You might think that in the modern world there would little demand for a heating technology that dates back two and a half centuries and is actually less convenient than contemporary alternatives. But intriguingly an ever growing number of people are actively seeking out wood burners in their various guises (wood burning stoves, boilers and cooking ranges) despite the additional operating and maintenance overheads.
One obvious explanation for this trend is money. A wood burning stove might be a relatively expensive item to purchase and install (though not massively more than a conventional boiler system) but the running costs represent very significant savings in most cases. Rural locations in particular, where access to mains utilities can be problematic but wood is easily available locally, can provide quite spectacular examples of how low-cost wood burning can be.
Another is, perhaps paradoxically, environmental benefits. Burning wood certainly releases CO2 in to the atmosphere (wood is basically made of carbon) but this is only the same carbon that the tree itself originally soaked up from the air in the first place. And if, as happens with managed forests and woodlands, another tree is planted to replace the one felled for firewood, then it too will absorb the same amount of CO2 as was released by burning.
In other words, wood burning is part of an endlessly renewable cycle. Quite unlike burning fossil fuels such as coal and oil, wood burning maintains a balance between the CO2 released into the atmosphere and the CO2 being constantly locked up again by the growth of new trees.
Following on from the ecological arguments in favour or wood burners, there is the matter of official regulations and initiatives. With the present day focus on carbon emissions and the push towards "zero-carbon" homes and workplaces, not only will installing a wood burning stove assist with obtaining the necessary compliance, it is in many instances actively encouraged and rewarded with financial incentives.
Then of course there is the sheer variety and versatility of modern wood burners. They come in all shapes and sizes (though the traditional black metal model that resembles the original Franklin stove has proved enduringly popular) and can perform quite a number of different tasks.
You can have a straightforward space heating stove, one with a back boiler that heats your hot water and/or home radiators, one with an oven and hobs for cooking, a semi-automatic one fed by a wood pellet hopper so you don't need to keep carrying logs, ones with timers and remote controls. And of course you can combine these various functions within a single appliance - the well known Rayburn for example is styled as a standard kitchen range with oven and hobs, but will also heat the room plus provide hot water and run the household radiators.
Finally, the primary reason most people want a wood burner is that there is nothing to rival the look and feel of a real fire. People are naturally drawn to the warmth and the flicker of the flames - it's a basic instinct that in all likelihood goes back to the dawn of time. As well as the traditional wood burning stove, there are now also many fabulous contemporary designs that will complement any modern home.
