Reconsidering wood burning

We installed a wood burner when we bought our house 16 years ago. I was so excited, it was our first one ever.

Two years ago we replaced it with a more modern, easy to use and, we thought, more eco friendly one. We had experienced problems with our older one of ‘fumes’ from what we thought was due to the age of the stove and damp wood. We have struggled to find well seasoned wood and have resorted to dried kilned for the last two years at great cost.

We live by the sea and winters are damp. Last winter and this we have, disappointedly, experienced the same chest wheeziness we had experienced before the new stove. Having read more this year I fear nothing we do will make a difference.

I wonder why woodburners are getting more popular and are legal when you read what damage they do. I am mildly asthmatic so I understand why I’m affected but even my husband is getting a wheezy chest most evenings.

Sadly we will have to reconsider a source of heating to compliment our central heating I think as we use our wood burner for half the year. We’re in our late 70s and I fear the woodburner might even shorten our lives. What a shame as I love it and look forward to lightening it for the first time every autumn. Boo Hoo.