What is a Defra Approved Wood Burning Stove?

If you live in an area where smoke is controlled, it's important to purchase a DEFRA exempt stove. A DEFRA exempt stove (or SE) allows you to legally burn wood in a smoke-controlled area.

They are independently tested to provide the lowest emissions possible. Stoves with this certification often feature the logo 'Defra-approved' in their names or specifications.

Approved for Smoke Controlled Areas

Many people believe that living in a Smoke Control Area means you can't use a wood-burning stove and this is not true. In reality, a majority of cities and large towns are within an area that is smoke-free, but this doesn't mean you can't have stoves, it just implies that you have to use an exempt appliance and only burn authorised fuels (usually brquettes) in your stove. The Defra-approved stove is a wood-burning stove that has been thoroughly tested to ensure that it meets certain standards regarding the emissions it produces when burning authorised fuels. It is therefore able to be legally used in smoke-control zones.

The Defra Logo is widely used in the industry, and a lot of stoves feature the SE after their names to indicate that they are smoke-free. To be able to be SE approved, it must meet strict requirements in relation to emissions and emissions, so you can be certain that when you purchase a defra exempt stove you are getting the cleanest and best burning wood stove on the market.

If you're looking for a stove that burns wood that is Defra-exempt, or has SE after its name, you will find that the manufacturer might have done things like ensure that there are sufficient air intakes on the front of the stove to allow full combustion of fuel and Fireplaces And stove that the size of the chimney outlet is adequate to avoid soot accumulation. This is crucial as it ensures that the smoke from the stove does not escape through the chimney into your home.

A stove that is Defra-approved permits you to use a 5" liner that is compliant with UK building regulations. Non-Defra-approved stoves require a 6" liner.

Stovax is proud to offer a range of Defra-approved Fireplaces And Stove and stoves, as well as our Ecodesign Ready stoves which have been designed keeping future standards for air quality in mind. In fact, a lot of our Defra approved stoves are also suitable for use with smoke control kits for properties located in a Smoke Control Area and therefore can be used with a variety of approved smokeless fuels, including fire logs.

Approved for Smokeless Fuels

A DEFRA approved wood burning stove, also referred to as a DEFRA exempt stove is the only type of stove you can install in a smoke-control area in the event that you intend to use it to burn solid fuel (wood and preferably well-seasoned). They are inspected by the government to ensure that they don't create excessive levels of smoke. They are able to be used with 'authorized' fuels (coal only).

The difference between the difference between a DEFRA approved stove and a non-approved one typically is very small. With a kit provided by the manufacturer, a lot of modern stoves can be converted to DEFRA certified in a matter of only a few minutes. This is because Defra approved appliances must pass very strict tests and are limited in the amount of smoke they can produce.

To ensure that these limitations are maintained during testing the Efficient Eco Design: Portable 5KW Stove needs to be able to limit the combustion air supply to ensure that it does not starve itself of oxygen, which could cause it to smoke. This is done by a mechanism inside the stove that opens a small amount of air into the firebox during combustion, which is usually hidden within the stove and beneath the base of the firebox.

Stove World UK offers a large selection of DEFRA approved stoves from the top manufacturers in the country such as Stovax, Arada and Burley. They are available in a wide range of styles and finishes. You can also select from a vast variety of Ecodesign ready stoves that are designed to meet the future requirements for air quality.

Smoke Control Zones are located mainly in towns and cities with large populations. You can check the website of your local authority to determine whether you are in one. If you live in a smoke-free zone, it is very important that you purchase an DEFRA approved stove for your property, to avoid being fined by your local authority. This is because if you burn 'unauthorised fuel on an unapproved stove, for example coal or other solid fuels and you are fined up to PS300.

Approved for Wood

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

A lot of older wood stoves release a lot of particulate matter into the air that can trigger or contribute to respiratory issues asthma attacks, heart problems and premature death. This is why it's essential to buy an updated wood stove that meets the strict emission standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Look for a "EPA 2020 Certified" label, which indicates that the stove is in compliance with the emissions limits that are currently in place.

If you purchase a cooktop which is not EPA-certified and you reside in a smoke-free area it is necessary to recertify it before you can use the stove. This can be expensive and time-consuming, but it is legally required. Homeowners who sell a house with wood stove that is not certified could be subject to tax credits or fines related to clean air.

Modern stoves can be upgraded to become Defra approved with an adjustment kit or a kit provided by the installer. The major difference between DEFRA approved stoves and ones that aren't is the combustion air control system, which regulates the amount of air that flows through the stove when it is in normal operation. Modifications are typically applied to the base or the side of the firebox that is underneath the stove.

There are some manufacturers who produce two versions of a wood Efficient 5KW Eco Stove - MultiFuel Cast Iron, one that is Defra-approved, and Fireplaces And Stove the other that isn't. The reason for this is that the cost of putting a wood stove through the rigorous Defra testing is costly. To help recoup these costs, they will sell the non approved version at a cheaper price. The DEFRA approved version will have been subjected to the modification of combustion air performed as part of the testing procedure.

Approved for Gas

Prior to the Clean Air Acts, residential homes could use any fuel they wanted to, leading to high levels of smoke emissions. This led to health issues. To stop this, Defra established Smoke Control Areas. This means that residential homes can not emit smoke except if their wood burners and multifuel stoves were Defra-approved to allow burning only approved substances like manufactured smokeless coke and anthracite.

Defra approved stoves, also known as SE (Smoke Exempt) Stoves, have undergone rigorous tests to prove that they can burn cleanly approved fuels in a Smoke Control Area. They accomplish this by using the latest technology for combustion that continuously delivers a minimum amount of secondary air to the firebox so that even when the stove is being used with approved fuels like anthracite or manufactured smokeless coals it can still comply with Defra's rules for Smoke Control Areas.

If you're looking to purchase an all-new wood burning stove and you live in Smoke Control Area then we recommend that you take a look at the selection of Defra approved stoves that can be found at The Stove Yard. We have a broad selection of Defra-approved stoves, including traditional models, modern and inset from top brands like Stovax. Arada, Burley and AGA.

The good part is that there's any noticeable difference in appearance between the appearance of a Defra approved woodburning stove and one that isn't, however the Defra approved models do come with several features that are designed to ensure that they burn more efficiently. They usually have an aesthetically different grate and air vents, and on gas versions they might have a slightly larger flue outlet.

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