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In 2022, DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs)has brought stricter guidelines for wood-burning stoves and fireplaces. While there is no ban on burning wood, there has been a push for making the practice environmentally sustainable. Also, many people who are using wood-burning stoves and fireplaces are wondering if they would have to change their existing stoves or get them upgraded.
In all this confusion, many homes across the UK are pivoting towards electric fireplaces. In this blog post, we will discuss in brief what exactly the new DEFRA guidelines say, why switching to electric fireplaces will be good in the long run, and other contributing factors for the same.
According to the new guidelines imposed by DERFA in 2022, all new wood burner stoves, as well as multi-fuel stoves, would need to be up to the new standards or ECODESIGN. What is ECODESIGN? It is a new standard set up by the EU for making solid fuel stoves more eco-friendly.
These guidelines only apply to newly manufactured and sold wood-burning stoves. So, if you already have an old wood-burning stove in your home, you need to worry, you are still allowed to use that.
Even though wood burners are not banned in the UK, we can all see that the way to the future is electric. Electric fireplaces are a clean and energy-efficient way of heating our homes that have a very low carbon footprint.
It also safeguards you from any future policy changes the government may come up with in regards to wood burning or fossil fuels. Below are just a few ways that electric fireplaces may be better for your home.
1. No Smoke to Deal With
Unlike when you use wood-burning fireplaces, you do not have to deal with the smoke. Since electric fireplaces do not burn any fossil fuel, it does not cause any smoke or bad smell in the house. This makes the whole ordeal of using the fireplace more enjoyable.
2. No Need to Store Firewood
Another advantage of an electric fireplace is not needing to buy and store any firewood. Since everything runs on electricity, you do not need to waste space in your home for storing wood or spend money purchasing firewood.
3. No Cleanup Required
With a wood-burning fireplace, you have to deal with cleaning up the ash from the fireplace. You may also have to deal with the soot that gets deposited in the chimney of your home. This clean-up can be a hassle for you if you are doing it yourself. Also, if you hire someone to clean all this up, then it is costing you as well.
4. Takes Less Space
An electric fireplace comparatively takes up less space in your living room or bedroom than a wood-burning fireplace. Since no real wood needs to be placed inside it, it needs less depth in the wall and takes less room.
5. Easier to Install and Maintain
It is easier for you to install an electric fireplace compared to a traditional wood-burning one. Also, it is easier to maintain as well. Operating it is also very simple and uncomplicated. There is the power cord that you need to plug into power on the fireplace. The rest is pretty intuitive.
Apart from wood-burning fireplaces, gas stoves and gas-powered fireplaces are also very popular. However, gas pricing has been soaring due to the gas shortage in the market. If you follow the news, then you know that this shortage is caused by the impact on the supply chain caused by the Russia-Ukraine war.
Many countries have stopped the purchase of gas from Russia to put financial pressure on the country to stop the attack on Ukraine. This has led to an increase in gas prices indirectly.
If you use a gas-powered fireplace, then you must be feeling the pinch in your monthly expenses. Also, if you are looking to buy a new gas-powered fireplace, it may make you think twice before you make a decision.
Due to these factors, choosing electric fireplaces seems like a smart idea. Not only is it good for the environment, but for the most part, it is not impacted by any geopolitical factors.
We at Victorian Fireplaces offer a wide range of flat wall electric fireplaces. There are so many beautiful models that you can choose from. Some of our best-selling electric fireplaces include the Heritage Bedford Electric Fireplace and the Kingston Heritage Electric Fireplace.
Our electric fireplaces are not just aesthetically pleasing but also offer you convenience and cost-saving. You will not have to worry about the rising gas prices or the smoke emission harming the environment.
What’s more? We are currently offering great discounts and free delivery. So, be sure to check out our electrical fireplaces today.
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Can’t wait for the products to launch? Would like an exclusive sneak-peek? CALL US TODAY at 01522 246780 Or write to us at orders@victorianfireplaces.com and we will be delighted to help you out!!
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There’s nothing quite like the warmth of fireplace in the cold winter months. Fireplaces are not just good for providing heat, but they also add aesthetic value to any room they are added to.
There’s nothing quite like the warmth that a fireplace brings to your home. But there’s also nothing quite like the mess you’re left with, especially if you have a wood-burning fireplace. Before you start to worry about the how much ash you’d have to clean, please remember that the cleaner your fireplace is, the better the circulation will be and the more efficient your energy consumption will be!
Well as daunting as this sounds, don’t think you’re alone. We at Victorian Fireplaces are here to help you out. We’ve curated a small list of all ways you can ethically dispose fireplace ash, and some fun ways in which you can recycle the ash!
The right way to dispose Fireplace ash:
Before we tell you to utilize all this gold, we want to make sure that you know exactly how to start off with.
1. The first thing you need to do is to make sure that pile of ash has cooled off. Most places on the internet would suggest that you let the ash cool off for about 24 hours, we suggest just to err on the side of caution that you let it cool off for 3-4 days. If you have a wet/dry vacuum, then accompanied with a disposable bag will be a job well done.
Also, if you are some with indoor place you do want to make sure of keeping that slid covered/closed to get the ashes cooled off.
2. If you don’t have one of these heavy-duty vacuums, we have a DIY solution for you. After the fireplace ash is completely cold, sprinkle it with damp tea leaves or coffee grounds to cover the smell of stale ash as well as keep the dust down. Then scoop the pile with a fireplace shovel (don’t worry if you leave an inch or two behind), then dump it into metal can, bucket or even and old flowerpot will do.
3. Another trick to remove the soot from the glass door of your stove is to make a DIY solution. Mix equal parts white vinegar and warm water and pour it into a spray bottle. Take a little bit of the solution on power towel and dip into the fireplace ashes to use as a gentle abrasive. To clean the walls and glass doors, spray onto the surface and wipe clean with microfiber cloth.
If the ash is stuck to any surfaces and won’t budge, scrape it away with a razor blade.
4. If you have smoke stains on your fireplace facing, begin by squirting them with water — it'll keep the cleaning solution from soaking in too fast (this is particularly important with brick). Then dip a brush in a solution of 1/4 cup all-purpose cleaner to 1 gallon water; give spots a quick scrub; rinse with a clean sponge; let dry.
For marble or other stones, squirt with water, then go over with a soft cloth dipped in mild dishwashing liquid and water. Rinse and wipe dry. One exception: If brick facing is more than 50 years old, it may crumble if you scrub with a cleaner. Just vacuum the surface with your soft-brush attachment.
Reuse & Recycle Fireplace Ash:
1. Composting: The wood ashes are the rich source of Potassium, the plants favorite mineral and hence can be used for gardening.
a. Add one cup of powdered wood ash with every 1.5 cup of compost potting mixture.
b. Sprinkle the mixture evenly on the ground, this will help your plants stay nourished & healthy for longer period of time.
c. Wood Ash also helps regulate the PH balance of soil, and gets rid of all those pests that are destroying your garden.
d. Just make sure to not overdo it, & do implement this method the next time you are looking for gardening tips on internet.
2. Bleaching Guardian: Yes, you heard it right, a wood ash can also be used as an all-natural bleach for your clothes. So next time when you are doing your laundry make sure to follow these steps and you’ll have your clothes shining in one-go.
a. To create the mixture, start off by taking 1 proportion of fine powdery wood ash & 4 parts of hot water (you can also use rain water as it’s soft water without any harmful minerals).
b. Mix it all well and let the ash settle down, you’ll be left with a lucid watery soluble with you.
c. Now add 1 full cup of natural ash bleach liquid per wash load. Also, use hot water to activate the bleaching properties of liquid.
3. Magic Glass Cleaner: Lookout your doors are they wanting to be cleaned this time of year. Wondering it takes too many efforts to get one glass door residue cleaned up. Well not anymore, with fireplace ash this will hardly take you a minute to get things cleaned.
a. Take out your cleaner kit, dip the damp sponge into powdery ash.
b. Scrub the residue out your way, the dirt will stick to the scrubber & easily come out.
c. Finally wipe down the leftovers with a clean cloth and you’ll be amazed with your brand-new sparkly glass doors & windows.
4. Chicken Dust Bath: Do you own a farmhouse or have chickens? Well, then this method is going to save you lots of penny. Owning chickens is hard as you need to get them cleaned from all the lice, parasites, dirt, etc.
a. Mix equal proportions of powdered ash with dirt or sand.
b. Prepare a bath space for your chickens, and get started with this inexpensive mixture to get your birds healthy & mite-free!
Cleaning your fireplace ash or recycling it doesn’t really have to be a big daunting task. It doesn't always require professional cleaners to help you out. Infact, you can do it in an afternoon.
Want to learn more about cleaning your fireplaces the right way, do checkout our previous blog here: A 5 Step Guide to Cleaning Your Fireplace
We at Victorian Fireplaces are thrilled to announce that we are launching an entirely NEW RANGE of fireplace products!!
orders@victorianfireplaces.com
“There is no place more delightful than one’s fireplace” - Marcus Jullius Cicera
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