What is a Defra Approved Wood Burning Stove?

If you live in an area where smoking is controlled, it's essential to buy DEFRA stoves a DEFRA exempt stove. A DEFRA exempt (or SE) stove permits you to burn wood legally in a smoke-controlled zone.

The stoves are independently tested for the lowest emission possible. Stoves that are certified as such typically have the logo 'Defra-approved' in their name or specification.

Approved for Smoke Controlled Areas

Many people think that living in a Smoke Control Area means you can't have a stove that burns wood but this isn't the case. Most cities and large towns fall under the smoke control zone, however that doesn't mean they can't use a wood burning stove. It just means they need to burn authorised fuels in their stove (usually Briquettes). The stove that is Defra-approved is a wood-burning stove that has been rigorously tested to ensure that it is in compliance with certain requirements in terms of the emissions it generates when burning authorised fuels. It can therefore be legally used in smoke-control zones.

The Defra Logo is widely used in the industry, and a lot of stoves have the SE after their names to signify that they are smoke-free. To be SE approved the stove must meet strict emission standards. This means that you can rest assured that you are purchasing the top wood stove available.

If you're looking for a stove that burns wood that is Defra-exempt or that has SE after its title You will see that the manufacturer has taken steps to ensure that there are sufficient air intakes on the front of the stove to ensure that there is a full combustion of fuel, and that the size of the chimney outlet is sufficient to prevent accumulation of soot. This is important as it ensures that smoke from the wood stove is not able to escape through the chimney into your home.

Another benefit of an Defra approved stove is that it usually allows you to install it with 5" chimney liner, which is in compliance with the UK building regulations, whilst non-DEFRA Stoves Cost (Http://0522224528.Ussoft.Kr/G5-5.0.13/Bbs/Board.Php?Bo_Table=Board01&Wr_Id=851724) approved stoves will need to be fitted with a larger 6" liner.

At Stovax we are delighted to offer a selection of Defra approved stoves and fires, alongside our Ecodesign Ready stoves that have been designed with the future standards of air quality in mind. In fact, a lot of our Defra approved stoves are able to be used with smoke control kits for properties located in a Smoke Control Area and therefore can be used with a variety of smokeless fuels that are authorised, such as fire logs.

Approved for Smokeless Fuels

The only stove that can be used inside a smoke-control zone is one that is a DEFRA approved wood burner, also known by the name DEFRA exempt. This stove should be used with solid fuel, that is wood, which is best seasoned. The government tests these stoves to ensure that they don't release excessive smoke and that they can only be used with approved fuels.

The distinction between a stove that is DEFRA approved and one that isn't approved is usually very small. A lot of modern stoves can be converted to DEFRA compliant with the kit supplied by the manufacturer and fitted within a matter of minutes. This is due to the fact that a Defra approved stove must undergo very rigorous tests and must be restricted in the amount of smoke it can generate.

To ensure that these restrictions are not violated during testing, the stove needs to be able to limit the amount of combustion air it gets so that it does not starve itself of oxygen, which can cause it to smoke. This is achieved by a mechanism inside the stove that allows an air pocket into the firebox during the process of combustion, which is typically hidden within the stove and underneath the base of the firebox.

Stove World UK offers a large selection of DEFRA approved stoves from the best brands in the country including Stovax, Arada and Burley. These are available in an enormous range of styles and finishes. You can also select from an impressive variety of Ecodesign ready stoves that have been specifically designed to meet future requirements for air quality.

Smoke Control Zones are located predominantly in large cities and towns. You can visit the website of your local authority to determine if you live in one of these. It is important to purchase an approved DEFRA stove if you live in a smoke-controlled area. This will allow you to avoid being fined by the local authority. This is because if you burn 'unauthorised fuel on an unapproved stove, such as coal or any other solid fuels, you could be fined up to PS300.

Approved for wood

A DEFRA approved wood stove also called a smoke-free stove, is an appliance that can be used in a Smoke Control Area when burning wood. The stove will bear the Defra approved logo or an 'SE' in its name which means that it can be used in smoke-controlled areas that burn approved fuels only that is, in this instance, wood.

The older wood stoves produce large amounts of particulate matter. These can lead to or worsen respiratory problems, asthma attacks and heart problems. This is why it's important to purchase new wood stoves that meets the strict emission standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). You should look for the "EPA 2020 Certified" label, which signifies that the stove is in compliance with the emissions limits that are now in place.

If you purchase an appliance that isn't EPA certified and you reside in a zone of smoke control you must have it recertified before you can use it. It can be time-consuming and expensive, but the law requires it. Homeowners who sell a house with wood stove that is not certified could be liable for tax credits or fines relating to pollution-free air.

The majority of modern stoves can be upgraded to become Defra approved using a kit or an adjustment that the installer provides. This is due to the primary difference between a DEFRA approved stove and one that are not, is the combustion air management system which regulates how much air flows through the stove during normal operation. The change is usually placed on the underside of the firebox or within the base.

Some manufacturers produce two different versions of a wood stove. One is Defra-approved and the other that isn't. This is due to the process of running a stove through the stringent Defra tests is expensive, so to help recoup some of the costs, DEFRA Stoves Cost they will sell the non-approved version at a lower price. The DEFRA-approved version will have been through the modification to the combustion air in the course of the test procedure.

Approved for Gas

Before the Clean Air Acts were brought in residential homes could burn any type of fuel they liked which resulted in huge amounts of smoke emissions and health issues. To stop this, Defra established Smoke Control Areas. This meant that residential homes could not produce any smoke in the event that their wood burners or multifuel stoves were Defra-approved to allow burning only authorised materials such as manufactured smokeless coke and anthracite.

Defra approved stoves, also referred to as SE (Smoke Exempt) Stoves, have undergone rigorous tests to prove that they can cleanly burn authorized fuels within a Smoke Control Zone. They do this by using the latest combustion technology which constantly delivers a minimum level of secondary air to the combustion chamber, to ensure that even if the stove is operating with approved fuels like anthracite or manufactured smokeless coals it will still be able to comply with the regulations of Defra for Smoke Control Areas.

If you're in the market for a new wood burning stove and are in a Smoke Control Area then we suggest to look into the selection of Defra approved stoves which can be found here at The Stove Yard. We have a broad selection of stoves that are Defra-approved, including traditional models, modern and inset from top brands like Stovax. Arada, Burley and AGA.

The good thing is that there is no difference in appearance between a stove approved by Defra and a non-approved model. However the models that are Defra-approved have a few features designed to ensure they burn more efficiently. They will usually have a slightly different grate and air vents and on gas models, they may have a slightly different size flue outlet.

Another benefit of the DEFRA compliant stoves Approved stove is that they'll almost always have a 5" (125mm) flue outlet which means that you can use a smaller stainless steel twin wall chimney liner that is less expensive than the standard 6" (150mm) liner. We've seen this helpful when the customer has an old or non-standard chimney stack which we are installing a Defra approved wood-burning stove in and it saves the cost of re-lining the chimney stack with a larger diameter liner.