WITH electricity prices on the rise and the carbon tax looming, local families are turning back to the humble fireplace to heat their homes this winter.
Recent price increases of between 15 and 18 per cent on electricity have prompted a resurgence in the more traditional wood heating, with local retailers enjoying a spike in the sale of wood heaters.
“This year we’ve struggled to keep up supply. There’s a lot of people changing over to it,” says Adam Lambert, manager of Barbeques Galore.
“With utility prices on the rise, families are after something that’s a little more stable in terms of running costs, and wood is still one of the only fuels you can afford to heat for 24 hours a day,” he said.
The Burning Log Megastore in Canberra also reported wood heater sales were up over 25pc. One local family, Sarah and Brendan Hogan and newborn baby Jacob, converted to wood last year and are making the most of it this winter. Although they also have a gas heater, the wood heater is getting plenty of use at the moment with both Sarah and baby Jacob at home all day.
“Because we’ve got our new born baby, we’re running it 24/7 at the moment,” Mrs Hogan told the Post.
Her husband Brendan estimated that they’d burn about $900 in fuel over the winter season. “It might be a little bit dearer than electricity, but it’s a nicer, drier heat. But I think overall the cost of it is fairly comparable with gas or electricity,” he said.
Firewood sellers are also flat out meeting demand on the fuel side of the industry. Local supplier Ash Hazleton delivers wood to Goulburn, Collector and Bungonia households and surrounds and said the demand this year was ‘incredible.’
“There’s been a definite increase on the last few years. It’s flat out at the moment,” he said.
Mr Hazleton put demand down to the rising cost of electricity.
“I’ve found that people are turning to wood a lot more at the moment, particularly over electricity. Everyone’s mentioning how expensive electricity is at the moment, and I think they’re finding wood to be more economical,” he said.
But wood heaters also come with an associated environmental cost, increasing air pollution and contributing to respiratory disease.
For the full story, please see the print edition of Friday's Goulburn Post.
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