Can I burn logs and coal in London?

We've found that our customers are often quite confused about what they can and can't burn on fires and in stoves locally, so we thought we'd give you a brief explanation! 

Our area of South East London, along with most of the UK's large town and cities,  is designated as "smoke control areas" which means that you are not allowed to produce smoke emissions from your home.  These regulations were introduced after the thick smogs of the 1950s and 1960s.  At the time, coal was widely used to heat family homes and this contributed to the smogs which were a serious health hazard.  Controlling smoke emissions in urban areas made a real difference.

If you live in a smoke control area, you can only burn smokeless fuels (which means no wood and or normalcoal),  unless you have a stove which has been declared "exempt" by Defra.  At Westcombes, we stock a wide range of woodburning stoves which have been approved by Defra for use in smoke control zones as they produce very low emissions and are efficient and eco-friendly.  You can use coal on an open fire if it is an approved smokeless brand.

You can find more information about smoke control zones here, with details of where they are as well as exactly what you can and cannot burn. 

Magazine and TV fame for Westcombes...

We're delighted here at Westcombes to discover that the prestigious Guild of Master Craftsmen have decided to feature us in their magazine!  We are proud to be members of the Guild which is a sign of reliability and quality - things that matter a great deal to us at Westcombes.  So often now, customers are faced with sales staff who know nothing about what they are attempting to sell - or end up buying online where you may have no idea who you are trusting with your money. Buying a fire or stove is something you want to get right. You need good advice and will want to think about all your options.  Here at Westcombes, we pride ourselves on our service and want to be able to help all our customers find the ideal fire or stove for their homes, and we're overjoyed that our expertise is being recognised by our inclusion in the Guild's magazine.

We're also very excited about one of our fires appearing on ITV's "6O Minute Makeover" this coming Tuesday at 2pm.  The show's producers came to Westcombes for advice and we're delighted to win yet another endorsement for the excellent service and range of products that we supply.

Light up a damp grey day with a woodburning stove...

Well, a week on and it's STILL raining... There's nothing we like better than warming up around our stove on days like today when the skies are grey and the rain just keeps pouring down.

One of the things we like best about our stove is that we can burn logs even in London, as it has been approved by DEFRA for use in smoke-free zones.  Many of our customers assume that they'll have to have a gas or electric stove if they live in London - or that they'll need to burn smokeless coal - but in fact the latest DEFRA-approved wood burning stoves have been specially designed to produce very low emissions and are ideal for use in smoke-free zones.

If you're interested in a stove, come and see us at Westcombes. We have the largest selection you'll find in South-East London with more than sixty different models in our dedicated stove showroom - along with our huge range of antique, reproduction and contemporary fires!

April showers

It may be good for the garden and after so many dry months, we do need some rain but the grey skies and drizzle outside feel rather gloomy after the sunny weather we've enjoyed in recent months.  There's no better way to cheer up a chilly spring evening than to light a fire or stove for some instant warmth and cosiness.  We're well stocked up with kiln-dried logs and kindling here at Westcombes if you need supplies - and if you don't have a fire or stove,  come and choose from our huge selection!

An energy efficient home

It's always great for us to see happy customers with warm fires and stoves to keep their homes cosy - but it's important to make sure you're not losing all that lovely heat you're creating. Thinking about energy efficiency at home won't only conserve heat, it can save money too. We've put together a few tips to help you make sure you aren't wasting money and energy -

• Poor window fittings can lead to drafts, letting in cold air. Make sure your windows are properly fitted and insulated.  You may want to consider double glazing.
• Drawing your curtains as soon as it gets dark helps to keep your home warm.
• It's surprising how much heat can be lost through the roof.  Is your loft space insulated?  Having an insulated loft can soon save money on heating bills.
• If you are burning wood, make sure you come to Westcombes to stock up on kiln-dried wood which is far more efficient than the damp, unseasoned wood you may get elsewhere. 
• Adjusting your heating thermostat by just a degree can cut your bills by as much as 10%.  If you don't have a thermostat - get one!
• Make sure you turn electrical appliances off rather than leaving them on standby which is using electricity all the time.
• Dripping hot water taps cost you money! 
• If you don't use them already, try energy-saving light bulbs.
• Make sure you turn the lights off when you leave a room.
• Only boil the water you actually need when you put the kettle on for a cup of tea.

The best place to celebrate Valentine's Day...

If restaurants jam-packed with Valentine's Day couples don't appeal, why not choose to spend the evening with your loved one in front of a cosy fire at home.  A bottle of fizz, some delicious food and a roaring fire will make for a far more romantic evening than any special Valentine's menu in a restaurant.  Of course, we are a little biased but we think you'll probably agree if you've got one of our lovely Westcombes fires or stoves at home!

It feels like winter...

After a glorious September and a mild autumn, it finally feels as if winter is here.  We're so pleased we've got a Defra-approved woodburner going in the shop to keep us warm, and we're using our fabulous kiln-dried logs from Certainly Wood  - which are suddenly selling like hot cakes! We've also got the luxury of a working gas and an electric fire in our other showrooms which means you can check out a range of options to see which you might prefer in your own home.  So if you're feeling chilly, head to Westcombes!

Don't leave it too late...

We've had some wonderful weather over the last month, but it seems that finally the autumn chill has arrived - and people are starting to think about fireplaces and stoves again.  We've got the stove burning in the shop today, and it's a great hit with everyone who comes in and sees how lovely and warming a stove can be.  We always find that with the first colder weather, we start to get busier - and the fitters start to get longer waiting times.

There's still plenty of time to get your stove or fire in time for Christmas, but please don't leave it too late.  We can order stock in right up until the last minute, but you want your fire or stove fitted and working - and our fireplace fitters won't be able to fit without at least a few weeks notice.

Do come and visit us at Westcombes sooner rather than later if you're thinking about a fire or stove - and then we can make sure that you're ready for a very cosy winter!

Our restoration service

You may not be aware that at Westcombes we not only offer one of London's widest selections of fireplaces and stoves, we can also restore old fires.  If you've got an old cast iron or marble fireplace in your house that could do with some care and attention, why not get in touch ?

We've been restoring fires for more than twenty years, and our expert restoration team carry out work in situ or in our yard at the shop.  This Edwardian art nouveau fire needed a lot of work, but now looks really beautiful.  If you want to return your fires to their former glory - give us a call on 0208 852 6204