Which is cheaper - gas central heating or wood burning stove

Which is cheaper - gas central heating or wood burning stove

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Discussion

Mobile Chicane

Original Poster:

20,740 posts

211 months

Sunday 28th September 2008
quotequote all
Hi all,

In the morning I simply must have central heating and hot water - CBA getting up at dawn to black lead the grate etc - but in the evening I'm prepared to consider other alternatives.

Does anyone burn logs as opposed to gas? If so, what do you pay for either, and which is cheaper?

TVMIA thumbup

B17NNS

18,506 posts

246 months

Sunday 28th September 2008
quotequote all
http://www.nef.org.uk/logpile/pellets/cost.htm

Plant some trees and enjoy free environmentaly friendly fuel.

Mobile Chicane

Original Poster:

20,740 posts

211 months

Sunday 28th September 2008
quotequote all
B17NNS said:
http://www.nef.org.uk/logpile/pellets/cost.htm

Plant some trees and enjoy free environmentaly friendly fuel.
Thanks but I have lots of that already, however timber needs to be seasoned and I'm looking for a short-term solution :-)

Edited by Mobile Chicane on Sunday 28th September 23:56

B17NNS

18,506 posts

246 months

Monday 29th September 2008
quotequote all
Mobile Chicane said:
timber needs to be seasoned and I'm looking for a short-term solution :-)
Then cut down a year's supply and store somwehere dry to season and buy this years pre-seasoned.

My next move will be to a little cottage out in the sticks with some land either with or for trees.

mrsxllifts

2,501 posts

198 months

Monday 29th September 2008
quotequote all
My mum and dad have a rayburn/aga jobbie which does heating and water. It a solid fuel one so you can burn wood, coal, anthracite etc on it. It works out a lot cheaper for them as there is no mains gas in their area and LPG is expensive but then we do supply them with a constant supply of pallets to burn!

HTH

outlaw biker

2,458 posts

195 months

Monday 29th September 2008
quotequote all
I have a wood burning stove with no back burner. A bag of coal from the petrol station costs about £3something and lasts about 4 or 5 evenings. I also get loads of wood for free, and make paper briquettes from recycled newspaper. The wood burning stove doesn't give out a great deal of heat. That room gets hot, but the rest of house doesn't.....you really feel it on the way to bed. Its not really a replacement for central heating, and I don't think it really helps reduce bills by a significant amount.

B17NNS

18,506 posts

246 months

Monday 29th September 2008
quotequote all
outlaw biker said:
A bag of coal from the petrol station costs about £3something and lasts about 4 or 5 evenings. I also get loads of wood for free, and make paper briquettes from recycled newspaper
How does that compare to having a gas or electric fire on for 4 or 5 nights though?

Glosphil

4,337 posts

233 months

Monday 29th September 2008
quotequote all
I have wood burning stoves in the lounge (used most nights during the winter) and in the dining room (rarely used). Cheaper than central heating as the wood costs me nothing. I bought a chainsaw about 5 years ago and will trim or cut down trees for friends if they let me keep the wood. Friends who have larger trees professionally cut down also keep at lest some of the wood for me. Also wood is sometimes offered for free on FreeCycle.

Had my beech hedge professionally pruned a few days ago and noticed the truck had a number of sections of tree trunks on the back. The guys were happy to let me have the wood, and also took away all my garden rubbish without any increase in their previously quoted price.

As already said, a wood stove doesn't replace central heating but we switch off central heating in lounge (thermostatic valves) in the evening and reduce the thermostat for the rest of the house. Must save some fuel for the central heating (oil) but haven't a clue how much. Didn't install the stoves - they were already there when I bought the house 15 years ago.

Don't bother with seasoning the wood. Keep it in an outside enclosed store before splitting. After splitting transfer to a smaller store that holds around 20 days supply inside the utility room that also houses the central heating boiler Finally transfer to a stack that lasts for about 3 days beside the stove.

Edited by Glosphil on Monday 29th September 01:41