A wood burner is an excellent, reliable backup heat source…

The UK is currently being battered by storm after storm. Each incident leaves tens of thousands of homes without power due to violent winds, heavy snow and infrastructure damage. These violent storms are not an isolated incident; they are becoming increasingly common as our climate continues to change.

As homes often lose power during such extreme weather events, leaving households without heating during periods of intense cold, it’s important to build in resilience by having alternative options of creating warmth such as a woodburning stove.

Modern, Ecodesign compliant solid fuel stoves provide heat that doesn’t depend on electricity or gas. Unlike electric heaters or gas boilers, a stove will continue to produce warmth even when the grid goes dark, giving householders a reliable fallback during outages. Wood stoves can also help relieve peak demand on the grid on winter evenings, reducing pressure on a system already challenged by extreme weather.

Ecodesign stoves are also more fuel efficient than older stoves and must meet strict emission standards. Proper maintenance, regular sweeping, correct fuel choices and professional installation, help ensure that solid fuel stoves are efficient, safe and low impact.

In a world that’s experiencing increasingly erratic weather, relying solely on one heating source is a risk – installing a solid fuel stove ensures that you and your family can remain warm and cosy, whatever the weather delivers.

The Government is also set to improve air quality and reduce emissions from wood burners (although there are no plans to ban them). You can rest assured that Topstak stoves, including the Ironwood, are extremely efficient with ‘Clear Skies’ and already exceed government requirements for emissions.

A Government consultation on reducing smoke emissions opened on January 22, 2026, and runs until 19 March 2026 (midday). Should you wish to have  your say, please follow this link government consultation