I get transfixed by fires, I could sit and listen to the crackle of burning wood and stare into that glowing embers for ages! There is something so homely about a fire and I love the character it brings to a room. It seems like I am not the only one! Are you one of the many homeowners who have turned to wood burning stoves over the last decade? It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out that the meteoric rise in stove popularity initially came around about the same time as an economic downturn ….. coupled with a rising cost of gas and electricity.
Clever homeowners began looking towards the stove area of the market for a number of reasons: Getting control over their heating, reducing spiralling energy bills and also the psychological fact that lighting a fire, indeed sitting in front of a fire, is so elementally pleasurable, soul warming, relaxing, homely and a simple yet emotionally primal pleasure. Wood has been rediscovered as a smart and renewable energy source.
The rise in popularity was also fuelled …. see what I did there …. by another reason ….. newer wood burning stoves became a desirable object again after years of new homes being built without fireplaces. Now many on-trend, eco-aware, frugal, shabby chic or property programme inspired home decorators and developers are cleverly installing eco-friendly and virtually carbon neutral wood burning stoves. Not only do these modern stoves fuel homes in a cheaper and more practical way, they can also significantly reduce your home’s carbon footprint. As low as they are in emissions, wood burning stoves are high in energy efficiency and produce about 5 times more heat than a regular fire. The question is …. how can you improve on a great looking stove, that heats better, can save you money and is better for the environment?
Well dear reader, it just got better. I have been trialling out Firemizer, a re-useable piece of stainless steel mesh that you put beneath your firewood and it claims to reduces your fuel burn rate by up to 38%. Honest pants on, I was a little sceptical and set out to test their claims.
How do I fit it?
Using gloves, place the Firemizer on the base of your fire or stove. They can be cut to size but I would recommend wearing gloves when you touch the Firemizer. Then go about building your fire as you normally would. I found that the Firemizer fitted perfectly and there was no need to cut it. I actually could not believe how simple it was. Cleaning was just as easy. I tried rolling it up and tapping out the ashes or flipping over the Firemizer and cleaning as normal …. but with none of those small bits of unburnt wood to deal with.
Does it work?
Stop press. Firemizer is a game changer for anyone who has a stove or standard fireplace! Although my test has been focussing in on the wood burning stove side, I can see how it will work just as well on a hearth. How does it actually work? The Firemizer mesh slows down the airflow which reduces the burn rate and ensures that the fire is fully burnt. Here is what I found
- Fire burned for longer
- Less wood was needed
- Noticed a better heat coming from the stove
- Less burning embers fell through the grate
- Fire burned more evenly
- Finer and more powdery ash was left
- Less unburnt fuel
- Easier to clean
- Less time sorting fire, more time enjoying it
Impressive stuff. I am no fuel expert so my Firemizer and I went to visit Dan Gates from Stove Haus, a leading supplier and installer of wood burning stoves in Glasgow. They like the idea of this product and said
We’re all about home efficiency and reducing folks bills but I’ve never seen this before. Thanks for showing us this innovative product, even better it’s made in the U.K!
Conclusion
The efficiencies of Firemizer make it a must have for any fire owner. Better heat, longer burn time, money-saving and easier to clean …. bonus! It totally works. I am off to continue my testing. I love a great reason to sit in front of the fire! To find out more about the science of how it all works, I will leave that to the experts. Head on over to www.firemizer.com
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