Saturday, 3 September 2022 | 16°C Belfast

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There are many ways money can go up in smoke, something we are all trying to avoid this winter

September is upon us — the slow slide into autumn where every sunny day is a bonus. The cold weather is getting closer and with it the real fear of a unique winter during which many people won’t be able to afford the cost of heating their homes.

I have a friend who a few years ago invented a solar-powered wood-drying kiln and when he first mooted the idea I joked that he would be laughed out of Dragons’ Den, as most people simply want to flick a switch and have instant heat from gas or electricity. They didn’t want the bother of stacking logs and preparing fires.

At that time I was probably correct. Log burning was an occasional luxury, but now it might be for some the only option.

Buying a solar-powered log-drying unit at this time of year would not be of any great benefit for this winter, however.

You need to stack it in the spring and keep sucking the moisture from the logs as the summer goes by. Anybody who has one will have prepared enough timber to see them through those otherwise expensive winter days and nights.

To make the solar kiln worthwhile you need to go back to nature and source your own wood.

There is no point buying ready-prepared logs at £16 to £20 pounds per bag.

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The scandalous prices at present reflect the demand for anything that is cheaper than gas, oil or electricity.

Not everyone will be able to avail of a fallen tree, but those who have access to timber on their property will be seeing it as a real money-saving option.

For about £100 you can kit yourself out with an electric chainsaw and, along with a sharp axe, you’ll only be a checked shirt away from being a budding lumberjack.

To be honest, I have a certain envy of my inventor friend and his well-stacked wood. I’ve watched him over the years show the true spirit of the hunter-gatherer. He was out swinging and chopping when others were lazing in the comfort of a home powered by previously affordable energy.

To put it simply, he is well prepared and, as a result, he will see significant savings.

If you are lucky enough to have a fireplace or a wood burner in your house, it might be a good idea to get a chimney sweep to cast a professional eye before you burn anything.

You never know what gets wedged in a rarely used chimney, as I learned to my cost almost 40 years ago.

As a young man in Belfast I decided to light a fire in the grate, but the smoke filled the room.

When it died down I looked up the chimney and saw an old biscuit tin. When I pulled it out I discovered it was stuffed with cash to the grand total of £1,000.

I knew the name and address of the previous occupant and, driven by teenage honesty, I contacted him and explained what I had found.

He expressed immense delight and thanked me with £50.

About five years later I found out he had no knowledge whatsoever about the box and he simply pocketed £950 for himself. I suppose there are many ways your money can go up in smoke — and we are all truly trying to avoid that this winter.

It is going to be tough for many and a bit of a nuisance for others, but at least if the price hikes continue, I know a man with a solar-powered wood kiln, a shed full of logs and a clear memory of £25 I once gave him from my £50 windfall.

Frank presents U105 Phone In Monday-Friday from 9am-noon

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