For many of those who weren’t lucky enough to win the largest Euromillions jackpot ever – €190 million – keeping heating costs down will still be a priority this winter.

Wood burning, pellet burning and multi fuel stoves can be highly energy efficient. We sell a wide range of stoves with heating efficiency ratings in excess of 80%. However, there are additional ways to make your stove work as hard as possible, as cheaply as possible.

For a start, sourcing the fuel for wood burning or multi fuel stoves can be much cheaper if you buy from people in your local community, rather than from wood suppliers. Farmers and tree surgeons can be a great place to start.

Finding and drying your own wood results in free fuel, but you must ensure that the wood has been seasoned for at least two years before you use it. The wood should also have a moisture content of less than 16%. If the wood is wetter than that, it won’t burn, resulting in very little warmth.

You can’t tell how dry wood really is just by looking at it. Fortunately, you can buy a moisture monitor that will tell you whether the wood is ready to blaze or a damp squib.

Another way that you can save money is to check whether you quality for the tax credit, or Crédit d’Impôt Transition Energetique (CITE). If you meet the criteria, you can benefit from a reduction in TVA and get a further 30% off the cost of the stove.

But don’t delay, the conditions of CITE are due to change at the end of this year and will then be based on the income of the applicant. Under the new format, you may not receive the 30% discount or any at all. So, if you’re thinking about installing a stove, there’s no time like the present.