What is a Defra Approved Wood Burning Stove?

If you reside in an area where smoking is controlled, it's important 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 that have this status will often display the 'Defra-approved logo on their specifications or name.

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 and this is not true. Many towns and cities are within a smoke control zone, however that doesn't mean they can't use a wood burning stove. It's just that they have to burn approved fuels in their stove (usually Briquettes). The Defra approved stove is a type of wood-burning stove that has been inspected to ensure it meets certain criteria regarding the emissions it emits when burning authorised fuels, and therefore it can be legally used in smoke control Area.

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

If you're looking for a stove that burns wood that is Defra-exempt, or has SE after its title You will see that the manufacturer might have taken steps to make sure that there are enough air intakes on the front of stove to ensure that there is a full combustion of fuel, and that the size of the chimney outlet is adequate to prevent the accumulation of soot. This is crucial because it ensures that the smoke from the wood burning stove doesn't escape through the chimney into your home.

A stove that is Defra-approved 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 range of Defra approved stoves and fires, as well as our Ecodesign Ready stoves that have been designed with the future of air quality standards in mind. In fact, many of our Defra approved stoves are also capable of being used with a smoke control kit for those properties that are located in a Smoke Control Area and therefore can be used with a variety of authorised smokeless fuels including 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 you can install in a smoke control area when you plan to use it to burn solid fuel (wood or wood that is well-seasoned). The government tests them to ensure they don't emit excessive smoke and can be used only with approved fuels.

The difference between the difference between a DEFRA approved stove and a non-approved one typically is very small. A lot of modern stoves can be made DEFRA conforming with a kit that is supplied by the manufacturer and fitted in just a few minutes. This is due to the fact that Defra approved appliances must pass extremely stringent tests and are limited in the amount of smoke they can produce.

To ensure that these restrictions remain in place during the testing process, the stove needs to be capable of limiting its combustion air supply to ensure that it doesn't starve itself of oxygen, which could cause it to smoke. This is done by a mechanism inside the stove that allows the air into the firebox during the process of combustion, which is often hidden inside the stove, and under the base of the fire box.

Stove World UK offers a vast selection of DEFRA approved stoves from the country's best manufacturers including Stovax, Arada and Burley. These are available in an enormous range of styles and finishes. You can also select from a vast selection of Ecodesign ready stoves that have been designed to meet future requirements for air quality.

Smoke Control Zones are predominantly in large cities and towns. You can check the website of your local authority to see whether you reside in one of these. It is important to purchase an approved DEFRA-approved stove if live in a smoke-controlled area. This will allow you to avoid being fined by the local authority. If you use coal or other solid fuels in a non approved stove, you could be fined up PS300.

Approved for wood

A DEFRA approved stove, also called a smoke exempt wood Efficient 5KW Portable Eco Stove MultiFuel Cast Iron, is a device that can be used to burn wood in the Smoke Control Area. The stove will bear the Defra approved logo or have the word "SE" after its name, meaning it is able to be used in smoke-controlled areas when burning approved fuels which is in this case wood.

A lot of older wood stoves emit large quantities of particulate matter. This can trigger or exacerbate respiratory problems, asthma attacks and heart problems. This is why it is important to purchase a new 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 indicates that the stove has met the emissions limits that are currently in place.

If you purchase a cooktop that isn't EPA-certified and you reside in a smoking zone it is necessary to recertify it before you can use the stove. It's costly and time-consuming, but the law requires it. Homeowners who decide to sell a property with a wood stove that is not certified may also be liable for tax credits or fines relating to pollution-free air.

With a kit, or an adjustment supplied by the installer, most modern stoves can become Defra-approved. The primary difference between DEFRA approved stoves and those that aren't combustion air control system that controls the quantity of air that goes through the stove operating normally. Modifications are usually made to the base or the side of the firebox that is underneath the stove.

There are some manufacturers who produce two versions of a wood stove. One is Defra-approved while the other is not. The reason for this is that the cost of putting a Portable 5KW Stove - MultiFuel Iron Fireplace NRG through the rigorous Defra testing is expensive. To reduce these costs, they will sell the non-approved version at a lower cost. The DEFRA approved version will have been subjected to the modification of combustion air included in the testing process.

Approved for Gas

Before the Clean Air Acts were brought in homes for residential use, homeowners could burn any kind of fuel they wanted which led to large quantities of smoke emissions and health problems. To prevent this, Defra established Smoke Control Areas. This meant that residential homes could not emit any smoke except if their wood burners and multifuel stoves were Defra-approved for burning only approved materials such as manufactured smokeless coke and anthracite.

Defra approved stoves, also referred to as SE (Smoke Exempt) Stoves, have been subjected to rigorous testing to demonstrate that they can cleanly burn approved fuels in a Smoke Control Zone. The most modern combustion technology allows an unabated minimum of secondary air into the firebox. This lets the stove comply with Defra regulations for Smoke Control Areas even when it is using authorised fuels like anthracite and manufactured smokeless coals.

The Stove Yard has a wide range of Defra-approved stoves that are ideal for those who reside in a smoke control area and require a new wood-burning fireplace. We have a broad selection of stoves that are Defra-approved, including traditional modern, contemporary and inset models from top brands like Stovax. Arada, Burley and AGA.

The good part is that there's really a difference in appearance between a Defra approved wood-burning stove and one that isn't, however the Defra approved models do come with several features that are designed to ensure that they burn more efficiently. They typically have a slightly different grate and air vents, and on gas versions they might have a slightly smaller flue outlet.

Another benefit of an Defra Approved stove is that they'll typically come with five" (125mm) flue outlet. This means that you can use a narrower stainless steel twin wall flexible chimney liner, which is cheaper than a standard 6" (150mm) liner. This is a great option when you install wood-burning stoves that are Defra-approved into an old or nonstandard chimney stack. It will save you money re-lining a larger diameter chimney liner.