The price of gas is exploding and German citizens are also having to dig deeper into their pockets for electricity or heating oil. This is one of the reasons why many want to switch to wood for heating, but anyone who is now looking for wood briquettes must expect price increases of 200 percent. FOCUS Online says what those affected need to know.
The demand for firewood and wood briquettes can often no longer be met. The market is empty. This is one of the reasons why the few dealers who still have wood briquettes in stock are asking absolutely exorbitant prices.
A family should pay 600 euros for a pallet on which about 960 kilos of wood briquettes are stored – and that’s still cheap. On Amazon, Ebay and other marketplaces, the pallet is sometimes sold for over 900 euros (for example here). Online timber dealers sometimes charge 700 to 1000 euros for the pallet.
This is a price increase of over 300 percent compared to the previous year.
In winter 2021, consumers paid a maximum of 300 euros for a pallet of wood briquettes. Prices rose to a maximum of 500 euros in the main heating season between October and January.
The volume discount is also significantly smaller this year. While last year customers could save up to 15 percent if they ordered around three pallets, today the saving is less than one percent.
The situation on the timber market is tense. “Our phones have been up in arms for weeks,” said a provider in Illerkirchberg, Swabia. And further: “We are sold out and can only sell again from November”.
The situation in Bavaria and Hesse is similar. “Firewood is currently sold out. Please do not call us,” says the homepage of the regional provider “Marklhof”.
If you still need wood now: Pay attention to the price. If a supplier charges more than 1,000 euros for a pallet of wood briquettes, you should reconsider whether it is worth it at all. Ideally, only buy firewood and wood briquettes regionally and locally. Let yourself be put on a waiting list, it could be that you can then negotiate a fair price. Ideally, go to the point of sale directly on site.
Also, be careful! Criminals take advantage of the high demand and low supply to rip off unsuspecting consumers. Never pay in advance, always refuse PayPal payments via the “Friends and Family” function and report merchants who put unnecessary pressure on you.
If you want to buy firewood, you should act now. Although wood is still available in large quantities, firewood is not. The reason is the lack of storage rooms that provide the necessary moisture. The sale of firewood is to gradually enter the next phase from November. Let the timber traders put you on a waiting list so that you can get the coveted firewood quickly. Negotiate a low price now to avoid heavy price adjustments upon delivery.
Once you have found a supplier in your region, you should make sure that the products have a residual moisture content of less than 25 percent. If the supposed firewood is too damp, the heating quality is lower and consumption triples. In addition, firewood that is too damp causes sooting of the chimney or stove.
The situation is also tense for wood briquettes. Here, too, you should pay attention to the quality. Only the quality standard of the DIN standard EN ISO 17225-3 (property class A1) may be burned in Germany in small ovens that do not require a permit.
FOCUS Online advises: Only pay for the firewood and wood briquettes ordered on the Internet after delivery, ideally on account. Don’t let yourself be pressured.
And it’s actually common for hardware stores to set a cap. You can’t even buy more than three pallets from many retailers. If you need more wood briquettes, you should look for several dealers.
If the price is set particularly low, you should be skeptical. If only advance payment is given as the only payment option, you should keep your hands off the shop.
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