When it comes to heating your home, are you tired of the never ending rises in the cost of gas, oil and electricity? If so, look into getting a multi fuel stove. It'll provide all the energy you need to heat your home in an economical and eco friendly way.

Multi fuel stoves are extremely versatile being able to handle a variety of eco friendly fuels. However, if you have access to a supply of seasoned wood, you're in for a treat as using wood offer a great range of benefits.

One great reason to use wood is simply its unique look and feel. Nothing can beat the crackling flames of a real wood fire when it comes to creating a warm and cosy home.

Then there's the important matter of cost. The fact is that multi fuel stoves are much cheaper to run than those using gas, oil or electricity. And with fossil fuels becoming increasingly scarce, this is something that's sure to continue. In many cases, using wood as a fuel can be up to three times cheaper than using fossil fuels.

Remember that installing a multi fuel stove will add to the value of your home. So consider your purchase to be an investment that will pay rich dividends both in heating your home and adding to its desirability and so its value.

The next great plus is that of environmental friendliness. With increasing awareness of global warming, most people want to do their utmost to reduce their carbon footprint and this is an area where wood is a fine choice of fuel.

Wood is carbon neutral so it's a very eco friendly fuel. Carbon neutrality means it only gives off as much carbon as it took in while growing as a tree. Fossil fuels, in contrast, only emit CO2 into the eco system and are neither renewable nor sustainable.

Another factor to bear in mind is continual new legislation restricting the types of heating people can install. By installing a multi fuel stove you will be compliant for long into the future.

The final great plus for multi fuel stoves we'll look at is that of flexibility. Your multi fuel stove can heat your whole home by linking up to your central heating system. You can also install them in your living room as a focus point or in kitchen in the form of wood burning stoves in the form of a traditional kitchen range with a back boiler for hot water.

When it comes to choosing wood for your stove, you have many choices.

Seasoned hardwood is the best type of wood for these stoves as it has a long burn time and low ash residue. It should have a moisture content of below 20% as the higher the moisture, the less heat and the more smoke it gives off.

Seasoning woods can take several years depending on the type of wood. Hardwoods take the longest while trees such as ash can be used immediately.

You need to remember that though wood burns fine in a multi fuel stove, it will burn better in a dedicated wood burning stove. Wood Burning Stoves operate with 75% efficiency - only 25% of the heat is lost up the chimney. A multi-fuel stove is considerably more efficient than an open fire when it comes to burning wood, however. If you're sure you're only going to be using wood, you might want to opt for a woodburner.

Of course the wonderful thing about a multi fuel stove is that you're not restricted to wood. You can also burn peat, coke, coal along with biomass fuels such as shelled corn and wheat hulls. It's a truly flexible appliance that you can adjust to fit your lifestyle or changing circumstances as needed.

Ease of installation depends on whether or not your home has a chimney. If you have one, fitting your stove is straightforward. Otherwise you can install a prefabricated chimney quickly and cheaply.

To find the best multi fuel stove or woodburner for your needs, check out the web sites of the UK's leading vendors. You'll find the widest choices and the best deals online. Just place your order at the web site for prompt delivery.