What is a Defra Approved Wood Burning Stove?

If you live in a region where smoke is controlled, it's important to purchase 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 possible emissions. Stoves that have this status are often branded with the 'Defra-approved' logo on their specifications or name.

Approved for Smoke Controlled Areas

Many people think that living in a Smoke Control Area means you can't have a wood burning stove however this isn't true. In reality, most cities and towns are within a smoke controlled zone however this doesn't mean that you cannot have stoves, it just implies that you have to make use of an exempt device and only burn fuels that are approved (usually brquettes) in your stove. The Defra-approved stove is a wood-burning stove that has been thoroughly tested to ensure that it meets certain standards in terms of the emissions it generates when burning authorised fuels. It can therefore be legally used in a smoke control area.

The Defra logo is widely adopted in the industry, and a lot of the stoves that have been approved bear SE after their names, meaning they are smoke-free. In order for a stove to be SE approved, it must satisfy strict requirements in relation to emissions and emissions, so you can be certain that if you select a stove that is defra stoves exempt, you are getting the cleanest and best burning wood stove on the market.

If you are looking for a wood-burning stove that is Defra exempt or is marked with SE after its name, you will often discover that the manufacturer has carried out things like making sure there are 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 because it ensures that smoke from the wood burning stove doesn't escape through the chimney into your home.

A Defra-approved stove allows you to install a 5" liner that is in compliance with UK building regulations. Non-Defra stoves Features-approved stoves require a 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 developed with future air quality standards in mind. In fact, many of our Defra approved stoves are able to be used with a smoke control kit for properties in a Smoke Control Area and therefore can be used with a variety of smokeless fuels that are authorised, such as fire logs.

Approved for Smokeless fuels

The only stove that can be put in in a smoke-control area is one that is a DEFRA approved wood burner, also referred to as DEFRA exempt. This stove should be used with a solid fuel, that is wood, which is best seasoned. The government tests these stoves to ensure that they don't emit excessive smoke and that they can be used only with 'authorized' fuels.

The difference between a DEFRA-approved kitchen and one that is not approved is usually quite small. Many modern stoves can easily be made DEFRA compliant with the kit supplied by the manufacturer and then fitted within a matter of minutes. This is because Defra approved appliances must pass extremely stringent tests and are restricted in the amount of smoke they can produce.

To ensure that these limitations are maintained during testing the stove must be able to limit its combustion air supply to ensure that it doesn't starve itself of oxygen, which may cause it to smolder. This is accomplished by a mechanism that opens the air in the firebox while it is burning. It is usually hidden in the stove or under the base of the fire box.

Stove World UK has a vast selection of DEFRA approved stoves, from some of the best manufacturers in the world such as Stovax Arada and Burley. They are available in a wide range of styles and finishes. You can also select from an impressive selection of Ecodesign ready stoves that are specifically designed to meet future standards for air quality.

Smoke Control Areas are typically situated around large towns and city centres and you can check the website of your local authority to determine if the area you live in is classified as one. If you reside in a smoke-free zone, it is very important to purchase a DEFRA approved stove for your home to avoid being fined by your local authority. If you use coal or other solid fuels in a non approved stove, you may be fined PS300.

Approved for Wood

A DEFRA approved wood stove, also known as a smoke exempt stove, is a device that can be used in a Smoke Control Area when burning wood. The stove will bear the Defra approved symbol or the word 'SE' in the front of its name that means it can only be used in areas controlled by smoke where you can burn approved fuels. In this instance wood.

Many older wood stoves emit huge amounts of particulate matter. This can lead to or worsen asthma attacks, respiratory issues and heart issues. It is therefore essential to choose a wood stove that meets strict emission standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency. Look for an "EPA 2020 Certified" label, which signifies that the stove has met the emissions limits currently in place.

If you purchase an appliance that isn't EPA certified and you reside in a smoke control area you must get it recertified before you can use it. This can be expensive and time-consuming, but it is required by law. Additionally homeowners who sell a house with an uncertified wood stove may be liable for clean air tax credits as well as fines.

With a kit, or DEFRA stoves Features an adjustment supplied by the installer, the majority of modern stoves can be made Defra-approved. The primary difference between DEFRA approved stoves and ones that aren't is the combustion air control system that regulates the amount of air that passes through the stove when it is in normal operation. Modifications are usually made to the base or side of the firebox that is underneath the stove.

Some manufacturers produce two versions of their wood stoves one that is Defra approved and the other that is not. This is due to the process of running a stove through the stringent Defra tests is expensive and to offset some of the costs, they'll sell the non-approved version at a cheaper price. The DEFRA-approved version will have undergone the combustion air modification in the course of the test procedure.

Approved for Gas

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 and health issues. To combat this, Defra established Smoke Control Areas. This means that residential homes can not emit smoke except if their wood burners and multifuel stoves were Defra-approved for burning only approved materials like manufactured smokeless coke and anthracite.

Defra approved stoves, also referred to as SE (Smoke Exempt) Stoves, have undergone rigorous testing to demonstrate that they can cleanly burn approved fuels in a Smoke Control Zone. They achieve this by utilising the latest combustion technology which continually delivers a minimum amount of secondary air to the combustion chamber, so that even if the stove is used with authorised fuels such as anthracite or manufactured smokeless coals it can still comply with Defra's rules for Smoke Control Areas.

The Stove Yard has a wide range of Defra-approved stoves that are perfect for those who reside in a smoke control area and need a new wood-burning fireplace. We offer a variety of stoves that are Defra-approved, 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, however the Defra approved models do come with several features that are designed to ensure that they burn more efficiently. They generally have a different design of grate as well as air vents. On gas stoves, they may also have a different sized flue outlet.

A Defra Approved Stove will almost always have 5" flue outlet (125mm). This means that you can use a smaller stainless steel twin wall flexible liner that is less expensive than a 6" (150mm). We've found this useful when customers have an old or non-standard chimney stack that we are installing a Defra approved wood burning stove in to and it saves the cost of relining the chimney with a larger diameter liner.