What is a Defra Approved Wood Burning Stove?

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

They are independently tested to provide the lowest emissions possible. Stoves that have this status are usually branded with the 'Defra approved' logo on their name or the specifications.

Approved for Smoke Controlled Areas

Many people believe that living in a smoke control zone means they cannot use a fireplace with wood. This isn't the case. Most cities and large towns are in a smoke control zone, however, that doesn't mean that you can't use a wooden burning stove. It's just that they need to burn authorised fuels in their stove (usually brquettes). The stove that is Defra-approved is a wood-burning stove that has been rigorously tested to ensure that it meets certain criteria in terms of the emissions it generates when burning authorised 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 approved bear SE after their names, meaning they are smoke exempt. In order for a stove to be SE approved, it must satisfy strict criteria with regards to emissions So you can be assured that if you select an exempt defra stove, you are getting the cleanest and most efficient wood stove available.

If you search for a wood burning stove that is Defra exempt or is marked with SE after its name, you'll usually discover that the manufacturer has done things like ensuring that there enough air inlets on the front of the stove to allow full combustion of the fuel and that the chimney outlet size is sufficient to prevent the build-up of soot. This is important as it helps to ensure that the smoke from the stove does not escape through the chimney and enter your home.

Another benefit of an Defra approved stove is that it typically permits you to use it with 5" chimney liner, which complies with UK building regulations. However, non-Defra approved stoves will need to be fitted with a bigger 6" liner.

Stovax is proud to offer a selection of Defra-approved fireplaces and stoves, as well as our Ecodesign Ready stoves which have been designed keeping future standards for air quality in mind. Many of our stoves that are Defra-approved are also able to be used in conjunction with a smoke control system for homes located in Smoke Control Zones. They can be used 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 kind of stove that you can put in a smoke control zone in the event that you intend to use it to burn solid fuel (wood or wood that is well-seasoned). The government tests these stoves to ensure that they don't emit excessive smoke and that they can be used only with approved fuels.

The difference between a DEFRA-approved kitchen and one that isn't approved is usually minimal. With a kit from the manufacturer, many contemporary stoves can be easily converted to DEFRA compliant in only a few minutes. This is because the Defra approved stove must undergo very rigorous tests and is limited in the amount of smoke it can generate.

To ensure that these restrictions are maintained during testing the stove will have to be able to limit its combustion air supply to ensure that it doesn't exhaust itself of oxygen, which may cause it to smoke. This is achieved by the mechanism that allows a small amount air into the firebox when it's burning. It is usually concealed in the stove or under the base of the fire box.

Stove World UK has a large selection of DEFRA approved stoves, from some of the best manufacturers in the country such as Stovax Arada and Burley. These are available in a wide range of styles and finishes. Select from a broad selection of Ecodesign stoves that are designed to meet future needs for air quality.

Smoke Control Areas are typically situated around large towns and city centres and you can look up your local authority's website to see if your area is classified as one. It is essential to buy an approved DEFRA stove if you live in a smoke-controlled area. This will help you avoid being fined by your local authority. This is because if you burn unauthorised fuel in a non-approved stove, for example coal or any other solid fuels, you could be fined up to PS300.

Approved for Wood

A DEFRA approved stove, Defra stove also referred to as a smoke-free wood stove is an appliance that can be used to burn wood in smoke Control Area. The stove will be stamped with the Defra approved logo or 'SE' after its name meaning it can be used in smoke-controlled areas, when burning approved fuels, in this case wood.

Many older wood stoves emit a lot of particles into the air which can trigger or contribute to respiratory problems, asthma attacks, heart issues and premature death. Therefore, it is essential to choose a wood stove that is compliant with the strict emission standards as set by the Environmental Protection Agency. Look for the "EPA 2020 Certified Label" which means that the wood stove meets the emission limits that are currently in place.

If you purchase a stove that is not EPA certified and you reside in a zone of smoke control you must have it recertified before you can use it. It can be costly and time-consuming, however it is required by law. Homeowners who decide to sell a property with a wood stove that is not certified may be liable for tax credits or fines relating to the clean air.

Modern stoves can be modified to become Defra approved with an adjustment kit or kit that the installer provides. This is because the primary difference between the DEFRA approved stove and one which aren't, is the combustion air management system which controls how much air passes through the stove during normal operation. The modification will usually be placed on the underside of the firebox, or in the base.

Some manufacturers produce two versions of their wood stoves one that is Defra approved and the other that is not. This is because the process of placing a stove through stringent Defra tests is expensive, so to help recoup some of this expense they'll offer the non-approved version at a cheaper cost. The DEFRA-approved version will have undergone the combustion air modification as part of the testing procedure.

Gas Approved

Prior to the Clean Air Acts, residential homes could use any fuel they wanted, leading to excessive smoke emissions. This caused health problems. To stop this, Defra established Smoke Control Areas. This meant that residential homes could not emit smoke unless their wood burners and multifuel stoves were approved by Defra for burning only approved materials like manufactured smokeless coke and anthracite.

Defra approved stoves, also known as SE (Smoke Exempt) Stoves, have gone through stringent testing to prove that they are able to burn cleanly authorised fuels within a Smoke Control Zone. They do this by using the latest combustion technology which continually delivers a minimum amount of secondary air to the firebox, to ensure that even if the stove is operating with fuels that are authorised, such as anthracite or manufactured smokeless coals, it will still be able to comply with the regulations of Defra for Smoke Control Areas.

If you're looking to purchase a brand new wood-burning stove and you live in Smoke Control Area then we would recommend to look into the range of Defra approved stoves which are available at The Stove Yard. We have a broad selection of DEFRA approved British stoves-approved stoves, including traditional models, modern and inset, from leading manufacturers like Stovax. Arada, Burley, and AGA.

The good thing is that there's not really a difference in appearance between a Defra approved wood-burning stove and one that isn't, however the Defra approved models have a number of features which are designed to ensure they burn cleaner. They usually have a slightly different grate and air vents as well as on gas models they may have a smaller flue outlet.

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