Because of the Ukraine war: high demand for stoves - an expert explains when a change makes sense

Created: 03/29/2022, 04:54

By: Felicitas Bogner

Fire instead of heating: In times of rising energy prices and supply uncertainty, the Tölz businessman Martin Harrer has noticed an increased demand for wood-burning stoves.

© Arndt Pröhl

The development of energy prices due to the Ukraine war ensures high demand for wood stoves.

The security of supply also plays a role, report experts from the region.

Bad Tölz/Wolfratshausen – When it's cold, you can turn up the heating: you could rely on that up until now.

Since Russia attacked Ukraine, however, there has been concern that this security of supply is no longer fully guaranteed or affordable.

For many people, this is a reason to buy a wood stove.

Because of the Ukraine war: Run on wood-burning stoves erupted

Martin Harrer from the Tölzer specialist shop for stoves of the same name can confirm this trend "one hundred percent".

"We're currently in high life in consulting," he says when asked by our newspaper.

Wood fires have always been popular in the Oberland because of their coziness.

Because of Corona, demand has increased because many people have invested in their homes.

Now there is the war-related energy cost aspect.

"We're noticing more and more that customers who have been thinking about it for ten years or who didn't want the dirt up to now are now afraid that at some point the house will stay cold."

Bad Tölz/Wolfratshausen: Furnace supplier gives the all-clear – still available

Despite the increased demand, ovens are still available, says Harrer.

But there are longer waiting times.

Before the pandemic began, the ordered model was there within two to three weeks, depending on the manufacturer.

“Depending on the supplier, the delivery times are now ten to 16 weeks.

We wait six months for some models,” reports Harrer.

Wood-burning stoves must be inspected by the responsible chimney sweep.

For the past two or three weeks, not a day has gone by without Harald Zwing having several appointments with Wolfratshausen residents who want to find out about a connection.

"People want an alternative if there is a blackout or they can no longer afford the heating," reports the district chimney sweep.

In the past, he had consulted 30 to 40 customers a year.

In most cases, however, they already had an oven and contacted him about purchasing a new one.

"Now there are several a day, some people who built a house with a heat pump or modern gas heating five or six years ago," says Zwing.

They would even be willing to invest in a stainless steel chimney installed from the outside for an independent heat supply should the worst come to the worst.

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Energy prices are rising because of the Ukraine conflict: heating with wood is not the best solution for everyone

District chimney sweeper Arthur Wolfseher in Geretsried has not yet noticed the rush for wood-burning stoves.

But he expects "that the wave will come when people see their bills or have to order oil," says Wolfseher.

However, he points out that there are large temperature amplitudes when heating with wood and that the wood has to be stored somewhere.

"One liter of oil or one cubic meter of gas corresponds to two and a half kilos of wood," says Wolfseher.

And that would also increase the cost.

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Bad Tölz/Wolfratshause: Prices are also increasing for wood

The development is also noticeable there.

"Prices are rising brutally," reports Sonja Plank, who is responsible for sales at Holz Arena Heimkreiter in Bad Tölz.

These days, a particularly large number of people would order wood.

However, it is becoming increasingly difficult to get this.

“The farmers have sold their dry wood.

There is storm wood, but it hasn't been deposited yet," says Plank.

It cannot be said that the rising prices for firewood are directly related to the Ukraine war, explains Florian Loher, managing director of the forest owners' association in Wolfratshausen.

Rather, there were no damaging events in 2021.

"As a result, there has been a switch to planned timber management, and there is less available," says Loher.

From the point of view of the forest owners, he is very happy that prices are rising - but not to make a profit from the situation.

Loher: "But so that the forest owners can sell the by-product energy wood to cover their costs."

Rudolf Plochmann speaks of rather high demand, but not yet a bottleneck

Energy prices are rising.

Whether heating oil or gas, if you want to be warm, you currently have to dig deeper into your pocket.

As an alternative, firewood is currently very popular.

And that too is now experiencing a price increase.

In an interview with the

, Rudolf Plochmann, head of the Tölzer forestry company, talks about the current situation with regard to heat from the local forests.

Mr. Plochmann, firewood is in high demand at the moment, can we speak of a shortage here?

Plochmann:

We at the state forests are also feeling a significant increase in demand for firewood, especially beech wood.

However, you cannot buy ready-to-use firewood from us, i.e. cut to size and split.

You can only buy long wood from the state forests.

But you still have to cut, split and dry it to fit.

Here in particular we are noticing the increased demand.

In addition, you can also obtain self-promotional wood from us, i.e. with the appropriate equipment and a chainsaw driver's license, you can cut wood yourself in areas designated by us and then split and dry it.

Some do that too.

But we are by no means in a dramatic situation.

I wouldn't even call it a bottleneck.

but

?

Plochmann:

Certainly not all firewood dealers – and neither did we – were immediately prepared for this high level of demand.

In addition, Ukraine is currently no longer a supplier.

But we'll come with you and we still have enough wood.

Has the situation worsened again as a result of the war?

Plochmann:

Energy prices had already risen before that.

As a result, the price of firewood also increases.

However, the demand is not entirely new.

However, we do expect that demand will continue to rise in the coming heating period and that the price of wood will react accordingly to the increased demand.

Felicitas Bogner conducted the interview

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