Log burners and wood stoves

Will it work in a power cut?

A conventional wood stove that you light and control by hand works without mains power. That's not true of every stove or every installation, and each stove's manual says which kind it is:

• Stove fans. Some stoves have an optional mains-powered fan to push warm air into the room. In a cut the fan stops.
• Electronic controls. Some newer stoves control the burn electronically. At least one maker gives a separate power-cut procedure in its manual.
• Back boilers. A stove that heats water for radiators relies on an electric pump. How it behaves with the pump off depends on how the system was installed.

What you can burn, and where: the rules in 2026

The rules below are England's. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own, and councils publish the local rules.

• Ecodesign. Since 1 January 2022, new wood stoves put on sale have had to meet Ecodesign emissions limits. That rule is about what can be sold. It didn't make older stoves that were already fitted illegal.
• Smoke control areas. Many towns and cities are smoke control areas. There you can only burn wood in anexempt appliance, often called a "Defra-exempt" stove, and only the fuel its maker allows. An Ecodesign stove is not automatically exempt: exemption is listed model by model. Your council can tell you if you live in a smoke control area.
• Fines. In a smoke control area you can get a penalty of up to £300 for letting smoke out of your chimney, and a fine of up to £1,000 for buying unauthorised fuel to burn in a stove that isn't exempt. GOV.UK smoke control rules.
• Changes on the way? In 2026 the government consulted on tighter emissions limits, new labelling and bigger penalties. When we checked, these were still proposals, not law. The consultation.

Dry wood: what "Ready to Burn" means

In England, wood sold in amounts under 2 cubic metres for burning at home must carry the Ready to Burn label. It means the wood has a moisture content of 20% or less. Larger amounts, and wood you cut yourself, aren't covered by the label. GOV.UK guidance on selling wood.

Installation

A stove and its chimney or flue must meet building regulations. The simplest way is to use an installer registered with a competent person scheme, such as HETAS. In England they can notify the council for you and give you a certificate of compliance, so you don't have to apply to building control yourself.

When the job is done, you should have:

• a certificate of compliance;
• a notice plate recording the installation;
• the stove's instructions, and a demonstration that it has been commissioned and works;
• a carbon monoxide alarm, correctly fitted in the room.

Find a HETAS registered installer.

What it costs

As an example, one 5 kW Ecodesign stove, the Saltfire Peanut 5, was £769 including VAT and delivery at one UK retailer. That retailer estimates installation at £1,200 to £1,800 using an existing chimney, or £2,000 to £3,000 where a new twin-wall flue is needed, not counting the stove. So a stove of that kind, fitted, comes to roughly £1,969 to£3,769. These are one retailer's figures, not a quote for any particular home. Direct Stoves installation guide.

Then there's the wood, and having the chimney swept: London Fire Brigade advises twice a year if you burn logs.

Is it worth it for power cuts?

If you already have a stove, it's a sound backup for a long winter cut. If you're thinking of fitting one only for power cuts, a portable power station to keep an electric blanket and essentials going costs far less, as do cheaper ways to keep warm.

Sources: GOV.UK building work guidance, London Fire Brigade (chimney sweeping).