Stay guilt-free while you kill the chill, says council
Nippy mornings and chilly winter evenings means many people from across the district will be firing up their wood-burning stoves or start to enjoy an open fire in the coming weeks.
Canterbury City Council is calling on residents lucky enough to keep warm and toasty in this way to follow some simple steps to keep the district’s air as clean as possible.
They include:
- buying Ready To Burn fuel – just look for the logo
- letting wet or unseasoned wood, often sold in nets, dry out properly for two years before you burn it. Wet wood contains moisture which creates smoke and harmful particulates when burned. Dry wood contains 20% or less moisture
- using smokeless fuels rather than house coal because they produce more heat and less carbon
- not burning waste wood like old furniture or household rubbish because they can produce toxic fumes
- using an Ecodesign Ready stove which can reduce particulate emissions by up to 80% compared to an old stove
- getting your stove serviced regularly because it will work more efficiently
- getting your chimney swept twice a year
- burning less fuel especially if your house is already warm enough
- installing a carbon monoxide monitor – this will alert you to dangerous fumes and reduce your risk of carbon monoxide poisoning
Cllr Mel Dawkins, the council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change, said: “At this time of year, it is natural for people to want to be as snug and cosy as they can and many people turn to more traditional methods of heating their homes.
“Smoke from chimneys can have a negative effect on air quality and can cause breathing problems.
“If people follow these simple steps, they can kill the chill and still be guilt-free while saving money.”
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has produced a practical guide for the owners of open fires and wood-burning stoves.
Parts of Canterbury are in smoke control areas.
This means people cannot emit smoke from a chimney unless they are burning an authorised fuel or using an exempt appliance such as a boiler or stove.
People breaking the rules may be fined up to £1,000.
You can find more information and a smoke control area map here.
Published: 19 November 2024