Wood Burners vs Heat Pumps: What’s Really Heating Our Homes?


 Wood Burners vs Heat Pumps: What’s Really Heating Our Homes?

There’s something undeniably appealing about a wood burner.
The glow. The crackle. The sense of comfort on a cold winter evening.

But when you compare wood burners with heat pumps, the difference isn’t just about energy efficiency or carbon — it’s about what you’re breathing.

And that’s where the data gets uncomfortable.

Wood Burners: Old Tech, New Problems

Wood burners are often marketed as natural, renewable, even eco-friendly.
The reality is more complicated.

Burning wood produces:

  • PM₂.₅ and PM₁₀ particulates

  • Nitrogen oxides

  • Carbon monoxide

  • Volatile organic compounds

These particulates are tiny enough to:

  • Penetrate deep into the lungs

  • Enter the bloodstream

  • Increase risks of asthma, heart disease and stroke

Monitoring indoor air quality shows something striking:
short, intense spikes in particulate levels every time a stove is lit, refuelled, or the door is opened.

You don’t see it.
You don’t smell it.
But it’s there.

Heat Pumps: Quiet, Clean, Boring (In a Good Way)

Heat pumps don’t burn anything.

They:

  • Move heat rather than create it

  • Produce no indoor particulates

  • Deliver 3–4 units of heat for every unit of electricity used

  • Pair perfectly with solar panels and battery storage

From an air-quality perspective, heat pumps are almost dull — and that’s exactly the point.

No spikes.
No smoke.
No invisible pollution inside your living space.

The Indoor Air Problem We Ignore

Most air pollution discussions focus on roads and cities.
Yet many of the highest particulate exposures happen indoors, often in winter, often in homes trying to stay warm.

A modern, airtight house with a wood burner can trap pollution inside — exactly where families spend the most time.

This is why organisations like the World Health Organization state clearly:

There is no safe level of PM₂.₅ exposure.

Carbon Isn’t the Whole Story

Yes, heat pumps slash carbon emissions.
Yes, wood is theoretically renewable.

But sustainability isn’t just about what comes out of the chimney —
it’s also about what goes into your lungs.

The greenest heating system is the one that:

  • Cuts carbon

  • Improves health

  • Reduces hidden environmental harm

On that measure, heat pumps win quietly — every day.

A Shift Already Underway

As more households install:

  • Air-quality monitors

  • Solar + batteries

  • Heat pumps

A pattern emerges:
once people see the data, they rarely go back.

Because comfort shouldn’t come at the cost of clean air.

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