Keeping the home fires burning

By Tom Gard

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THIS is the time of year that we whack up the central heating, adjust the thermostat and, if we are city dwellers, try and pretend the gas-effect fire is a real one, logs in the basket and all.

Open fires in inner-cities homes have become largely a thing of the past. It began with the banning of the coal fires that caused the lethal London pea soupers of the 1950s. And as our understanding of the impact of domestic fuel on our health and environment has continued to improved, regulations covering what we are and aren't allowed to burn, particularly in densely populated areas, have become increasingly stringent.

Even now it is estimated that 22% of the smoke in our atmosphere is produced by private homes. The chances are that if you live in an inner city you are in a designated Smoke Control Area, with the local authority dictating what can and can't go up the chimney.

But all this regulation doesn't stop many of us hankering for a real fire, one that takes time and skill to build, gives off real heat and the smell of the snug room of a country pub.

We are also increasingly turning against central heating, not just because radiators are ugly, but also because we now know�that they dry out our skin, houses and even furnishings.

With the help of technology things are starting to come full circle. It has always been possible to burn smokeless fuels such as coke and Coalite in an open hearth, but this tends to be rather inefficient, with most of the heat rushing upwards rather than outwards.

However, help is now at hand in the shape of a new generation of wood-burners and wood-burning stoves. Not only have they cut emissions to virtually zero, which means they can be installed in Smoke Control Areas, but they are also extremely efficient. When they burn fuel the smoke is routed into a combustion chamber where it, in turn, is burnt up.

This could be the way of the future. Not only are these burners smokeless, but they can also be fed with commercially worthless wood thinnings and off-cuts, making them doubly environmentally friendly.

The burners don't come cheap, with prices starting at over �1,000, but with recent advances in insulation it is now possible for new houses to be heated from top to bottom by a single source.

Manufacturers of smokeless wood-burners include Clearview Stoves (01588 650401) and Aarrow Fires (01308 427234). If you want to know if you live in a Smoke Control Area, contact the Environmental Health department of your local council.