– Electricity costs are absolutely crazy, says the 67-year-old A Sundae.
The pensioner no longer leaves the ceiling light on, and he has mostly turned off all electric heat. Now, 40 years after he built his house in Randaberg, he invested in a new fireplace.
It will be in the basement and, according to Sunde’s own calculations, will help reduce costs by several hundred Swedish kroner a month.
– I believe NOK 800 to 1,000 a month, because I also have an impact on the site above, he says.
Per Sunde is well aware of his own electricity consumption and has spared little in the way of high prices. – I think it’s absolutely terrible, he says.
Photo: Marte Skodje / NRK
New orders every day
He is not alone in thinking this way. People who sell fireplaces and wood stoves are well aware of this.
Stavanger Vermacenter has already noticed an increase in customer arrivals in April, and this summer’s sales are hot.
– If you compare July this year with July last year, there may be an increase of almost 50 percent in July. says Helge Johnson, the store’s general manager.
Many retailers in southern Norway are now reporting good fireplace sales. At Henriksen brensel in Oslo, store manager Roy Bovoll is busy.
– June and July were absolutely fantastic with great activities. He says he only goes once from when the shop opens at eight until he goes home at noon.
A little further north, in Trondheim, Erik Eidsmo is a shop assistant at Wormeforum. He says many of his customers buy fireplaces as a precaution.
– Most people are a little afraid that electricity prices from the south will rise here, because no one knows, says Eitzmo.
Patipan Pantumat, who works as a mason for the Stavanger Vermacenter, installs Per Sunde’s new fireplace here.
Photo: Marte Skodje / NRK
Wood is important for combustion
This means money in the coffers for fireplace sellers, but not everyone is happy with the growth.
Sofie Marhaug is a Storting politician for Rødt who believes that development is paradoxical.
– At the same time we If we talk about electrifying society, we run the risk of homes being cut off, he says.
– Firewood is not free, and local air pollution, especially in cities, can be a problem, says Sophie Marhac.
Photo: Tony Agotnes / NRK
There may be shortage of goods
But it’s by no means certain that everyone who wants a fireplace will get it, at least not without a waiting period.
The knock-on effects after the corona pandemic and the ongoing war in Ukraine will cause shortages of goods. The Stavanger Vermacenter fears that they will receive very few supplies in the future.
– The war in Ukraine meant we could not get the raw materials to make these stoves. There is a power crisis across Europe and problems arise if suppliers don’t catch up on steel and castings, Johnson says.
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