Morleys

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by LUKE ADAMS 11 Oct, 2021
Pre Morley: I’ve worked a tonne of different jobs starting with selling Avon when was 14! Recently I worked 16 years in Digital Advertising for Yell then just before I fell into Morley's (thanks Covid) I looked after Partnerships and Sales for Go Ape 🍌 - Ive went from Climbing Trees to Burning Trees Lived: Born in Glasgow then moved to London when I was 23, I have now settled in beautiful Hertfordshire (and I have a strange Scots/English hybrid accent) But I still miss those mountains! Hobbies: Former party girl who’s passion was travelling the world. Now I still love travelling but my party heels are well and truly gathering dust. Oh and food - my days are built around planning my next meal, on the Green Egg or Everhot of course! What I do at Morleys: I run the sales, social and marketing side of Morley Stove Company along with my husband Luke….and yes I am mad working with the husband but somehow (along with lots of Gin) we make it work Age: 44 but technically 36 as when turning 40, I set my age backwards! Loves: my #minimorleys, Luke when he isn’t bossy (which is 99% of the tie), red wine (although since Im now 36 I’m rubbish at drinking), Trance Music as I'm an old raver at heart, my Peloton Bike and bath;, I’m coming back as a mermaid in my next life Mood: TIRED! kids holidays are breaking me, but also excited as we go on holiday soon (round 2 as last month we needed to cancel due an out of date passport: NOTE TO ALL – CHECK EXPIRY DATES!) Fav Morley Product: Focus Bubble Firepit – as it makes gardens look all James Bond like, and Stove wise it’s the Contura 556 Stove in white. I also love the beauty of the AGA Cooker and the stunning Orange shades of our RB73s....I could go on for ages
by Nicola Adams 05 Oct, 2021
Luke Adams: Pre Morley: I went to school in Hertford at Haileybury College and then gained a Maths degree at Loughborough University. I worked in the City for an Fund Management Company (ironically called Morley!) as a Investment Analyst, before giving up the Big Smoke for the Little Smoke of Morley Stove company, my family business, back in 2010. Lived: Born in Harlow so officially an “Essex boy” but grew up just outside Hertford, before some younger fun years living in East and West London, and now settled back in the middle of nowhere back in the Shire! Hobbies: Coming from a family of sports lovers, I have grown up playing all sports with Rugby being my number one! My playing days from Hertford, Hertfordshire County, Loughborough Uni and Leicester are far behind me with shoulder injuries to prove, but still enjoy a game of touch rugby up at the rugby club (but very more the beers and watching rugby on TV in the pub these days!) I enjoy my swimming too, where in my younger years I used to swim at nationals, to later years doing a team cross-channel charity swim. I love to travel and cant wait to get back to Asia with the kids and Nicola in tow! Loves: Beers, Rugby, Travelling and my wife and kids, not necessarily in that order but not far off 😉 Mood: Busy! With the business progressing well within current climate and the expansion of Morley’s Home and Garden products, linked with my father Charles taking a serious step back in the business, it’s just work, work, work currently! Fav Morley Product: Tough one, I spend most weekend free time on my Big Green Egg BBQ and the Everhot Cooker; I still love the Contura 690AG (beautiful concrete finish) from seeing it on a work trip to Sweden as my stove choice; and then a new product for us in the Kalfire E-One electric fire being up right up there….I’m allowed 4 right?! Plans for the next Month: An overdue week off holiday to Croatia, and looking forward to getting the boys back into Sunday morning mini’s rugby up at Hertford! Charles Adams: Pre Stove/Kitchen/Design World : I was born brought up and went to school in North London. My foray into work included a period in a sales office environment with International Paints and Sunspel in London, with a short spell assisting the establishing of a sales facility in Long Eaton Nottigham for Sunspel (a clothing manufacturer). My first front line sales role was as a self employed sales agent visiting retail outlets trying to sell leather products – success lasted just a few weeks having recognised that I probably needed some proper sales training. My father encouraged me to join a large organisation that had a reputation for training. I had a successful interview with Gillette, however at the interview I was advised that all their sales team were required to wear bowler hats, this was the 1950’s, and their sales presentations were to be verbatum, requiring no individuality or personality. I declined their offer. I was also offered a post with Dexion as a trainee salesman which I accepted and stayed with that organisation for over 16 years, moving through sales management and training roles and finally on to the development of overseas markets, culminating with a period living and working in Dubai and Saudi Arabia in the early/mid 1970’s. On returning to the UK in 1980 I left Dexion and invested in a small distribution business which developed on to investing with colleagues into various small seedbed businesses – not all successful. A business development consultancy opportunity arose requiring a period based back in the Middle East. My introduction into the woodburning stove business began almost by accident. In 1997 I had a consultancy management project running locally to home and at a social event with one of the project investors I assisted our host in getting her wood stove working. This led to my introduction to Morley Marketing Ltd an organisation that were early pioneers in the introduction of woodburning stoves in the UK, the owner of which was retiring. I was offered an initial project management role to develop the retail and wholesale sides of the business under new ownership – thus Morley Stove Company Ltd was born. My wife and I took the opportunity to purchase the business after just a few years together with the freehold premises. Strangely, I shouldn’t have been too surprised at my interest in this industry as my Scottish Grandfather and Uncle had established a small chimney sweeping business in Dumfries, in the 1930’s – it must have been in the blood. I had expected that I would sell the business before retiring – but was delighted when our youngest son Luke showed serious interest in joining the ‘family’ business from his city role in 2010. My brother-in-law and daughter-in-law are also currently working in the business. Lived : Born in North London, brought up in Winchmore Hill then Newgate Street and have lived just outside Hertford for the past 37 years. Married to Loo for approaching 50 years. Hobbies : Sport has played a major part of my life, more currently walking, golf and tennis – in earlier days I was a keen sprinter and achieved success at a senior level at school and nationally with Southgate Harriers. Rugby has probably been the most active of my sports having played at school and for Saracens at the age of 14 in their schoolboys side. I continued my allegiance to Saracens after school and played at all levels in the club until hanging my boots up in 1986 at the age of 40. Whilst in Dubai I played with the Dubai Exiles RFC playing home and away visits to other Gulf countries that had expatriate teams, with the occasional game against visiting naval vessels that could muster a team. Every season culminated in the Gulf Dubai Sevens tournament which included guest teams from the British Army and Navy from local bases. This developed into the current Dubai Sevens included in the International Sevens circuit. Loves : Family – we have loads of grandsons – 7 in total – the only girls in the family are our lovely daughters-in-law to our three sons – I will also add travel ,wine, beer and growing vegetables. Mood: Enjoying being almost retired although still keeping vaguely in touch with the family business. Favourite product : We are spoilt for choice as at home as we have stoves, as you would expect, together with the terrific Green Egg and Corten steel patio heater Plans for the next month : Gardening, when the weather is ok, a little golf, watching some rugby – oh and the odd day in the Marsh Lane showroom. In one sentence sum up your relationship with Morleys : Whilst my day to day involvement with the business has reduced, I am happy to see it being steered successfully by my son Luke and Nicola, his wife, with the loyal support of other members of the Morley team. A true family business.
by Nicola Adams 04 Oct, 2021
Welcome to Octobers Instagram's #morleymonday and its time to put the spotlight onto one our glorious suppliers; the lovely Reece from RB73 Who I am: I am Reece Toscani and I am the UK agent for RB73 outdoor fires. I spend my days supporting our dealer network in any way I can and travelling around the UK looking for new retailers and showrooms who are looking to move into the outdoor fire/stove market. Pre RB73 World: In 2005 at the age of 18 I started working full time at a local stove and fireplace showroom in Essex. I spent the next 12+ years there honing my craft before I was head hunted by a major European stove supplier to become their agent to grow their UK dealer network. This led to other opportunities with additional manufactures within the stove and fireplace sector, one of which was RB73, which I added to my portfolio in 2019. Lived: Born in Enfield, London but grew up in Rayleigh, Essex. Where I still live today with my wife and two children. Not far from mum and dad Hobbies: enjoy a good sci-fi film (the more far-fetched the better). As a teenager I played Badminton and have recently started playing again. I have been known to feature in the odd YouTube video in the past and have started recording new content recently. I have recently purchased an outdoor plancha style wood fired grill and have been learning how to cook alfresco. Beyond that I am teaching my son how to ride a bike and just enjoying spending any other time I have at home with my 8 month old daughter (before the wife and I fall asleep on the sofa, usually before 9pm Loves: I am rather partial to an authentic coffee, no milk, no sugar, just straight up! Formula 1 is my sporting love and I’m looking forward to being able to get out to see more international races again soon. Beyond that I am big fan of @VibramFiveFingers despite it having a mixed reaction with dealers when they see me wearing them. Mood: Things are good, RB73 along with the other brands I represent have all grown significantly in the last 12 months which is great. Enquiries are picking up again as autumn sets in and it's great to see all of our dealers hard at work selling our products. So things are busy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Fav RB Product: Well I have the Quaruba L, Mobile at home, but I am a big fan of the new Quercus Pizza Oven that will be launching ready for spring next year Plans for the next Month: October is looking to be a busy month with visits to the South West, North East and North West all coming up. Lets hope I don’t need to queue at 5am for 90 minutes to get fuel again this time! In one sentence sum up your relationship with Morley’s: Morley were an early adopter of RB73 seeing the potential of the product and what the brand stood for right from the offset. When Nicola joined the business in 2020 things really kicked up a gear as she whole heartedly embraced the product and was extremely proactive in outreach online, on social media and to local business throughout lockdowns and beyond. I had the pleasure of attending the grand opening of the new Morley showroom a few months ago and learnt a thing or two about outdoor grilling and cooking which I have brought home. I'm looking forward to continuing to grow this relationship in the future and both myself (R1) and Raoul (R2) are very pleased to have them onboard as RB73 dealers.
by Nicola Adams 09 Sept, 2021
~Miso Aubergine~ Serves 4 Miso 4 tbsp miso paste 1 tbsp cider vinegar 1 tbsp honey Mix together. Sesame Mayo: 4 tbsp Mayo 1 tsp sesame oil Mix together. Coriander ripped and sesame seeds for garnish 2 aubergines, sliced 1 inch thick. Brush aubergines with miso paste and grill over direct heat (or griddle pan) for a couple minutes each side. Drizzle over sesame Mayo and garnish with coriander and sesame seeds. ~Cheats Green Salsa (great on beef)~ Handful coriander, mint, parsley 1 clove garlic, crushed 2 baby plum tomatoes Pinch chili flakes 45ml olive oil 25ml cider ginger Small squeeze lemon juice Pinch salt/pepper Crush the garlic in pestle and mortar with salt, then crush tomatoes. Finely chop herbs add to mortar along with wet ingredients and mix thoroughly together - taste, adding more vinegar or olive oil as needed. ~Salt Baked Sea Bream~ (Cooked on the DeliVita Pizza Oven) 4 sea bream - whole, gutted 1 lemon, sliced Few herbs (any) 1 kg rock salt Add a slice lemon and some herbs into the cavity of the fish. Line a baking tray with a layer of rock salt, lay fish onto salt, then cover fully with remaining salt. Bake in hot pizza oven or fan oven (220Fan/240c) for about 20-30minutes. Remove from oven, rest for 5 mins. Brush off salt, gently peel away skin of fish and remove flesh inside. Turn over and do same for other side Enjoy Nicola, Luke and Theo X
by Nicola Adams 19 Aug, 2021
As we come into the colder season there are a number of misleading and wrong reports doing the rounds on wood burning stoves and log burners. Much of the confusion has come from statistics that lump in modern stoves with older stoves, open fires and bonfires and then present a grouped figure for emissions. This very much distorts the data. LET'S BE CLEAR! An EcoDesign Ready stove and all the stoves displayed in Morleys Showrooms and the ONLY ones that we Install and sell to our clients is a clean and an environmentally sound choice when heating your home. Stoves (such as the Charnwood pictured) produces 90% fewer emissions than an open fire and 80% less than older designed stoves by using ultra clean burn technology that is carbon neutral (Wood gives off the same amount of carbon whether it is burnt or decays naturally. The carbon released from burning wood is balanced out by the carbon absorbed by the tree during its lifetime). Also wood is a renewable, sustainable fuel that can be sourced locally. With well managed woodlands, well seasoned wood and stoves with clean burn technology there is a strong future for wood burning stoves. Wouldyou rather burn fossil fuels such as oil? (the key word is FOSSIL - just saying) . If you are looking to purchase a stove talk to us and be sure to look for the @clearskiesmark label that guarantees that your stove meets all the criteria set for Ecodesign 2022. You too can play an important part in reducing carbon emissions with a wood burning stove.
by websitebuilder 17 Aug, 2021
We were super proud to excited on Saturday to open our new Morley Showroom! The Deputy Mayor of Ware and Local District Councillor along with Celeb Chef Theo Michaels were both on hand help cut the ribbon Morley Stove Company first started in the 70's and today it prides itself on still being a proud, local Hertfordshire family run company, but now we don’t just sell and fit stoves, but lots, lots more! Saturday was the first of our Outdoor Cooking Demo Events here at Morley’s, hosted by Celeb Chef Theo Michaels. Food was cooked on the Big Green Egg’s and Delivita Pizza Oven, using the beautiful Vlaze outdoor units. Our guests had a fantastic time tasting Salted Seabream, Smoked Asparagus, Charred Mackerel, Cote de beouf, Miso Aubergine, and Smoked Chocolate Mousse over Cherry Woodchips. The famous BGE Taxi was one of our special guests at our Cook Day hosted by the fantastic Theo Michaels. The 2XL Taxi (which can fit 3 whole goats and 2 #minimorleys) sizzled away smoking our Beef! Head to our Facebook Page for more photos on this super day! Post Event Testimonial: Last week I had the honour of helping to celebrate the grand opening of @morley_stove_company which is home to a bunch of beautiful outdoor/indoor/barbecuing cooking devices. The local deputy mayor cut the ribbon nd I whipped up a bunch of food as an afternoon cooking demo. Mouthwatering asparagus and salted sea bream on the beautiful @hellodelivita wood fired ovens (can’t stop stroking them very weird) Did some incredible cote de beouf with green salsa on the @biggreenegg with steaks from my great butcher, mackerel, chocolate ganache and I’m pretty sure some other bits I’ve forgotten! It’s a family business and Luke and Nicola are great who own it. Plus I got to stand up and talk to people for two hours while cooking that couldn’t leave as they bought a ticket. Love it when a plan comes together :) Theo Michaels - Celeb Chef, Author, MasterChef Contestant
by Reece Toscani 09 Aug, 2021
Also known as weathering steel and often spelt COR-TEN, corten steel has been specifically developed for both corrosion resistance (COR) and tensile strength (TEN). The combination and production of these alloys means corten steel is a weatherproof, strong and corrosion resistant material known for having a brown/orange appearance. It is this rusty coating that protects the steel from oxidising by forming a protective shield on the surface. This means this beautiful steel does not need to be painted and is resistant to all atmospheric weather conditions, so it does not need covering, sealing, or protecting from the elements. Think Angel of the North and the Forth Road Bridge - these structures are made to last. The dark brown or ochre-ish hue that makes Corten steel so recognisable has become a style unto itself, with artists and engineers alike queuing up to take advantage of its bold colour and weatherproof properties for sculptural and architectural purposes. The partially rusted surface has a thin layer of metal oxide that does not compromise the integrity of the metal itself (like normal rust would). This layer protects the metal and ensures it retains its strength and longevity without suffering the gradual corrosion that occurs with mild steel and iron. Furthermore, this protective layer can repair and regenerate itself, requiring very little maintenance. Leave it outside, uncovered in all weathers! Fires, Stoves & Log Stores Due to all these properties, Corten steel is becoming increasingly popular in homes, art and gardens and is fast becoming the popular choice for luxury outdoor living fire pits, stoves, and log stores (we have noticed lots of cheaper copies on the market that will likely be covered in holes in under a year so avoid). We have prepared this corten steel guide to help share some key features, characteristics, heating advice and maintenance tips for owning a corten steel outdoor fire product. Key Advantages: • Very strong and wear-resistant • Sleek and timeless design • Weatherproof and durable material • Warm and natural appearance Important: • Products are delivered un-rusted (unless otherwise stated) • Products must be unpacked immediately after delivery to ensure there is no moisture between the packaging and the product as this can cause irregular rust and stains. • The accessories such as smoke flues and rain caps are easy to assemble by sliding them together. Heating advice: • Start with firelighters with small pieces of dry wood placed on top • Use small pieces of dry wood to slowly heat the fireplace and smoke flue. Once the fire is burning clearly, you can slowly increase the fire (use max. 1,5 kg dry wood per time). Corten Steel in the UK Corten steel is commonly used in the construction industry today, from housing structures and bridges, to the massive cranes used to build the structures themselves. It is also well used in the freight/shipping industry, including transport, tanks, and shipping containers, as well as rail and road vehicles. Most people in the UK are familiar with the famous Angel of the North sculpture in the North East and knowing what you do now, it will not be a surprise to learn that this is made from Corten Steel. Similarly, the Broadcasting Tower in Leeds, uses the combination of corten steel construction with exposure to the Yorkshire weather to enhance its overall beauty. So, whether you are looking to create a sculpture for your own garden, build a water feature or simply sit around an open fire, consider corten steel not only for its weatherproof and longevity qualities, but also the warmth and beauty this material will add to your home. Morleys are a registered dealer for the stunning RB73 Fire Brand along with our Corten Steel Firepits - so get in touch to discuss all things CORTEN
Media Walls Explained
by Stovax Gazco 16 Mar, 2021
Whilst having a feature wall feels like something that’s been around forever, media walls are rather more of a recent trend in home interior design. The idea behind it all is to devote a space to house all your media in order to create a centrepiece that captures people’s main focus as they enter the room. In its simplest form, a media wall is just the wall in your living room or lounge that you have your TV mounted on. However, for the best results many take the idea much further by creating elaborately bespoke stud wall frameworks in which to hide cables, house integrated storage space such as shelves, cupboards and drawers, and incorporate appliances such as an electric fire. But what do you need to consider before getting started on such a project? Television Size When it comes to your television, size matters! After all, if you are integrating storage into the framework of your media wall, it’s likely you’ll want your TV centred, with the shelves, cupboards and drawers either above, below, either side, or even all around. This in turn means you’re only going to have a certain space to play with in the centre for your television. If you’re planning to upgrade to a bigger TV in the future, you may want to think about doing this sooner rather than later, or alternatively decide on a size and factor this into your design. Peripheral Devices Next, ask yourself what peripheral devices you have such as games consoles, set top boxes or speaker systems that you’ll need to accommodate a space for in your media wall. You might place games consoles on a shelf to the side of your TV or perhaps in a cupboard underneath, whatever you choose don’t forget to consider cables, which brings us onto our next point. Cable Management When it comes to electronic appliances, the last thing you want are power leads, aerial cables, and audio-visual cables messing up the clean aesthetic of your new media wall. It’s important to plan ahead and know where you’ll be placing these devices and leave a hidden channel behind to run any cables to wherever they need to go, like the TV. For power cables you may consider installing some plug sockets in handy reach of your devices. Want to incorporate an electric fire in your media wall? It’s very on trend to complete the look by building in an inset electric fire, such as the Gazco eStudio 105R into your media wall. Featuring captivating flame visuals with multiple flame effects to choose from including Amber & Yellow, Amber with Yellow accent and Yellow with Amber accent and offering a choice of fuel effects, this electric fire provides a stunning display which can be enjoyed with or without the heat. To maximise the level of ambience, the eStudio’s versatile optional LED Mood Lighting System can be placed around your fire or TV, under shelves, and more to provide atmospheric mood lighting that can be easily controlled via the fire’s remote handset. Morley Stove Company is a Local Dealer for Stovax Gazco so get in touch if you have any queries or questions on these fires
by Charnwood Stoves 24 Feb, 2021
The modern wood burning stoves of today ensure low emission and low carbon heating for our homes. However there have been a number of misleading reports circulating in the news recently suggesting stoves are responsible for contributing far more particulate emissions than they actually do. It is important to say that some of the air pollution statistics that are quoted are not only incorrect but they lump modern, clean burning stoves together with all sorts of domestic fuels, older appliances and open fires. The Stove Industry Alliance (SIA) have produced this short film to help dispel these reported myths around wood burning stoves with the real facts and address three of the major misconceptions that are being mis-quoted by the media. 1)‘Wood burning stoves are the biggest contributor in the UK of small particulate matter’. This is not true. At the root of this myth is a statement from Defra’s Clean Air Strategy claiming that domestic combustion accounts for 38% of fine particulate matter. This number was based on a survey carried out by the government in 2015 which wrongly over-estimated the amount of wood being burnt in the UK on stoves and fireplaces. (1) A much bigger survey carried out in 2019 by the SIA (2) showed the actual figure was less than a third of what the government quoted, making the percentage of PM.2.5 that could be attributed to domestic combustion closer to 13% and NOT 38%. Subsequent figures recently published by Defra (3) corollate with the SIA’s findings and if their new wood fuel volume figures were combined with the correct emission factors, the real percentage of PM2.5 attributable to domestic wood burning would be less than 10%. In addition to this the 38% figure was based on emissions from older stoves and open fires. It is proven that modern Ecodesign compliant wood burning stoves (which the majority of our Charnwood models conform to) produce 66% LESS emissions than these outdated appliances. Other sources of PM2.5 were also included in its overall estimation, including wildfires, bonfires, and incinerators which are unregulated sources of particulate matter and certainly not insignificant. 2) ‘Wood burning stoves create the same emissions as 18 diesel cars’. This comes from test results interpreted by the Air Quality Expert Group (AQEG) but their comparison is extremely misleading and, as the SIA film points out, it is like comparing apples with oranges. Firstly the comparison is between the appliances running at significantly different efficiency levels, by measuring a car exhaust emissions at an efficient run rate of 21mph and comparing them to all of the emissions at a full run rate for a stove. This completely ignores all the small particle emissions from the car’s brakes and tyres, when frequently the emissions from a car’s brakes and tyres are actually greater than the emissions from the exhaust pipe! Finally the difference in the dispersal point of particulate matter from wood burning stoves to cars is ignored completely. A car outputs its emissions at face level for a child and therefore there is very little dispersal before it is breathed in, whereas a woodburning stove sends its emissions out of the top of the chimney and there is considerable dispersal of emissions before they even reach human height. 3) ‘Wood burning stoves and fireplaces are harmful’. Chair of the Stove Industry Alliance, Morley Sage, explains why this is one of the more concerning misconceptions: “This view fails to take into account the huge advances that have been made by the woodburning stove industry in recent years. Many critics of woodburning stoves base their assumptions on data linked to open fires, older stoves and poor-quality wood fuel. The SIA would be one of the first organisations to point out that burning wet wood on an open fire, a practice that is still very common today, is one of the least efficient and most highly polluting ways to heat your home. By stark contrast, a modern wood burning stove emits up to 90% less emissions than an open fire and up to 80% less than a stove that is 10 or more years old.” Members of the SIA (including us at Charnwood) were among the first manufacturers to develop ultra clean burn technology within our appliances to achieve the forthcoming 2022 Ecodesign Regulations (SIA Ecodesign Ready). More recently the SIA has supported and initiated the launch of clearSkies, an independent emissions and energy performance certification scheme for solid fuel stoves and fireplaces. Appliances that are certified under clearSkies will not only meet the performance levels set out under Ecodesign, but also many go a significant way beyond. The majority of our Charnwood stoves achieve highest clearSkies certification: Level 5. Far from being the problem, modern wood burning stoves are actually the solution to a low carbon, sustainable future domestic heating strategy. The REAL facts about modern woodburning stoves are that they are a future proof, highly efficient, very low carbon and sustainable way of heating our homes and keeping our families warm, and that is something to be truly proud of. For further information visit www.stoveindustryalliance.com 1) The BEIS Domestic Wood Survey using a sample size of 1,206 2) SIA independently verified research carried out in 2019 using sample size of 10,620 using same questions as BEIS survey 3) The Emission of Air Pollutants in the UK 1970 to 2019 and Defra Research Burning in UK Homes & Gardens Report
by websitebuilder 01 Feb, 2021
PM 2.5 particles are the smallest particles and are in the air inside and outside of our homes whether we have a stove or not (think the finest of dust particles). It is these particles that are dangerous to health for everybody if prevalent in high enough numbers over long periods of time. A wood burning stove, correctly working, will not exceed small particle safe-guidelines (I will provide some figures shortly) or come anywhere close. A stove sucks air from the room, drawing particles into the fire and off up the chimney and outside. The conclusions of a US survey in 2019 by the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology were that homes without stoves had a Median PM 2.5 of 6.65  µg/m3whilst homes with stoves were a fraction higher at 7.98  µg/m3J. As a comparison outside air in central London averages 18-25  µg/m3. Just think about that for a minute: a home has a natural and normal amount of 6.65  µg/m3 PM 2.5 particles all of the time, 24 hours a day (in my home it is usually around 7µg/m3). Using a wood stove can increase that a smidgen for the few hours the stove is on (whilst still remaining well within recommended safe guidelines). So "very safe" becomes "still very safe". With regard to clean air DEFRA states that their cleanest and freshest air classed is anything under 11  µg/m3. The World Health Organisation's advice is not to exceed annual average concentrations of PM 2.5 of 10  µg/m3n. Note that this is an average over a whole year so even if your stove was running 24 hours a day, 365 days a year the average PM 2.5 levels would still be within WHO safe guidelines. For most homes, woodburners are only used for a few hours a day, a few months of the year and PM2.5 additions, caused by a stove, are negligible. Wood stoves and indoor pollution due to PM 2.5 particles (includes Central London and Delhi outdoor-levels for comparison) Recent press reports (late Dec 2020) discussed PM 2.5 pollution inside houses. These articles all stemmed from one syndicated article. The article is by Rohit Chakraborty of "The Live Forever Club" (https://liveforever.club/resources/rohit-chakraborty) using a sample of just 19 stove users) and this stated: "The results showed the burners were usually lit for about four hours at a time... During those four hours, average particle levels rose to between 27 and 195 micrograms per cubic metre of air" (under 35 is low, under 11 is there absolute freshest on the DEFRA scale). This data differs wildly from the US data and I can state that these outlandish levels are not comparable to levels in my own house or other people I know with wood stoves. Lighting the or refuelling the stove in my house makes almost no difference whatsoever to small particulate levels (open my stove door and air is sucked INTO the stove and off up the chimney - "sucks the slippers off grandma" as the old saying goes). Cooking causes the meter to go up and this is to be expected: the cooking particles are not funnelled up a chimney. Toast caused the PM 2.5 level to shoot up to 92 and well-done sausages peaked at 218. So are we going to ban sausages? How about toasters? One thing is worth mentioning. When the level does rise it takes quite a while (an hour or two) to fall, unless multiple windows are opening to allow through-air (so post-sausage cooking you will be breathing in very high levels of PM 2.5 for a few hours). Recent press good news for a change 21 February 2020 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/give-wood-burning-stove-just-had-installed/ So much is bad for us in modern life: sugar, wine, time spent online, stress, and in 2019 I’m aiming to cut back on them all. But give up my stove? Not a chance. 28 Dec 2020 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/family/life/sales-log-burners-booming-can-still-eco-friendly/ Sales of log burners are booming – and they can still be eco-friendly "Whatever the choice of fire, I know that mine has been, hands down, my most satisfying purchase." Jessica Salter
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