What is a Defra Approved Wood Burning Stove?

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

The stoves are independently tested for the lowest emissions possible. Stoves that are certified as such typically carry the 'Defra approved' logo in their name or on their specifications.

Approved for Smoke Controlled Areas

Many people believe that living in a smoke-free area means they can't use a fireplace with wood. It's not the case. In reality, most cities and towns are within a smoke controlled zone but this doesn't mean you can't have a stove, it just means you need to make use of an exempt appliance and only use authorised fuels (usually Briquettes) in your stove. The Defra-approved stove is a wood-burning stove that has been thoroughly tested to ensure that it meets certain standards in regards to the emissions it emits when burning approved materials. This means it can be legally used in smoke-control zones.

The Defra logo is widely adopted in the industry, and a lot of the stoves that have been approved have SE after their names which means they are smoke free. To be SE approved the stove must satisfy strict emission requirements. This means that you can rest assured that you're buying the best wood stove that is available.

If you are looking for a stove that burns wood that is Defra exempt or has SE after its name, you'll often find that the manufacturer has done things such as made sure there enough air inlets on the front of the stove to allow full combustion of the fuel and that the chimney outlet size is adequate to prevent the build-up of soot. This is important as it ensures that smoke from the wood burning stove is not able to escape through the chimney and into your home.

A stove that is Defra-approved allows you to install a 5" liner that is in compliance with UK building regulations. Non-Defra-approved stoves require a 6" liner.

At Stovax we are delighted to offer a range of Defra approved stoves and fires, alongside our Ecodesign Ready stoves that have been designed with the future of air quality standards in mind. Many of our stoves that are Defra-approved can also be used combination with a smoke control system for homes located in Smoke Control Zones. They can be utilized to burn a variety of in smokeless fuels, including fire logs.

Approved for Smokeless fuels

The only stove that can be installed within a smoke-control zone is one that is a DEFRA approved wood burner, which is also known by the designation DEFRA exempt. This stove must be used for solid fuel, defra Approved traditional stoves that is wood, and preferably well-seasoned. They are inspected by the government to ensure that they don't generate excessive levels of smoke. They can be used with approved' fuels (coal only).

The difference between a DEFRA-approved kitchen and one that is not approved is usually quite small. A lot of modern stoves can be made DEFRA conforming with the kit supplied by the manufacturer and installed in a matter of minutes. This is because the Defra approved stove must undergo rigorous tests and is limited to the amount of smoke it is able to produce.

To ensure that these limitations remain in place during the testing process, the stove needs to be capable of limiting the amount of combustion air it gets to ensure that it does not deplete itself of oxygen, which could cause it to smoke. This is accomplished through an opening mechanism that lets an air pocket in the firebox when it is burning. It is usually concealed inside the stove or underneath the base of the firebox.

Stove World UK has a wide range of DEFRA approved stoves from some of the most reputable brands in the country, including Stovax Arada and Burley. They are available in an enormous variety of styles and designs. Pick from a variety of Ecodesign stoves, which are designed to meet the upcoming needs for air quality.

Smoke Control Zones are mostly in towns and cities with large populations. You can visit the website of your local authority to determine whether you reside in one of these. If you live in a zone that is smoke-free, it is essential that you purchase a DEFRA approved stove for your home 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 traditional stoves approved wood stove, also called a smoke-free stove, is a device that can be used in a Smoke Control Area when burning wood. The stove will be marked with the Defra approved symbol or DEFRA approved traditional stoves 'SE' the front of its name, which means it is only permitted to be used in areas controlled by smoke if you burn approved fuels. In this instance wood is the fuel.

The older wood stoves produce huge amounts of particulate matter, which can cause or worsen asthma attacks, respiratory problems and heart issues. This is why it is essential to buy an updated wood stove that meets the strict emission standards established 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 emission limits that are now in place.

If you purchase an appliance that isn't EPA certified and you live in a zone of smoke control it is necessary to get it recertified before you can use it. This can be expensive and time-consuming, however it is legally required. In addition homeowners who sell their home with an uncertified wood stove could be subject to clean air tax credits and fines.

The majority of modern stoves can be altered to become Defra approved using a kit or an adjustment provided by the installer. This is due to the primary difference between the DEFRA approved stove and those that aren't is the combustion air management system which regulates how much air flows through the stove during normal operation. Modifications are usually made to the base or the side of the firebox that is underneath the stove.

Some manufacturers will produce two versions of their wood stoves, one that is defra stove approved and the other not. The reason 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 cost. The DEFRA-approved version will have been through the modification to the combustion air in the course of the test procedure.

Approved Gas

Before the Clean Air Acts were brought in residential homes could burn any type of fuel they liked which resulted in large amounts of smoke emissions and health issues. To combat this Defra established Smoke Control Areas which meant that residential homes could not emit any smoke from their wood burners or multifuel stoves unless the appliance was Defra approved to burn only fuels that were authorised, such as manufactured smokeless coals and anthracite.

Defra approved SE (Smoke-Exempt) Stoves have been put through rigorous testing to demonstrate that they can safely burn approved fuels within a Smoke Control Area. The latest combustion technology delivers an unabated minimum of secondary air into the firebox. This lets the stove meet Defra regulations for Smoke Control Areas even when it is using authorised fuels such as anthracite or manufactured smokeless coals.

If you're looking for a brand new wood-burning stove and are in an area that has a Smoke Control Area then we suggest that you look at the range of Defra approved stoves that are available at The Stove Yard. We offer a variety of stoves that are Defra-approved, including traditional models, modern and inset that are made by top manufacturers such as Stovax. Arada, Burley and AGA.

The good thing is that there is no distinction in appearance between a Defra-approved woodburning stove and a stove that is not approved. However, the Defra-approved models do include a few features designed to make them burn more efficiently. Generally they will have a different grate and air vents and on the gas versions they might also have an outlet for the flue that is different in size.

A Defra Approved Stove will almost always have 5" flue outlet (125mm). This means that you can choose a smaller stainless steel twin wall flexible liner, which is less expensive than a 6" (150mm). We've used this when a customer has an old or non-standard chimney stack which we are installing the Defra approved wood burning stove into and also saves the expense of relining the chimney with a wider diameter liner.