All You Need to Know About Wood-Burning and Multi-Fuel Stoves: Choosing the Right Option for Your Home

Winter has arrived, and stoves are the most sought-after heating appliance at this time of year. Recently, there has been a lot of misinformed publicity about stoves. With that said, let’s look at all the facts about wood-burning and multi-fuel stoves, the options, why you should choose us for your new stove, and the latest legislation on wood-burning and multi-fuel stoves.

Wood burning & Multi-Fuel Stoves

Wood Burning vs. Multi-Fuel Stoves: What’s the Difference?

The main difference is that wood-burning stoves can only burn wood products, such as wood logs and compressed logs. Burning wood is cleaner, gives off less soot, and reduces the wood to fine ash. With a multi-fuel stove, you can burn wood products and smokeless coal, which burns more slowly for a longer time, allowing you to burn either fuel. Multi-fuel stoves generally mean less fuel consumption, but the fuel choice is personal. We don’t favor one over the other.

Heat Output from Wood-Burning & Multi-Fuel Stoves

With the right heat output, stoves provide amazing warmth. There’s nothing better than curling up in front of a real stove with a warm drink, watching the flames, and relaxing. Depending on the size of the room, we’ll recommend the heat output best suited for your needs to ensure the stove is both effective and cozy, especially on chilly days.

Chimney Stoves vs. Free-Standing Stoves

Using Your Existing Chimney for Stove Installation

If you have a chimney, we recommend using it, as fitting a stove into a chimney is more cost-effective.

Free-Standing Multi-Fuel Stove Options for Homes Without Chimneys

Some homes don’t have chimneys, or you may want the stove in another area of your home, such as an extension. In that case, the solution is to install a free-standing stove with a twin-wall flue system to vent smoke and fumes.

Key Differences Between Chimney and Free-Standing Stoves

There is a difference between stoves designed for chimneys and those for free-standing use. Chimney stoves cannot be placed close to plasterboard walls due to heat transfer, but free-standing stoves can. If you prefer the look of a built-in stove but don’t have a chimney, we can construct a compliant chimney breast that offers the appearance of a real chimney. Our knowledgeable team will ensure you choose the correct stove for a safe, compliant, and HETAS-certified installation.

Why Buy a Stove from AH Fireplace Installations?

Our Staff: Our team is highly trained in all aspects of stoves and fireplaces and provides exceptional service.

We discuss your needs, suggest suitable stoves, explain heat output, and guide you through the process. Once you’ve chosen your appliance, we offer design assistance, with endless possibilities from an extensive product range. We also advise on any planning permission you may need, though in most cases, it isn’t required.

Site Surveys and Multi-Fuel Stove Installation

After selecting your stove and finishings, our highly experienced engineers will conduct a site visit to ensure the appliance is suitable and discuss installation details. Our in-house engineers have over 50 years of combined experience, are HETAS registered, and will issue a HETAS certificate for your installation, which may be needed later. Unlike other showrooms that subcontract installations, we manage everything ourselves, embodying our motto, “The One-Stop Fireplace Stop.” This way, any after-sale or installation issues are fully addressed by us, giving you peace of mind.

After Sales & Servicing

Once your appliance is installed, we are available 7 days a week for assistance or advice. We also offer ongoing service options to keep your appliance in excellent condition—an after-sales service that many other showrooms do not provide.

Is There a Ban on Stoves, or Will They Be Banned in the Future?

In 2022, all stoves had to comply with new eco-design/clear skies regulations, meaning all wood-burning and multi-fuel stoves now meet lower emissions standards. The industry was aware of this change well before the January 2022 deadline, and manufacturers had already tested and approved their stoves. However, the media misinterpreted the new rule, leading to headlines suggesting a ban on wood-burning stoves. The regulation applies only to non-compliant stoves, not to compliant ones. All stoves we supply and install meet these standards, and we never install non-compliant stoves. This rule doesn’t affect stoves installed before January 2022.

Stoves in New-Build Properties (Scotland Only): Ban Paused with a View to Overturn

The Scottish government recently proposed a ban on stoves in new dwellings. This ban didn’t apply to extensions (pre- or post-June 2024) or to homes with planning permission obtained before June 2024. However, the ban overlooked that wood-burning stoves are renewable, low-emission heat sources and a lifeline for rural areas prone to winter power outages. Following advocacy from the Stove Industry Association (SIA), the Scottish government paused the ban, allowing new dwellings to install wood-burning stoves as of now. Read more about this here.