The thrifty parent uses a wood burning stove to cut back on energy bills (Image: Getty)
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 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. “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.
The log burner has saved Bryony from switching up the heating (Image: Getty)
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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 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 .
John Cutts, expert at 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.