Burn Better, Breathe Better: Reduce the negative impact your stove or open fire can have on your health 

Defra has launched its Burn Better, Breathe Better campaign for the 2023/24 heating season.

The Defra UK Air website suggests using a stove or open fire at home is a major contributor of a pollutant called fine particulate matter (known as PM_2.5). These tiny particles can damage your lungs and other organs and can be harmful to your health.

Making small changes to how you burn can provide benefits, including:

1. Improving the air we all breathe by reducing the amount of pollution produced.
2. Keeping you and your family safe by reducing the risk of chimney fires.
3. Helping you get the most out of your stove or open fire so that it performs better – by using less fuel to produce more heat.

The Burn Better, Breathe Better campaign is encouraging stove and open fire users to follow three simple steps: Check it regularly, Sweep it annually and Feed it the right fuels.

Check it

Regular maintenance of your stove or open fire means it will perform better, use less fuel to produce more heat, and produce fewer harmful particles.

Sweep it

Have your chimney swept at least once. Soot and tar build up in your chimney over time, reducing its efficiency and increasing the risk of chimney fires.