What is a Defra Approved Wood Burning Stove?

If you reside in a zone of smoke control then it is crucial to purchase a DEFRA exempt stove. A DEFRA exempt (or SE) stove permits you to legally burn wood in a smoke-controlled zone.

They are independently tested to ensure the lowest emissions possible. Stoves that are certified will often display the 'Defra-approved logo on their name or the 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, most cities and large towns are located in a smoke controlled zone but that doesn't mean you cannot use a stove, it just means you need to use an exempt appliance and only use authorised fuels (usually briquettes) in your stove. The Defra approved stove is a specific type of wood-burning stove that has been inspected to ensure it meets certain criteria in relation to the emissions it releases when burning authorised fuels and therefore it can be legally used in a Smoke Control Area.

The Defra Logo is widely used in the industry, and many stoves are marked with the SE after their names to indicate that they are smoke-free. To be SE approved the stove must satisfy strict emission criteria. This means that you can be confident you are buying the best wood stove on the market.

When you look for a wood-burning stove that is Defra exempt or is marked with SE after its name, you'll usually find that the manufacturer has taken care of things like ensuring that there are enough air intakes on the front of the stove to allow full combustion of the fuel, and that the chimney outlet size is adequate to prevent soot build-up. This is important because it ensures that smoke from the wood stove does not escape through the chimney into your home.

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

At Stovax we are delighted to offer a variety of Defra approved stoves and fires. We also have our Ecodesign Ready stoves that have been created with future air quality standards in mind. Many of our Defra-approved stoves can also be used in conjunction with a smoke control system for homes located in Smoke Control Areas. They can be utilized to burn a variety of non-smokeless fuels, such as fire logs.

Approved for Smokeless fuels

A DEFRA approved wood burning stove, also known as a DEFRA exempt stove, is the only type of stove that you can put in a smoke control zone in the event that you intend to make use of it for solid fuel (wood, preferably well seasoned). The government tests them to ensure they don't produce excessive smoke and that they are only suitable for use with fuels that are 'authorized.

The difference between a DEFRA approved stove and one that isn't typically is very small. With a kit from the manufacturer, a lot of modern stoves can be converted to DEFRA compliant in minutes. This is due to the fact that Defra approved appliances must pass extremely rigorous tests and are limited in the amount of smoke they can produce.

To ensure that the restrictions are not violated, the stove must be able limit its combustion air to ensure that it doesn't rob itself of oxygen and cause it to smolder. This is accomplished through an opening mechanism that lets an air pocket in the firebox when it is burning. It is usually hidden inside the stove or underneath the base of the fire box.

Stove World UK has a wide range of DEFRA approved stoves, made by some of the top DEFRA stoves brands in the country including Stovax Arada and Burley. These are available in a wide variety of styles and colors. Choose from a wide range of Ecodesign stoves, which are designed to meet the future demands for air quality.

Smoke Control Areas are primarily situated around large cities and towns and you can look up the official website of your local authority to determine if the area you live in is classified as one. If you reside in a zone that is smoke-free, it is very important that you buy an DEFRA approved stove for your property, to avoid being fined by the local authority. This is because if you burn unauthorised' fuel in an unapproved stove, such as coal or other solid fuels that could result in fines of up to PS300.

Approved for Wood

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

A lot of older wood stoves release lots of particulate matter into the atmosphere that can trigger or contribute to respiratory problems, asthma attacks, heart issues and premature death. This is why it's essential to buy a new wood stove that is compliant with the strict emission standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). You should look for the "EPA 2020 Certified" label, which indicates that the stove meets the emission limits that are now in place.

If you buy a stove that isn't EPA-certified and you live in a smoking area it is necessary to get it recertified before you can use the stove. It's costly and time-consuming, but the law requires it. In addition homeowners who sell a home with a wood stove that isn't certified could be subject to clean air tax credits and fines.

With a kit, or an adjustment supplied by the installer, a majority of modern stoves can become Defra-approved. This is due to the primary difference between a DEFRA approved stove and those which aren't, is the combustion air management system that controls how much air passes through the stove in normal operation. Modifications are usually done to the base or the side of the firebox that is underneath the stove.

Some manufacturers produce two versions of a wood stove: one that is Defra-approved, and the other that isn't. This is because the process of putting a stove through the stringent Defra tests is very expensive, Top DEFRA stoves so to help recoup some of the costs, they'll sell the non-approved version at a cheaper price. The DEFRA approved version will have had the combustion air modification performed as part of the testing process.

Gas Approved

Before the Clean Air Acts were brought into effect, residential homes could use any kind of fuel they wanted which led to large amounts of smoke emissions as well as health problems. To combat this Defra created 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 certified to burn only approved fuels like manufactured smokeless coals and anthracite.

Defra approved SE (Smoke-Exempt) Stoves have been subjected to rigorous testing to demonstrate that they can safely burn approved fuels within a Smoke Control Area. The most modern combustion technology allows a constant minimum of secondary air into the firebox. This allows the stove to meet Defra standards for Smoke Control Areas even when it is using authorised fuels like anthracite and manufactured smokeless coals.

The Stove Yard has a vast selection of stoves that are luxury DEFRA stoves approved that are perfect for those who reside in a smoke-free area and require a new fireplace that burns wood. We have a wide range of Defra-approved stoves, including traditional modern, contemporary and inset models, from leading manufacturers like Stovax. Arada, Burley, and AGA.

The good thing is that there's not really a difference in appearance between the appearance of a Defra approved woodburning stove and one which isn't, but the Defra approved models do come with a number of features which are designed to ensure they burn cleaner. In general, they have a different grate design as well as air vents. On the gas versions they might also have an alternative size flue outlet.

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