Woodburner vs central heating: will a stove save money on energy bills?

With energy prices constantly on the rise, it's no wonder that so many people are making the woodburner vs central heating comparison to find the cheapest way of heating their home.

We've maintained a comparison of home heating costs for several years and it's safe to say that the benefits of a woodburner have increased in that time.

Does a woodburner save on central heating bills?

While many people buy a wood-burning stove to create a cosy atmosphere and experience the joy of having a real fire in their home, others want their logburner to cut heating costs. But is that realistic – can you cut central heating bills by installing a woodburner?

Yes, according to the Energy Saving Trust. The social enterprise organisation reports that installing a wood-burning stove reduces a household’s reliance on other forms of heating by 10 per cent. This figure rises to 20% for larger wood-burning stoves.

How does a woodburner save money vs central heating?

There are a few ways in which a woodburner can help to cut your central heating bills.

Heat only the space you use

A woodburner gives you a simple and efficient way of heating the space you use. Installing a woodburner in your main living area enables you to create a steady supply of warmth without having to resort to the central heating.

“Saved loads," says Gr8Fires customer Tricia Wade. "We are always in credit with our bills."

Spreading heat to adjoining rooms

Heat from a wood-burning stove radiates out to heat the room. But there's nothing to stop you opening a door so that the warmth is shared with adjacent rooms. This helps to cut your reliance on central heating in other parts of the house.

“We have ours in the conservatory, which we could not use in the winter," reveals Ian Callear. "Now we live in it all year round and leave the doors open to the rest of the house, which means we hardly use the central heating.”

Long-lasting warmth

Stoves retain their heat far better than radiators. So even after the fire has gone out, your woodburner will continue to provide a valuable source of heat in the room. This is another advantage of woodburners over central heating.

"It halved my heating bills easily," reveals Dave Horton. "They are also fantastic to sit and relax in front of. I recommend everyone to get at least one.”

Greater pricing control

With a woodburner, you have the option to buy different types of wood or even source free wood. This gives you far greater flexibility than being tied to the price rises of energy providers, as is the case with central heating.

“Hardly use my central heating since I got my woodburner installed," says Linda Archibald. "I reckon I pay around 25%-30% less in energy costs. I live in an old Victorian house and it always felt cold, even with the heating on. The woodburner is more efficient at creating and maintaining the heat. My house never feels as cold as it used to.”

Cutting your reliance on central heating

Even if you still need to use your central heating with a woodburner, having a stove makes you less reliant on your radiators. You will probably find that you're able to use the central heating less regularly and, when you do need to use it, to turn the thermostat down.

“If you’ve central heating and get a woodburner you find the central heating will be turned down a lot," says our customer Ian Jessup.

Make bigger savings from your woodburner

Maximising the savings on your energy costs is dependent on how your operate your wood-burning stove. To cut your household heating costs as much as possible, simply follow these steps.

Burn only well-seasoned logs

Dried, seasoned wood has a far lower moisture content than freshly cut logs. This means they light more easily and burn more cleanly.

More of the energy released goes towards heating your room instead of evaporating water, which means you need fewer logs to get your room up to temperature.

Operate your stove correctly

Make sure your stove is operating at optimum temperatures by using a stove thermometer. This will ensure you're not overfiring your woodburner, which will result in your burning through fuel too quickly.

Overfiring happens when you add to much fuel or allow too much oxygen into your stove. With that in mind, it's important to use your stove's air vents correctly.

Insulating your home

A well-insulated home retains heat from a woodburner more effectively, just as it retains heat from central heating more effectively. Improving your insulation will enhance the longer lasting heat delivered by a logburner.

Thinking of installing a logburner to cut your energy bills?

Explore all the key considerations you need to have in mind when getting a wood-burning stoves in our guide to logburner installation.