Chainsaw sales soar as Brits buy 35,000 woodburners in three months

2022-10-01

Chainsaw sales soar as Brits buy 35,000 woodburners in three months to keep themselves warm during the energy crisis

Retail giant Toolstation revealed that sales have rocketed by a third recently
The news comes as people have been finding cheaper ways to heat their homes
Experts warn the rise in woodburning could lead to higher pollution levels

The energy crisis is leading cash-strapped Britons to explore new ways to generate heat.

First, sales of woodburning stoves soared by 40 per cent. Now, it has emerged that chainsaws have seen a surge in demand – to cut wood for the stoves.

Retail giant Toolstation yesterday revealed that sales have rocketed by a third in recent weeks. The firm believes the increase is driven by customers using them to cut logs up for woodburners.

A spokesman for the firm, which has more than 500 UK stores, said: ‘During the last few weeks we’ve seen sales of chainsaws increase by a third.

‘We suspect the demand is being driven by customers firing up their chainsaws to cut logs and timber for woodburners as many try to soften the impact of energy hikes.’

The rush to buy chainsaws comes as people across the country have been exploring cheaper alternatives to gas to heat their homes following an announcement by UK watchdog Ofgem that it would increase the energy price cap

The rush to buy chainsaws comes as families face the prospect of energy bills hitting record highs despite the new £2,500 price cap for a typical household. Woodburning stove sales leapt by 40 per cent between April to June to over 35,000 compared to 25,000 for the same period last year.

The Stove Industry Alliance said the trend ‘clearly indicates that consumers are taking action to help cushion themselves against spiralling home heating bills’.

However, the rise in chainsaw sales may pose dangers for buyers.

Employees using a chainsaw at work must have training and wear protective clothing, but the rules do not apply to people at home. The Government’s Office for Product Safety and Standards said: ‘Chainsaws are potentially dangerous machines which can cause fatal or major injuries if not used correctly. Home gardeners and other occasional users may not be fully aware of the hazards.’

It added: ‘Investigations by the Health and Safety Executive show that most fatal and major injuries involve chainsaw operators taking shortcuts and not following good practice guidance. Usually the reason is to save time. The same procedures and precautions taken by professionals would help keep non-professional users safe.’

Energy bills were set to rise to £3,549 from tomorrow for the typical household, before Prime Minister Liz Truss announced her energy price guarantee, which reduced the cap to an average of £2,500 for the next two years.

The Stove Industry Alliance, which represents the industry, said sales have leapt 40 per cent compared to the same period last year

The Stove Industry Alliance, which represents the industry, said sales have leapt 40 per cent compared to the same period last year.

The SIA said the trend ‘clearly indicates that consumers are taking action to help cushion themselves against spiralling home heating bills’.

The group whose members account for approximately 75 per cent of total UK stove sales, said sales for the second quarter of 2022 (April to June) hit over 35,000 units, compared to just over 25,000 for the same quarter of 2021.

Chair of the SIA, Andy Hill, comments: ‘With the cost for heating our homes accounting for the biggest chunk of home energy bills this winter, it is little wonder consumers are looking for alternatives to supplement their gas or electric heating.’

Couple that with growing awareness of how stretched the grid is and the increased possibility of more power cuts this winter, the option to use a highly efficient, low carbon and low emission wood burning stove to heat your main living space makes good (common) sense.’

But the rise in woodburning could result in greater pollution, experts warn.

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