Urgent warning to log burner households as £10 item could prevent catastrophe

As the festive season draws near, the attraction of a warm log burner grows, but it's crucial to be aware of the potential risks and how to prevent them. Ensuring your home is equipped with the right alarms is key to safety in case of an accident.

Louis Boothman, a wood burner specialist from Surrey Wood Burners, emphasises: "A carbon monoxide detector is compulsory with any wood-burning stove. We recommend a 10-year shelf life model, installed no closer than 1 metre and no further than 3 metres from the stove."

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a deadly gas that can be emitted when fuels such as wood don't have sufficient oxygen to burn completely. Detecters can be purchased for as little as £10 online.

Inadequate installation, maintenance, or ventilation of a log burner can lead to dangerous levels of CO accumulating in your home, which can be lethal.

It's also essential to regularly check that your smoke alarm batteries are working correctly. These straightforward steps are vital for maintaining a safe living environment.

Boothman also advises investing in a high-quality, new log burner and making sure your property is suitable for one. He adds: "All stoves manufactured since 2022 should conform to the EcoDesign standard. It's also important should you live within a Smoke Control Area that the stove you are looking to purchase holds a Defra Exemption," reports the Express.

The annual spike in interest for log burners has hit once again, with Google searches for the heating option soaring by 445,000 in just the last month. Ahead of the winter season, it's critical for existing owners to prepare their log burners correctly.

There are several key maintenance tasks highlighted: ensuring ash from last winter is cleared out, verifying that all sliders and dials are working smoothly, and inspecting for any signs of damage such as cracks that could let dangerous sparks escape, heightening fire risks.

As Christmas approaches and more people consider investing in a log burner, safety and proper room arrangement become paramount. Adequate ventilation is essential not only for the appliance’s efficiency but also to provide good air quality indoors.

As Bootham pointed out, despite the freezing temperatures throughout December likely increasing the frequency of use, safety is assured as long as the log burner is operated following the right procedures. Bootham underlines: "Whether the stove is used occasionally or regularly makes no difference in its safety if the correct procedure of operation is followed."