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Post updated: October 15th, 2024
Wood burning stoves have risen dramatically in popularity over recent years, providing an additional form of heating for many, and for some, the sole source of heat. Wood burning stoves are cosy, efficient (often three times more so than an open fire) and burning wood can be relatively carbon neutral and sustainable compared to fossil fuels like natural gas, propane, and coal.
And with so many people worried about how they’re going to pay their energy bills with the soaring costs of gas and electricity, more people than ever may be relying on wood burning stoves.
But with new regulations for wood burning stoves that affect the type of log burner you can buy and the fuel you can burn it’s important to get up to speed, whether you already own a wood-burning stove or you’re thinking about investing in one.
While emissions and air pollution from domestic burning have reduced significantly since the 1950s, cities are still the worst affected areas. According to the Government’s Clean Air Strategy 2019, wood – and coal – burning stoves accounted for 38 per cent of particulate matter air pollution. It said that not all forms of domestic burning are equally polluting but that it depends on the appliance, such as stove or fireplace, how well it is used and maintained, and what fuels are burnt in it.
However, a Government data published in 2022 significantly cut the estimated proportion of small particle pollution that comes from wood burners to 17% due to updated and more accurate wood fuel usage data for the domestic combustion sector.
No. When the wood burning stove regulations were first announced there was a fear from some that wood burning stoves were going to be banned – but this isn’t the case.
Under new UK wood burning stove regulations that came into force in 2022, all new wood burning stoves and multi-fuel stoves and fireplaces that are manufactured must meet strict new guidelines known as Ecodesign. Installation must comply with Building Regulations. And there are also rules about the type of fuel you can burn too.
If you already own a wood burning stove that doesn’t meet Ecodesign standards you can still use it. Although if you live in a smoke control area, this may not be the case as there are other criteria you’ll need to meet. Read on for more on smoke control areas.
The Ecodesign mark means the stove has been independently tested by an approved laboratory and meets requirements on air quality and particulates. Stoves are tested on seasonal efficiency (assessed over a year); levels of nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, particulate matter and organic gaseous compounds produced by burning fuel. An Ecodesign stove that’s properly installed and maintained and that uses good quality dry wood is a low carbon heating method using renewable and sustainable fuel.
While ClearSkies is the highest kitemark wood burning stoves can have.
Considering a wood burning stove as part of wider home improvement – but not sure how to fund the work? See our guide How to finance home improvements.
However, despite these new regulations, some scientists and experts are concerned about the impact using a wood burner can have on air quality. If you suffer from a health condition that means you’re at greater risk from the effects of air pollution, you may want to think carefully before burning wood in your home.
So what are smoke control areas? Smoke control areas are specific areas, designated by local councils, where there’s a limit on how much smoke you can release from a chimney and where you can only burn fuel on the list of authorised fuels, unless you use a Defra-exempt stove. These wood burning stoves reduce emissions and minimise soot build up, keeping the flue clearer, allowing gas to escape easily. Under The Clean Air Act, wood cannot be burnt in smoke control areas unless you’re using an exempt appliance.
You could face a penalty of up to £300 in England if your council decides your chimney releases too much smoke. And this rises to up to £1,000 if you burn unauthorised fuel without an exempt appliance.
Find out if you live in a smoke control area by contacting your local council’s environmental services department.
Under new log burner regulations that came into force in May 2021, sales of bagged house coal and wet wood in units under two cubic meters became unlawful. And wet wood in bigger volumes must be sold with advice on how to dry it out before it’s burned.
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.
‘Both of these cleaner options are just as easy to source and more efficient to burn, making them more cost effective.
‘Burning dry wood also produces more heat and less soot than wet wood and can reduce emissions by up to 50%.’
Only certain types of wood are suitable for burning and the wood must be dry. This means it should have a moisture content of less than 20%. It’s very difficult to tell how dry a piece of wood is, so you could either invest in a moisture meter or ensure your wood is ready to burn by purchasing it from a bona fide supplier.
To make it easier for you to find the cleanest fuel to burn at home, DEFRA appointed HETAS and Woodsure to run the Ready to Burn fuel certification scheme. By using fuels that are approved and labelled as Ready to Burn also means it’s easy to comply with Air Quality (Domestic Solid Fuels Standards) (England) Regulations 2020 that outlaw the sale of wet wood and house coal, which are the most polluting fuels. Find suppliers in your area here
You don’t usually need planning permission although you may do if you live in a listed building. So it’s important to check with your local council.
If you’re either using a non-HETAS installer to fit your stove, you’ll need to ensure the firm you use is part of a competent person scheme and can self-certify for building control purposes. Otherwise you will need to tell your local Building Control department before starting work. And when the work is completed, they’ll inspect it to make sure all building regulations have been met. And you’ll need to pay for this.
However, by using a HETAS installer to install wood burning stoves, they are qualified to certify the works themselves and can give you a signed certificate of compliance as proof. And this can be used to tell your council about the building work.
And after your stove is fitted, you’ll need to ensure you have a notice plate completed. This is a regulation that records all details of your wood burning stove, hearth, chimney and flue. And it should be next to your hearth, electric meter or water stopcock.
While it isn’t a legal requirement to have your chimney lined, if you decide to do so, then there are regulations you must follow to ensure you do it safely, such as making sure you use the recommended flue size for your specific log burner.
And you’ll find most HETAS installers strongly advise having a flue liner fitted for safety and performance reasons including:
Make sure your chimney is checked for cracks or damage before installing a new stove. If there are cracks, you’ll need to fit a flue liner. Also, it’s recommended that chimneys built before 1964 are lined because they were made from brick alone.
When it comes to wood burning stove regulations, you’ll need to consider your hearth too. Your log burning stove must be placed on a non-combustible material like granite, slate or glass. And it’s important to check the size of your stove before buying a hearth because if your stove doesn’t raise the temperature of the hearth above 100°C:
However if your stove heats your hearth to over 100°C or it hasn’t been tested, the thickness required increases to 250mm.
Bear in mind that your room may need extra ventilation if you want to have a wood burning stove installed. The log burner ventilation requirements will vary depending on factors like how airtight your home is.
Yes. You must fit a carbon monoxide alarm in the same room as your wood burner or multi fuel stove. A HETAS installer will make sure you have a working carbon monoxide alarm fitted in the same room as your wood burning stove. Carbon monoxide poisoning can be fatal and you need an alarm to alert you because the harmful fumes are odourless. To cut the risks of carbon monoxide in your home, you should have your stove and chimney inspected annually and fit a flue liner.
If you’re considering investing in a new woodburning stove in your home, these top tips should help:
Yes. Find out about the up to date rules for wood burning stoves in Scotland here
Yes you can continue to use existing wood burning stoves, even if they don’t meet the new Ecodesign standards. However, this is providing there aren’t other criteria you’ll need to meet for example if you live in a smoke free area.
Yes. The new rules on Ecodesign wood burning stoves relate to stoves that are manufactured and sold. So you will be able to use your current log burner after 2022. However, different rules for wood burning stoves apply to what log burners you can use if you live in a smoke control area so if that applies to you, you need to check.
No. You can still buy wood burning stoves however they need to meet new criteria. Older types of log burners that are more polluting can no longer be sold.
It depends on who fits it. If you’re either using a non-HETAS installer to fit your stove or doing it yourself, you’ll need to tell your local Building Control department before starting work. And when the work is completed, they’ll inspect it to make sure all building regulations have been met. And you’ll need to pay for this.
But if you use a HETAS installer, they are qualified to certify the works themselves and can give you a signed certificate of compliance as proof. And this can be used to tell your council about the building work.
To find out more information on building regulations you can visit https://www.hetas.co.uk/consumer/hetas-advice/ or your local installer should be able to advise you further.
The best course of action is to visit https://www.hetas.co.uk/consumer/hetas-advice/ to find more details or your local installer should be able to advise you further.
No, there are no plans to ban wood burning stoves. However, the new log burner regulations mean only the cleanest stoves can be sold in 2022 and onward.
March 25, 2025 
