What is a Defra Approved Wood Burning Stove?

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

They are independently tested to provide the lowest possible emissions. Stoves with this status will often display the 'Defra-approved logo on their name or specification.

Approved for Smoke Controlled Areas

Many people believe that living in a smoke controlled zone means they cannot make use of a fireplace that burns wood. It's not the case. In reality, most cities and towns are within a smoke-free zone, but this doesn't mean you can't have stoves, it just means that you must make use of an exempt device and only use authorised fuels (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 criteria regarding the emissions that it produces when burning authorised fuels, and therefore it can be used legally in smoke control Area.

The Defra logo is widely adopted in the industry and many of the stoves approved bear SE after their names, meaning they are smoke-free. To be SE approved the stove must meet strict emission standards. This means that you can be confident you are purchasing the top wood stove on the market.

If you are searching for a wood-burning stove that is Defra-exempt or has SE after its title, you will find that the manufacturer might have taken measures to ensure that there are sufficient air intakes on the front of the stove to allow for full combustion of fuel and that the size of the chimney outlet is sufficient to avoid soot accumulation. This is crucial because it ensures that smoke from the wood burning stove doesn't escape through the chimney into your home.

Another benefit of a Defra approved stove is that it typically allows you to fit it with 5" chimney liner, which complies with UK building regulations. However, stoves that are not Defra approved will need to be fitted with a larger 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 with future air quality standards at heart. Many of our stoves that are Defra-approved can also be used in combination with a smoke control system for properties that are located in Smoke Control Areas. They can be utilized to burn a variety of 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 that you can put in a smoke-control area in the event that you intend to make use of it for solid multi fuel stove defra approved (wood, preferably well seasoned). They are inspected by the government to ensure that they don't produce excessive levels of smoke and are able to be used with 'authorized' fuels (coal only).

The distinction between a stove that is DEFRA approved and one that is not approved is usually minimal. With a kit from the manufacturer, many modern stoves can be easily converted to DEFRA certified in a matter of minutes. This is due to the fact that a Defra approved stove has to undergo rigorous testing and is limited in the amount of smoke it can produce.

To ensure that the restrictions are maintained the stove must be able to limit the amount of combustion air to ensure that it doesn't rob itself of oxygen and cause it smoulder. This is accomplished by an opening mechanism that lets the air in the firebox when it's burning. It is usually hidden in the stove or under the base of its fire box.

Stove World UK offers a large selection of DEFRA approved stoves from some of the top manufacturers in the country including Stovax, Arada and Burley. These are available in an enormous variety of styles and finishes. You can also choose from a vast selection of Ecodesign ready stoves that have been specifically designed to meet future air quality requirements.

Smoke Control Zones are located mainly in towns and cities with large populations. You can visit the website of your local authority to find out whether you reside in one of these. It is crucial 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. If you burn coal or other solid fuels in a stove that is not approved stove, you may be fined PS300.

Approved for Wood

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

Many older wood stoves emit a lot of particles into the air that can trigger or contribute to respiratory issues, asthma attacks, heart problems and premature death. This is why it is important to purchase 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 means that the stove has met the emission limits that are currently 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 be able to get it certified before you can use it. It can be costly and time consuming, but it is required by law. In addition homeowners who sell a home with an uncertified wood stove could be liable for clean air tax credits and fines.

With a kit or an adjustment supplied by the installer, a majority of modern stoves can be Defra approved. The major difference between DEFRA approved stoves and those that aren't is the combustion air control system, which regulates the amount of air that passes through the stove when it is operating normally. Modifications are usually made to the base or the underside of the firebox.

Some manufacturers will produce two versions of their wood stove one that is Defra approved and the other that is not. This is because the process of placing a stove through rigorous Defra tests is expensive, so to help recoup some of this expense they'll sell the non-approved version at a lower cost. The DEFRA-approved version has undergone the combustion air modification as part of the testing 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 problems. To stop this, Defra created 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 approved for burning only approved fuels like manufactured smokeless coals and anthracite.

Defra approved stoves, also known as SE (Smoke Exempt) Stoves, have gone through rigorous tests to prove that they can cleanly burn authorised fuels within a Smoke Control Zone. The most modern combustion technology allows a constant minimum of secondary air into the firebox. This lets the stove meet Defra regulations for Smoke Control Areas even when it is used with approved fuels like anthracite as well as manufactured smokeless coals.

If you're looking for a new wood burning stove and are in a Smoke Control Area then we recommend that you look at the range of Defra approved stoves which are available at The Stove Yard. We have an extensive collection of traditional, contemporary and inset Defra approved stoves from the most reputable manufacturers like Stovax, Arada, Burley and AGA.

The good thing is that there is no difference in appearance between a Defra-approved woodburning stove and a non-approved model. However, the Defra-approved models do come with a few extra features that are designed to make them burn cleaner. They generally have a different grate design and air vents, and on gas stoves they might also have an outlet for the flue that is different in size.

A Defra Approved Stove will almost always have five" flue outlet (125mm). This means you can use a smaller stainless twin wall flexible liner, which is less expensive than a 6" (150mm). This is useful when installing wood-burning stoves that are Defra-approved into an old or nonstandard chimney stack. It can save money on replacing a bigger diameter chimney liner.