Log Burner Running Cost — UK 2026 Annual Breakdown
UK 2026 typical: £470-£870/year for regular use. £400-£770 in firewood + £60-£90 annual sweep + ~£10/year CO alarm amortisation. Per kWh: 6-9p — competitive with gas.
Annual firewood cost
- Occasional use (few evenings/week): ~2m³ per winter = £240-£440 at £120-£220/m³ kiln-dried delivered
- Regular use (most evenings, 6 months): 3-4m³ = £360-£880
- Heavy / all-day use: 6m³+ = £720-£1,320+
Buy bulk delivered (1m³+) for best per-cubic-metre rates. Avoid petrol-station bags (£11/bag) — 3-5× the per-kWh cost.
Per-kWh comparison
- Kiln-dried wood (15-18% moisture): 6-9p/kWh
- UK mains gas (2026): ~10-12p/kWh
- UK electricity (2026): ~25-30p/kWh
- Petrol station wood: 18-25p/kWh effectively (per-kg cost is 4-6× kiln-dried delivered)
Per-kWh, wood is the cheapest UK heating fuel in 2026 — but only if you source it from bulk delivered licensed UK suppliers. Source matters more than species.
Calculate your log burner install cost
Running cost depends on install scenario. Use the calculator for personalised install + running estimate.
Open the calculator →Annual maintenance costs
- Chimney sweep: £60-£90 per visit. Required by most UK home insurance policies. 1-2× per year depending on use intensity
- CO alarm replacement: ~£25-£40 every 5-10 years (sealed lithium battery models). Amortised ~£3-8/year
- Rope seals around door: £20-£40 every 3-5 years for replacement. £4-8/year amortised
- Firebricks / vermiculite boards: £25-£50 every 5-10 years. £3-10/year amortised
- Stove glass: rarely needs replacement unless damaged. £50-£150 if needed (every 10+ years typically). Negligible amortised
Total annual maintenance: typically £70-£105/year for regular use.
Total annual running cost
- Occasional use: £310-£545/year (~£280 firewood + £75 maintenance)
- Regular use: £470-£870/year (~£480 firewood + £80 maintenance)
- Heavy use: £800-£1,400+/year (~£800 firewood + £100 maintenance)
Cost vs gas central heating
For the room you'd otherwise heat with gas:
- Gas central heating one UK living room through winter: ~£600-£1,200/year
- Log burner same room (regular use): ~£470-£870/year
Net annual saving: ~£100-£400/year by using the log burner for the room you're in, while still keeping the gas central heating for whole-house background warmth. See our log burner vs gas comparison for the full economic analysis.
Total cost over 15-20 years
For a typical UK installation amortised over operational life:
- Initial install: £2,800-£5,500
- 15-year running cost (regular use): £7,000-£13,000
- Total 15-year cost: £10,000-£18,500
- Effective annual cost: £670-£1,230 amortised
Compare with 15 years of single-room gas central heating (~£12,000-£18,000) — the log burner's lifetime economics are competitive without being dramatically cheaper. The case for log burners is more lifestyle than pure economics.
Pair with these guides
- Log burner vs gas — when log burners win on economics and when gas does. Vs gas comparison →
- Best wood for log burners — bulk delivered kiln-dried is the difference between £400 and £770 a year. Firewood guide →
- What size log burner do I need — annual cost scales with kW. Oversize and you pay for it every winter. Sizing guide →
- How to light a log burner — top-down lighting extracts more heat per log, lowering annual wood spend. Lighting guide →
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to run a log burner in the UK?
Annual UK 2026: £400-£770 in firewood for regular use (3-4 cubic metres kiln-dried at £120-£220/m³). Plus £60-£90 annual chimney sweep. Plus ~£10/year amortised CO alarm replacement. Total ongoing: £470-£870/year for regular use.
Is a log burner expensive to run?
Per kWh, no — wood at 6-9p/kWh beats electricity (25-30p) and is comparable to mains gas (10-12p). Per year, regular UK use costs less than central heating one room would. The economics improve if you can self-source wood.
How much firewood do I need per year?
Occasional use (few evenings/week): ~2m³ per winter. Regular use (most evenings): 3-4m³. Heavy/all-day use: 6m³+. Buy bulk delivered for best per-cubic-metre rates.
What about the cost of the stove itself?
Stove unit (£500-£8,000+) + installation (£500-£2,500) totals £1,000-£10,000+ for the install. UK 2026 typical: £2,800-£5,500 for a mid-range install. Amortised over 15-20 years of use, that's ~£140-£275/year.
How does total annual cost compare to gas heating?
Heating one UK room with gas through winter: roughly £600-£1,200. Heating the same room with a log burner: £400-£770 firewood + £80 annual maintenance = £480-£850. Net difference is small per year, but cumulative savings over 15-20 years can amount to £2,000-£5,000.