What is a stove with Cleanburn?

A Cleanburning wood stove (sometimes referred to as cleanheat stove) will very efficiently burn wood. When you burn wood in a wood stove what is esentially happening is that wood gas is given off from the wood and it is this that actually burns. This gas needs oyxgen (from air) to burn and this oxygen can be quickly used up. By introducing a fresh supply of oxygen above the fire, gases that otherwise would have been sucked up the chimney are burnt. This is also referred to as Secondary combustion. This creates extra heat (cleanburning stoves will often have a higher heat output than the non cleanburn model) as well as reducing emissions. Combustion and efficiency are increased by heating the supply of air - this is done by drawing the air through channels next to the hot firebox of the stove before it is directed to the top of the fire.

Wood burning stoves which have air inlets at the top of the stove and stoves with airwash will tend to be more efficient as the air is getting to the fire from above, but will still not be as efficient as a cleanburning stove.

Some Cleanburning woodburners have approval for burning wood in smokeless zones because the emissions are lower. See our smoke control areas page for a list of stoves approved for woodburning in smoke control areas.

This also means that more heat is generated through the burning of these otherwise wasted gasses - you will find that Cleanburning stoves have a higher output than a comparable non-cleanburning stove. This means that they are more efficient and therefore use less fuel than a non cleanburning stove. You will may also see extra flames as the gasses are burnt in 'midair'.

All the Contemporary Stoves on our site are highly efficient Cleanburning stoves, all Opus Stoves are cleanburning, as are Fondis inset Stoves.