Time to take a reality check about stoves and air quality. We recently came across this well-considered article 'Ban wood burning stoves? I think not' by Michael Bye at Ceramic Glass. In it he perfectly and reasonably challenges some of the hysterical press and TV coverage about stoves... read more

Whether you like it or not heat pumps are coming. The government has big plans to make them play a major role in the UK's domestic heating mix. Carbon-loaded coal fired electricity generation is now virtually a thing of the past and next on the Governments hit list is doing away with fossil fuels, such as oil and gas. Since domestic heating is one of the biggest users of these fuels, then removing them from our homes has to be a priority. The Government is planning for some 600,000 heat pump installations per year until 2028. But what are they like to live with...

I'm not normally sentimental but as I approach the end of 2020 I must admit to getting just a bit misty-eyed for the good old days of 2019. Although I'm pretty confident that next year is likely to be so much better than this one (let's call it 20/20 hindsight) it's also bound to be so much different than 2019, but not necessarily in a new and improved way. At least not for many businesses.

As many of you will know The Stove Yard are a major sponsor of Ards RFC in Newtownards – you'll also see our showroom staff proudly wearing their Ards hoodies, for example. Not content with our sponsorship money, they now want blood too. Last night Director Richard Poulter, thought he'd wander down to the Club and have a nice relaxing evening watching the boys practice – but they had other ideas.

What with Lockdown and everything, Hi-Flame's outstanding new R-Series collection managed to hit The Stove Yard's two stores just as we were locking up for Lockdown. However, once they're on your radar, we're confident that one of these wonderful wood burning stoves could be just perfect for you and your home.

In many ways the new normal could be better than the old one.

Even though we'll all be trying hard to get back to normal many of us will probably play it safe and avoid the crowds. Instead we'll be looking forward to rubbing shoulders with friends and family at home. How we've missed them. Entertaining in the garden when the weather's better is therefore set to become the new normal.

At some time from this Sunday until Tuesday most of The Stove Yard showroom staff from both Cheshire and County Down will be visiting the stove industry's big trade show, Hearth & Home in Harrogate.

Wood Burning Stoves in New Build Houses

Check out our 18-page guide: Stoves and New Builds.

It really pays to think about this as soon as possible, even if you're not quite ready to fit one right away. When a wood burning stove is planned in from the very start, in many cases, it could help you to reduce its installation costs. It will also simplify dealings with Building Control and it will improve your SAP calculation. Better still, If the stove is for a new-build you can even claim the 20% VAT back. Read more...

I'll admit it, when I was young and daft there was a time when I would have happily burned driftwood, not only on the beach watching the sun go down, but in my open fire at home as well. Free fuel, what could be better? Well, just about anything else actually. It might look great with its smooth sun-bleached and apparently bone dry, bark-free surfaces but I'm pleased to tell you that I know much better now. I'm definitely done with it, so let me explain why you should avoid it if you haven't already.