What is a Defra Approved Wood Burning Stove?

If you reside in a region where smoke is controlled, it's essential to buy a DEFRA exempt stove. A DEFRA exempt stove (or SE) allows you to legally burn wood in a smoke-controlled area.

They are independently tested to provide the lowest emissions possible. Stoves with this certification typically have the 'Defra approved' logo in their name or specification.

Approved for Smoke Controlled Areas

Many people believe that living in a smoke-free zone means that they aren't able to use a wood burning fireplace. This is not true. The majority of towns and cities fall under a smoke control zone, however that doesn't mean they can't use a wood burning stove. It just means they have to burn approved fuels in their stove (usually briquettes). The Defra-approved stove is a wood-burning stove that has been thoroughly tested to ensure that it meets certain standards in regards to the emissions it emits when burning authorised materials. It can therefore be used legally in areas of smoke control.

The Defra logo is widely used in the industry and many of the stoves that are approved bear SE after their name which means they are smoke-free. To be SE approved the stove must satisfy strict emission criteria. This means you can be confident you're buying the best wood stove available.

If you are searching for a wood-burning stove which is Defra-exempt, or has SE after its name You will see that the manufacturer may have done things like ensure that there are sufficient air intakes in the front of stove to allow for full combustion of fuel and that the size of the chimney outlet is adequate to avoid soot accumulation. This is important because it helps to ensure that the smoke from the stove doesn't escape through the chimney and enter your home.

Another benefit of the DEFRA approved British stoves approved stove is that it generally permits you to use it with 5" chimney liner, which complies with the UK building regulations, whilst stoves that are not Defra approved will need to be fitted with a bigger 6" liner.

At Stovax we are proud to offer a range of Defra approved stoves and fires, as well as our Ecodesign Ready stoves that have been designed with the future standards of air quality in mind. A large portion of our approved stoves are also able to be used in conjunction with a smoke control system for properties that are located in Smoke Control Areas. They can be utilized to burn a variety of in 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 kind of stove that you can put in a smoke control zone in the event that you intend to use it for solid fuel (wood or wood that is well-seasoned). The government tests them to ensure they don't emit excessive smoke and that they can be used only with fuels that are 'authorized.

The difference between a DEFRA-approved stove and one that is not approved is usually very small. With a kit supplied by the manufacturer, defra lawful stoves a lot of modern stoves can be easily converted to DEFRA certified in a matter of only a few minutes. This is because a Defra approved stove must undergo rigorous tests and has to be limited on how much smoke it is able to produce.

To ensure that the restrictions are not violated, the stove must be able to limit the amount of combustion air to ensure that it doesn't deprive itself of oxygen which can cause it smoulder. This is achieved by the mechanism that allows the air in the firebox when it's burning. It is usually hidden within the stove or beneath the base of the fire box.

Stove World UK offers a vast selection of DEFRA approved stoves from the top manufacturers in the country, including Stovax, Arada and Burley. They are available in a wide variety of styles and colors. Select from a broad selection of Ecodesign stoves, which are designed to meet the future demands for air quality.

Smoke Control Zones are located mainly in towns and cities with large populations. You can go to the website of your local authority to find out whether you reside in one. It is important to purchase a DEFRA-approved stove if you reside in a zone that is smoke-controlled. This will allow you to avoid being fined by your local authority. This is because if you burn unauthorised fuel in an unapproved stove, for example coal or any other solid fuels that could result in fines of up to PS300.

Approved for wood

A DEFRA approved stove, also known as a smoke exempt wood stove is a device that can be used to burn wood in the Smoke Control Area. The stove will be stamped with the Defra approved logo or bear an 'SE' in its name which means it is able to be used in smoke-controlled areas that burn approved fuels only, in this case wood.

A lot of older wood stoves release a lot of particles into the air, which can cause or contribute to respiratory problems asthma attacks, heart issues and premature death. Therefore, it is essential to buy 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 indicates that the stove has met the emission limits that are currently in place.

If you purchase a cooktop that is not EPA-certified, and you reside in a smoking zone you'll have to recertify it before you can use the stove. It's expensive and time-consuming, however the law requires it. Additionally, homeowners who sell a home with an uncertified wood stove may be liable for clean air tax credits as well as fines.

Modern stoves can be modified to become Defra approved using an adjustment kit or defra lawful stoves a kit provided by the installer. The main difference between DEFRA approved stoves and those that aren't combustion air control system, which controls the amount of air that flows through the stove when it's in normal operation. Modifications are usually applied to the base or underside of the firebox.

Some manufacturers produce two versions of their wood stoves one that is Defra approved and the other that is not. The reason for this is that the cost of putting a wood stove through the rigorous Defra testing is high. To reduce the costs, they sell the non approved version at a cheaper cost. The DEFRA-approved version will have been through the modification to the combustion air as part of the test process.

Approved for Gas

Before the Clean Air Acts were brought in residential homes could burn any type of fuel they wanted, which led to large amounts of smoke emissions and health issues. To stop this, Defra created Smoke Control Areas which meant that residential homes couldn't produce any smoke from their multifuel stoves or wood burners unless the appliance was Defra approved to burn only approved fuels like manufactured smokeless coals and anthracite.

Defra approved SE (Smoke-Exempt) Stoves have been put through rigorous testing in order to demonstrate that they can burn authorised fuels cleanly within a Smoke Control Zone. They accomplish this by using the latest technology for combustion that constantly delivers a minimum level of secondary air to the firebox to ensure that even if the stove is operating with authorised fuels such as anthracite or manufactured smokeless coals, it will still be able to comply with DEFRA lawful stoves (www.mapleprimes.com)'s rules for Smoke Control Areas.

If you're in the market for an all-new wood burning stove and are in a Smoke Control Area then we suggest to look into the selection of Defra approved stoves that are available at The Stove Yard. We have a broad selection of Defra-approved stoves. These include traditional, contemporary and inset models, from leading manufacturers like Stovax. Arada, Burley, and AGA.

The good news is that there isn't really a distinction in appearance between an Defra approved wood-burning stove and one that isn't. However, the Defra approved models do have several features that are designed to ensure that they burn cleaner. They typically have an unintentionally different grate as well as air vents and on gas models, they may have a smaller flue outlet.

A Defra Approved Stove will almost always have five" flue outlet (125mm). This means that you can use a smaller stainless twin wall flexible liner that is cheaper than a 6" (150mm). We've used this when the customer has an old or non-standard chimney that we are installing a Defra approved wood burning stove in to and it reduces the cost of re-lining the chimney stack with a larger diameter liner.