can reduce emissions by up to 50%."
The UK Government restrictions, which began on May 1 2021, mean that sales of bagged house coal and wet wood in units under 2m3 are now unlawful.
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https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/fire-log-burner-rules-heating-22147780WHAT IS THE BEST MOISTURE CONTENT FOR LOGS?
It is generally agreed that a moisture content of less than 20% is best.
There are three factors which determine how much heat you can get from a log when you burn it. The variety of the wood (and how 'dense' it is) and the efficiency of the stove are two, but these are fairly insignificant when compared to the importance of the third: moisture content. Depending on the variety, a log from a recently felled tree can have as much moisture as 60% – something like a pint of water for every kilo of log. A seasoned log will produce twice as much heat as a freshly cut (aka 'wet' or 'green') log because this water must be boiled away first before the log gives up any real heat. This makes unseasoned wet logs an incredibly expensive heat source, not to mention the damage that burning them does to our air quality and your chimney system, so it is vital that your logs are always 'dry' and ready to burn.
Virtually every wood burning stove manufacturer recommends only burning wood logs with a moisture content of less than 20%. Somewhere between 10% and 20% is ideal. Once the moisture content gets less than 10% then the wood quickly burns away, sucking in too much air and cooling the flue gases as it does this, which in turn increases unwanted emissions. A little moisture is good for moderating the burn rate.
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