Wood-burning stoves – FACTS OR MYTHS?

For years, there has been a lot of speculation and misinformation about the impact of burning wood in wood burners and stoves. This highly informative article aims to demystify some of the questions that get asked time and time again.

Myth #1 — ‘Air quality is worse in winter due to stoves and open fires’
The most frequently cited pollutant when discussing air quality is PM2.5—extremely fine particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs. The data below reflects the monthly average PM2.5 levels recorded at various randomly selected monitoring sites across London. You can view the full dataset at the following source: www.londonair.org.uk

Myth #2 — ‘Air quality is getting worse due to the rise in the popularity of stoves’

The shift from open fires to modern stoves is actually contributing to cleaner air. However, misleading claims about stoves have led some people to wrongly believe that sticking with their old, smoky open fires is the better option—when in fact, the opposite is true.

Myth #3 — ‘17% of the ultra-fine particles in London air come from wood-burning stoves’

That 17% statistic includes emissions from a wide range of sources—everything from open fires and bonfires to barbecues, biomass plants, and even wildfires. Even if all of it were from domestic wood burning, open fires emit up to 40 grams of particulates per hour, while stoves are capped at just 3 grams. With 60% of wood-burning homes using stoves and 40% using open fires, the actual contribution from stoves is likely under 2%. Burley stoves, for instance, emit as little as 0.1 grams per hour—just a thirtieth of the legal limit. Replacing an open fire with one of these stoves could cut emissions by 99.7%, leaving a negligible amount behind.

Myth #4 — ‘Burning wood in a stove is the same as an open fire’

Open fires burn inefficiently, pulling in too much air and cooling the flames, which leads to smoky combustion—essentially functioning like an indoor bonfire. In contrast, modern stoves regulate airflow to ensure a cleaner, hotter burn. This higher temperature helps eliminate particulates and tar-like substances that open fires release. The difference is like comparing an old, poorly tuned car that belches smoke to a modern, clean-running vehicle. Plus, stoves are far more efficient—up to 90%—compared to less than 20% for open fires, meaning they use significantly less wood for the same heat output.

Myth #5 — ‘Wood is not carbon neutral’

Trees absorb carbon dioxide as they grow, and when they die—whether they rot naturally or are burned—the same amount of CO₂ is released. This makes wood a carbon-neutral fuel. The confusion often arises from mixing up carbon neutrality with carbon capture. While locking carbon in wood permanently would be ideal, we haven’t found a practical way to do that. Ironically, fossil fuels like coal and oil are nature’s version of carbon storage, which we’re now rapidly depleting.

Myth #6 — ‘Harvesting firewood damages forests’

Unlike the deforestation seen in tropical regions for agriculture or furniture production, firewood is typically sourced from sustainable forest management and natural tree loss. Thinning trees in deciduous forests is essential for promoting healthy growth and biodiversity. If these trees aren’t used for firewood, they’re often chipped and burned anyway. In managed forests, removing firewood is as necessary as grazing animals is to maintaining farmland.

Myth #7 — ‘Burning gas is cleaner than burning wood’

Even if you’re using an open fire, the emissions it produces dissipate quickly. On the other hand, heating with gas, oil, or electricity contributes to long-term pollution that affects everyone. Wildfires—driven by climate change—release more harmful particulates than all other sources combined. Wood remains the only truly zero-carbon heating option available.

Myth #8 — ‘Indoor air quality is three times worse in homes with stoves’

Even if this claim were accurate, the resulting levels would still be well below the World Health Organization’s safe threshold of 25 µg/m³. In fact, everyday activities like fluffing a pillow can release more particulates. The claim itself stems from flawed studies that didn’t account for other indoor pollution sources like cooking. When a stove is in use, it draws air inward, not outward—meaning smoke doesn’t escape into the room. The researchers placed a single air quality monitor in the room with the stove, which skewed the results by capturing air drawn in from other parts of the house, such as the kitchen.

References

The information contained within this document is credited to Burley Appliances Ltd, who through their own research were able to bring credible answers to these questions of uncertainty that are circulating the industry. https://burley.co.uk/wood-burning-stoves-separating-the-fact-from-fiction/