www.heatingandventilating.net
www.heatingandventilating.net
INDUSTRY INSIGHT
W orking to a quality solution T
he launch of the Government’s Clean Air Strategy has re-ignited the campaign for burning kiln dried logs and seasoned wood. Led byWoodsure, the quality assurance scheme, Ready to Burn allows people to identify clean, quality wood fuel and make informed choices. Homeowners are being urged to support the wood fuel quality assurance scheme to look after their appliances and reduce their impact on air quality.
Bruce, chief executive of HETAS comments: “All industry stakeholders, including sweeps, retailers, installers and suppliers, are joining together to deliver the same message at each stage of the consumer journey - don’t burn wet wood.
“Your stove is only as good as the fuel you burn,” says Bruce. “Think about it, if you bought a super clean energy-efficient car, would you choose to fill it with a fuel that you were unsure of? Poor quality wood fuel leads to smoke and a poor fuel economy.” Woodsure, the quality assurance scheme, is leading the Ready to Burn scheme to improve air quality. The scheme is backed by Defra and has seen solid fuel industry experts come together to promote the benefits of dry wood fuel.
Alongside the ar guments for cleaner air, there are efficiency, cost and reduced maintenance arguments for burning clean, dry wood fuels, Bruce explains, “The notic eable benefit of burning dry wood is fuel
efficiency and effectiveness. For consumers, one of the most compelling arguments for burning drier wood fuel (up to 20% moisture content) is the economic argument. If we imagine a 2kg log with a moisture content of 50% (often 60% or more for fresh logs), there will be around 1kg of water in that log. “To burn the log efficiently most of the excess water must be boiled off. The fuel cannot give out the right heat – nor can the appliance reach maximum efficiency until most of the water has boiled off. Imagine pouring almost a kilogram (1 litre) of water in to a kettle to boil dry. The amount of money that would be recal led on the smart meter would be phenomenal. Burning wet wood also creates a lot of smoke which damages the chimney and blackens the appliance glass, meaning more maintenance would be needed.
“These are the r easons forWoodsure introducing the ‘Ready to Burn’ scheme, so that customers can see the ‘Ready to Burn’ logo and feel assured that they are buying the right fuel for themselves and the environment .”
The scheme works through the use of its logo, flagging to consumers which wood is best to buy. Consumers can look for the Ready to Burn stamp of approval on logs that contain up to 20%
moisture content, reassuring those who purchase logs with its logo that they ar e dry and correctly
sourced and seasoned for the benefit of the stove and the environment.
Bruce continues: “Next is to ensure the correct, safe and efficient appliance is used. The worst reports on
air pollution of PM2.5 particulates are as a result of people unknowingly burning wet wood or waste materials in open fires in our cities. These users are unaware that if they produce dark smoke they are breaking the law and damaging our environment .” Even if you hav e the latest Ecodesign ready or Smoke Control Area approved appliance, if you put wet wood into it, you risk damaging your appliance and creating smoke and particulates. HETAS supports replacing open fires and older stoves with the new Ecodesign Ready and Defra exempt stoves, which can reduce emissions by 80%. Currently, Defra estimates that 70% of the wood burnt in London is burnt on open fires, despite the fact that this is not allowed under the Clean Air Act. The SIA (Stove Industry Alliance) Ecodesign Ready stoves are much better as they will produce less harmful smoke and emissions. Bruce concludes: “The latest advanc ements in appliance design technology and wood fuel
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assurance schemes demonstrate that the solid fuel industry is part of the solution to better air quality .”
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