Families could be in for ‘£2,000-worth’ of savings with this clever trick, one savvy parent has suggested. Bryony Lewis, a mother-of-two, installed a log burner last autumn and credits it for her significantly lower energy bills.
After an initial outlay of £800 for the burner and £1,000 for installation, her family only spent ‘£100 on essentials like kiln-dried logs’ and a £60 maintenance check between October to March. Despite the total cost of £1,960, Bryony claims to have saved £2,000 on her bills, thanks to the ACR Woodpecker WP5 Plus-spec heater’s efficient heat output.
“The cost of living continues to go up and gas and electricity bills are making an increasingly big dent in our finances,” the 40-year-old from Fareham said, according to the Mirror. “We are very happy we made the decision to find a cheaper alternative to central heating.”
This revelation comes at a time when millions in Britain are grappling with soaring costs this winter, exacerbated by the energy price cap hike of around 10% on October 1. Average households may see their bills go up to £1,717 per year as a consequence – especially is they are using electricity and gas.
Soaring bills are what also encouraged Bryony to splash out on an air fryer too, as her smart meter apparently showed that it was an ‘energy-guzzling appliance’. She continued: “Our smart meter showed me that the oven was another energy-guzzling appliance. So, after researching the alternatives, I invested in an air fryer.
“This was back in 2022, and we have made really good use of it since then.” Later, Bryony added: “As a family, we do a lot of things to try to be more efficient. We take care to always switch appliances off at the plug, as leaving devices on standby can cost a small fortune.”
Back in 2017, the London Assembly estimated that 1.5 million wood burning stoves are in the UK, and up to 200,000 are sold each year. However, a recent law change could mean that anyone using these ‘the wrong way’ will be fined, according to the Express.
John Cutts, expert at MeandMyGlass.co.uk previously explained: “Many log burner owners are unaware of the recent implications of clean air regulations. If they’re not followed correctly, thousands of Brits could face large fines and even a criminal conviction. The regulations state that owners are to face penalties for using wood-burning stoves which don’t meet the UK’s standard for emissions.
