As we know, the Scandinavians have a highly developed culture of wood-burning heating. For example, in Norway, there is more than one wood-burning stove per household. The Scandinavian market – and Denmark in particular – is now one of the most dynamic in Europe, with leading manufacturers.
This tradition of wood-burning heating has long enabled them to stay one step ahead of certain practices: lighting the fire from the top (known as the ‘reverse’ method), using smaller logs (the standard size is usually 30 cm)…
And at the same time, we know our Danish cousins (let’s be a little informal here, since HWAM is now part of the SEGUIN Group) and their strong affinity for hygge: a typically Danish word that evokes a cosy atmosphere as well as enjoying life’s simple pleasures with the people we love.
Sitting down with friends for a chat is hygge; lighting a candle is hygge; and, of course, lighting your wood-burning stove in the depths of winter is the very essence of hygge.
To find out more about hygge, click here: https://www.visitdenmark.fr/danemark/quoi-faire/hygge/que-signifie-hygge
As you will have gathered, for our Danish friends, wood-fired heating – beyond the renewable aspect of wood as an energy source – is not just a heating system; it is a way of life with many benefits. Discover the three benefits of wood-fired heating without further ado:
1/ Avoir très chaud en un point précis
A l’heure où les réglementations thermiques exigent de concevoir des maisons où la température doit être partout homogène au degré prêt, cela peut sembler rétrograde, et pourtant si on y réfléchit bien, c’est très cohérent. Il ne sert à rien d’avoir 22° partout dans une maison, surtout si on s’active (et encore moins si on dort sous une bonne couette).
En revanche, si commence à avoir froid, qu’on revient d’un extérieur très hivernal ou qu’on est en position statique pour travailler ou regarder la télé, alors on a parfois besoin de se rapprocher d’un point chaud à plus que 22°.
Une maison à 18 ou 19°, mais avec un poêle à bois qui fait monter la température à 25° à proximité dans le séjour, c’est en fait l’équilibre hivernal idéal.
2/ Le chauffage au bois, la luminothérapie d’hiver
En Scandinavie, les journées d’hiver sont très courtes et se résument parfois à quelques heures un peu grises. A l’heure des lampes à LED et des lumières un peu froides, vertueuses en consommation d’énergie, la lumière particulièrement chaude du feu de bois est la meilleure source d’équilibre pour nos besoins en lumière naturelle l’hiver.
En effet, la beauté de la flamme a quelque chose de chaleureux, d’hypnotique, c’est le traitement naturel parfait pour chasser la dépression saisonnière hivernale.
3/ Contemplative virtues
There’s no denying it: you feel better when you’ve had the chance, at some point during the day, to spend at least a few minutes contemplating a natural phenomenon. We’ve all experienced it: spotting an animal, watching the snow fall, a river flow, or the waves breaking on a beach instantly restores your sense of balance and brings a touch of serenity. The flames of a wood fire play this role perfectly; put off watching the latest series for a few minutes and take the time to watch the flames in your wood-burning stove dance – it’s well worth a few sessions with a therapist or the latest yoga trend!
Warmth, light and contemplation: it makes perfect sense, yet we’d somewhat lost sight of it, being so focused on the environmental, economic and energy aspects of our business – which are, of course, also very important. But if, at SEGUIN, we put the customer at the heart of everything we do, then realising that it is above all you whom we are helping – what a wonderful source of motivation to keep going!
To enjoy the benefits for yourself, discover our wood-fired appliances from our Danish friends today