What is a Defra Approved Wood Burning Stove?

If you live in a region 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.

They are independently tested to provide the lowest possible emissions. Stoves with this status typically carry 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 have a stove that burns wood however this isn't true. In reality, a majority of cities and towns are in a smoke-free zone, but that doesn't mean you can't have stoves, it just implies that you have to use an exempt appliance and only burn fuels that are approved (usually briquettes) in your stove. The Defra approved stove is a kind of wood-burning stove that has been tested to ensure that it meets certain standards in regards to the emissions it releases when burning fuels that are approved and consequently, it is able to be legally used in a Smoke Control Area.

The Defra logo is widely used in the industry and many of the stoves that have been approved bear SE after their name which means they are smoke-free. In order for a stove to be SE approved, it must meet strict criteria in regards to its emissions and emissions, so you can be certain that when you purchase an exempt defra stove, you will receive the cleanest and best burning wood stove available.

If you're looking for a wood-burning stove which is Defra-exempt or has SE after its name, you will find that the manufacturer may have taken steps to ensure that there are sufficient air intakes on the front of the stove to allow full combustion of fuel and that the size of the chimney outlet is adequate to prevent accumulation of soot. This is crucial as it ensures that the smoke from the stove doesn't escape through the chimney and into your home.

Another benefit of a Defra approved stove is that it generally allows you to fit it with 5" chimney liner, which complies with the UK building regulations. However, stoves that aren't Defra-approved will have to be fitted with a bigger 6" liner.

Stovax is proud to offer a variety of fireplaces and stoves that are Defra-approved and Ecodesign Ready stoves which have been designed keeping future air quality standards at heart. Many of our stoves that are Defra-approved can also be used conjunction with a smoke-control system for homes located in Smoke Control Areas. They can be used to burn a variety of smokeless fuels, including fire logs.

Approved for Smokeless Fuels

The only stove that can be put in inside a smoke-control zone is one that is a DEFRA approved wood burner, which is also known as DEFRA exempt. This stove should be used for solid fuel, which is wood, preferably well-seasoned. The government tests them to ensure they don't produce excessive smoke and can only be used with 'authorized' fuels.

The difference between the differences between a DEFRA approved stove and a non-approved one typically is very small. With a kit supplied by the manufacturer, many modern stoves can be converted to DEFRA compliant in only a few minutes. This is because the Defra approved stove has to undergo rigorous testing and is limited on how much smoke it can generate.

To ensure that the restrictions are maintained the stove has to be able to limit the amount of combustion air to ensure that it doesn't starve itself of oxygen which can cause it to smolder. This is accomplished through a mechanism within the stove which opens the air into the firebox during combustion, which is usually hidden within the stove and beneath the base of the firebox.

Stove World UK has a vast selection of DEFRA approved stoves, made by some of the best manufacturers in the country including Stovax Arada and Burley. These are available in an enormous variety of styles and designs. You can also select from a vast variety of Ecodesign ready stoves that are designed to meet future air quality requirements.

Smoke Control Areas are primarily located around large cities and towns and you can look up the official website of your local authority to see if your area is classified as one. It is crucial to buy an approved DEFRA stove if you reside in a smoke-controlled zone. This will allow you to avoid a fine from the local authority. This is because if you burn 'unauthorised fuel on a non-approved stove, such as coal or any other solid fuels that could result in fines of up to PS300.

Approved for defra guidelines stoves wood

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

Many older wood stoves emit a lot of particulate matter into the air, which can cause or contribute to respiratory issues asthma attacks, heart problems and premature death. 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). Look for the "EPA 2020 Certified Label" which indicates that the stove is in compliance with the emission limits that are currently in place.

If you purchase a stove which is not EPA-certified and you reside in a smoking zone, you'll need to recertify it before you can use the stove. It's expensive and time-consuming, however the law requires it. Homeowners who decide to sell a property with wood stoves that are not certified may also be liable for tax credits or fines related to pollution-free air.

With a kit or an adjustment supplied by the installer, most modern stoves can be made Defra-approved. This is because the main difference between the DEFRA approved stove and those that aren't is the combustion air management system which regulates the amount of air that passes through the stove during normal operation. Modifications are typically applied to the base or underside of the firebox.

Some manufacturers produce two different versions of a wood stove, one that is DEFRA compliant stoves-approved and the other is not. This is because the process of placing a stove through strict Defra tests can be very costly, so to help recoup some of the costs, they will sell the non-approved model at a lower cost. The DEFRA-approved model will have been subjected to the modification of the combustion air as part of the test process.

Approved for Gas

Prior to the Clean Air Acts, residential homes could burn any fuel they wanted, leading to high levels of smoke emissions. This could cause health problems. To combat this Defra established Smoke Control Areas which meant that homes in residential areas couldn't emit any smoke from their wood burners or multifuel stoves unless the appliance was DEFRA guidelines stoves approved for burning only fuels that were authorised, such as manufactured smokeless coals and anthracite.

Defra approved SE (Smoke-Exempt) Stoves have been subjected to rigorous tests to prove that they can safely burn approved fuels within a Smoke Control Area. They accomplish this by using the latest technology for combustion that continually delivers a minimum amount of secondary air to the firebox so that even when the stove is used with approved fuels like anthracite or manufactured smokeless coals, it can still meet Defra's regulations for Smoke Control Areas.

If you're looking to purchase a new wood burning stove and you live in an area that has a Smoke Control Area then we would recommend that you look at the wide selection of Defra approved stoves that can be found here at The Stove Yard. We offer a variety of stoves that are Defra-approved, including traditional, contemporary and inset models that are made by top manufacturers such as Stovax. Arada, Burley and AGA.

The good part is that there's much of a distinction in appearance between a Defra approved woodburning stove and one that isn't, but the Defra approved models have various features that are designed to ensure that they burn cleaner. In general, they have a different grate design as well as air vents. On gas stoves, they may also have an alternative size flue outlet.

Another benefit of an Defra Approved stove is that they'll almost always have a 5" (125mm) flue outlet. This means that you can use a smaller stainless steel twin wall chimney liner that is cheaper than a standard 6" (150mm) liner. This is beneficial when putting an approved wood burning stove from Defra in an older or non-standard chimney stack. It saves money on replacing a bigger diameter chimney liner.