Fuel and Heating Prices

[Oola]

Rich and I are with N Power - I saw on the news a couple of days ago that they expect our heating prices to go up no less than 27%. In fact, I think they have already implemented the price increase.

So for the time being I've been trying to keep the heating off as much as possible, and we've been just relying on the warmth of the open fire in the living room (where we spend the majority of the evening) and the heat from the gas cooker/oven when we cook.

I was just wondering if anyone knew, costs aside, whether burning fuel in one open fire releases more or less CO2 into the atmosphere? I don't think we've been able to get hold of smokeless coal, and we've been using offcuts of old timber and wood collected from our friend's field and their nearby woodland area for logs and kindling.

[fife]

Hi Oola

We have no mains gas here and are on oil we have just had our oil topped up and the bill came to £259 we have never had mains gas so wouldn't know if this is cheaper but at least we don't have another monthly bill which is nice. In regards to the question about the coal i do believe that it does release co2 into the air if it is not smoke less coal although we have used smoke less coal before i bought it by mistake and it is not as good as using house coal i do think and correct me if im wrong that smoke less coal is more for bbq.

take care fife x

[lily]

Hi Oola, if you google Leo Hickman + open fires there is an article he wrote in the Guardian re open fires. If I understand correctly, wood burning releases only carbon which has been already stored and coal isn't part of the planet's carbon cycle. However, its quite late and I may be a bit tired to interpret correctly- so take my version with caution!
I try to switch off the central heating once we're settled in the living room for the evening, and just have the open fire. The fuel increases must be very scary for elderly people who spend most of the day in their homes.

[Healing Hands]

Since I heard the news I too have just used my log fire and extra woolies. I am not with N POwer but I understand the other companies will follow.

I believe that CO2 is released into the air but I do not know much about which releases the most. I am lucky that I have a friend that brings me good seasoned wood and very cheap he is too, and I use smokeless coal when I know I am running short of logs. I also understand that in some areas you cannot even light a fire!

I shall go onto google and find out more about Leo Hickman.

Keep warm Oola.

[Healing Hands]

Oola, I have just read in my book A Slice of Organic Life, by Sheherazade Goldsmith about wood-burning stoves, he says buying woodif brought in bulk it is less expensive than fossial fuels It is important though to ensure that the wood has low moisture content: the more moisture it contains, the more inefficiently it burns and damp wood can emit high levels of pullants.

As the technologies for using wood as a fuel have advanced, so has the realization that wood is a suitable alternative to fossil fuels. It is widespread, renewable and "carbon neutral" - meaning that when it is burned it releases only the amount of carbon dioxide it absorbed whilst it was growing. Not only that, unlike oil and gas, wood can usally be sourced locally.

Hope that helps a little.

[Oola]

Thanks for your replies Healing Hands. I had read something last night that lily mentioned that concurs with your comments about seasoned wood and sustainable sources.

We don't have a woodburning stove, so our open fire isn't as energy efficient, as it draws in drafts and the majority of the heat goes up the chimney - however, it does keep the one room we use heated enough but I still wonder on a like-for-like basis whether it's cheaper and better in terms of environment. With using seasoned wood it may give it the slightly more eco-friendly edge perhaps?

[Oola]

Thanks for your replies Healing Hands. I had read something last night that lily mentioned that concurs with your comments about seasoned wood and sustainable sources.

We don't have a woodburning stove, so our open fire isn't as energy efficient, as it draws in drafts and the majority of the heat goes up the chimney - however, it does keep the one room we use heated enough but I still wonder on a like-for-like basis whether it's cheaper and better in terms of environment. With using seasoned wood it may give it the slightly more eco-friendly edge perhaps?

[Healing Hands]

I have found a small article in Country Homes and Interior, about Green Living you can recycle your newspapers by turning them into logs. The Green Shop has two log makers, the steel Famous Log Maker, £29.95, is a wet system - paper is soaked before being pushed in then the handles are squeesed down to create brick shapes. Once dry the logs burn for up to an hour.

There is also The Recycled Plastic Logmaker, £24.95, is a tube with a plunger that turns paper into cracker-shaped logs.

You can call 01452 770629 or greenshop.co.uk

I thought I may give this a go! :)

[jazzactivist]

Hi Oola, and everyone. I know exactly what you mean about fuel prices. Like fife, there is no mains gas where I live and we have to use Oil for central heating. Even with a combi boiler it costs us £100 per month, which is more than gas, and it is the worst for the environment. The only reasonable thing about it is that we can either pay by standing order so what we pay in the summer, and don't use, covers our bills for the winter, or you can ration it and just buy what you need. We manage to break even over the year.

We also have two smallish woodstoves, which are more efficient than an open fire, and find these to be a very good alternative for heating single rooms, if we use seasoned wood. The great thing about living on a smallholding, Oola, is that you could grow your own firewood, and coppice it to harvest. You can buy quick growing, quite cheap, firewood trees from Victoriana Nursery that advertises in Organic Gardening magazine. As far as I am aware, wood burning is the most environmentally sound of all the fuel options. But the very best is making sure that your home is very well insulated. Try looking up articles about it on the Permaculture magazine website.

Something that I am keen to look into is the possibility of small solar or wind units that could generate electricity for electric heaters, as this could be a way of getting free heating for one or two rooms, or more, and would be great for elderly people or babies' rooms too. I think that it is criminal that we have to pay for heating at commercial rates at all in such a cold country. What about Iceland where most homes are heated from natural geysers?

[lily]

Did anyone see the recent programme "Heat or Eat?". Not easy viewing, I think many more people on low incomes will have to make this decision in the future. My Mum's bungalow is heated to orchid house standards, and her energy bills reflect this, fortunately she can pay them. It must be frightening for those who cannot.

[franbee]

Have just asked OH, we pay £52 per month for our gas and electric, which I think is less than most.

[sheddie]

Regarding what you can burn and anything to do with fuel may I suggest you contact your environmental health dept. someone complained about us having a fire and this dept. sent us all the details of what you are allowed to burn and other suggestions.Have any of you had cavity wall insulation? It makes so much difference. X

[franbee]

We have cavity and loft insulation and double glazing. Easy in a modern (late 60's) house but not in an older property.

[jazzactivist]

We have good loft insulation and double glazing, but live in an old house so no wall insulation, although our house keeps very warm. I read an article in Permaculture magazine that cavity wall insulation is excellent, so long as it isn't the one that contains formaldehyde - which releases vapour into the rooms and is very bad for you. Also, houses that have the 'bad' sort are hard to sell, as it can't be removed. There are one or two in our next village that are struggling with this at the moment. PM suggests the recycled newspaper or sheeps wool types of natural wall insulation, or just checking to make sure that it doesn't contain dangerous chemicals.