Heat‑Hugging Households: Online Passion for Wood Stoves Soars
In a world where power outages and flood‑watch alerts have turned many into quasi‑arctic explorers, people are scrolling back to the old‑school charm of wood‑burning stoves. Searches for “wood burning stoves” leapt 36% this year—proof that a cozy crackle feels cheaper than a grey‑locked grid.
Other Heating Hobbies Get a Boost
- Solar panels – up 27% as folks dream of sunny roofs.
- Draught excluders – a 29% surge because folks want to keep the chilly drafts out.
- Pets as heat sources – the teaser video from Ovo didn’t spark much, but the curiosity remains.
Meanwhile, the government’s latest grant gig nudged people online:
- Ground source heat pumps (eligible for a £6 000 boost) – searches grew 33%.
- Air‑borne heat pumps (a £5 000 grant) – up 26%, with October fireworks following the announcement.
Insulate Britain’s Inescapable Slump
Despite a full‑on push for insulated homes, home insulation searches were flat – a mere 0.2% rise – though the headline protests in September gave a tiny spike.
MediaVision’s Lens on the Heat Trend
Louis Venter, MediaVision’s CEO, sums it up:
“When it comes to staying warm, the real fire‑starter is the old‑school stove. It feels a bit like bringing back the 70s – nostalgic, smoky, and surprisingly profitable. With rising bills and looming power cuts, people’re nabbing that warming rush.”
Venter also notes a rising appetite for greener solutions, citing the upsurge in heat‑pump and solar panel searches during the COP26 summit. Yet he admits:
“Nothing beats a wood stove’s comforting glow. And if you’re with the eco‑side, try a hot‑water bottle: turn down the heater, roll in the bottle, and slash your CO₂ footprint while feeling like a cozy human burrito.”
Slippers: The Dwindling Footwarmer?
The classic “slippers” check‑in took a 34% tumble, with men’s slippers dropping by 47%. Venture back to 2020 when remote‑work made “slips” a top search with >2 million hits. The current slump? It’s got nothing to do with skunk‑scared pets—just a shift toward high‑tech heating.
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