What is a Defra Approved Wood Burning Stove?

If you live in a smoke control area then it is crucial to purchase a DEFRA exempt stove. A DEFRA exempt (or SE) stove allows you to legally burn wood in a smoke-controlled area.

They are independently tested to ensure the lowest emissions possible. Stoves that have this status are often branded with the 'Defra-approved' logo on their name or specification.

Approved for Smoke Controlled Areas

Many people believe that living in a smoke control area means they can't make use of a fireplace that burns wood. It's not the case. In reality, a majority of cities and large towns are in an area that is smoke-free, but this doesn't mean you cannot have stoves, it just means that you must make use of an exempt appliance and only burn authorised fuels (usually brquettes) in your stove. The Defra approved NRG 4.5KW Eco Design Stove Portable Fireplace is a specific type of wood burning stove that has been tested to ensure it meets certain standards in relation to the emissions that it produces when burning fuels that are approved and consequently, it is able to be used legally in a Smoke Control Area.

The Defra Logo is widely used in the industry, and many stoves have the SE after their names to indicate that they are smoke-free. To be able to be SE approved, it must satisfy strict requirements in relation to its emissions So you can be assured that when you purchase an exempt defra stove, you will get the most clean and most Efficient 5KW Eco Stove - MultiFuel Cast Iron wood stove on the market.

If you search for a wood-burning stove that is Defra exempt or has SE after its name, you'll usually find that the manufacturer has taken care of things like making sure there are enough air inlets on the front of the stove to allow for full combustion of the fuel and that the chimney outlet size is adequate to prevent soot build-up. This is important because it ensures that smoke from the wood burning stove doesn't escape through the chimney and into your home.

Another benefit of an Defra approved stove is that it generally allows you to fit it with five" chimney liner, which will comply with UK building regulations, whilst non-Defra approved stoves will need to be fitted with a bigger 6" liner.

Stovax is proud to offer a variety 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. A large portion of our approved stoves can also be used conjunction with a smoke-control system for properties that are located in Smoke Control Zones. They can be used to burn a variety non-smokeless fuels, such as 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 area if you plan to use it for solid fuel (wood and preferably well-seasoned). The government tests these stoves to ensure that they don't produce excessive smoke and that they are only suitable for use with approved fuels.

The difference between a DEFRA approved stove and a non-approved one is usually very little. With a kit provided by the manufacturer, a lot of modern stoves can be easily converted to DEFRA compliant in just a few minutes. This is because the Defra approved stove must undergo rigorous testing and is limited in the amount of smoke it is able to produce.

To ensure that these limitations remain in place during the testing process, the stove will have to be capable of limiting its combustion air supply so that it does not deplete itself of oxygen, which can cause it to smolder. This is accomplished through an opening mechanism that lets a small amount air into the firebox while it is burning. It is usually concealed in the stove or under the base of its firebox.

Stove World UK offers a vast selection of DEFRA approved stoves from some of the best brands in the country, including Stovax, Arada and Burley. They are available in a wide variety of styles and finishes. Select from a broad selection of Ecodesign stoves that are designed to meet the upcoming needs for air quality.

Smoke Control Zones are located mostly in large towns and cities. You can check the website of your local authority to find out whether you reside in one of these. It is crucial to buy an approved DEFRA-approved stove if reside in a smoke-controlled zone. This will allow you to avoid being fined by your local authority. This is because if you use 'unauthorised' fuel in a non-approved stove, such as coal or other solid fuels, you could be fined up to PS300.

Approved for wood

A DEFRA approved wood stove also called a smoke-free stove, is a device that can be used in a Smoke Control Area when burning wood. The stove will be stamped with the Defra approved logo or have '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 large amounts of particulate matter into the atmosphere which can trigger or contribute to respiratory problems asthma attacks, heart problems and premature death. This is why it is crucial to purchase a new wood stove that is compliant with 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 a cooktop that is not EPA-certified, and Fireplaces And Stove you reside in a smoking zone you'll have to get it recertified before you can use the stove. It is expensive and time-consuming, however the law requires it. Additionally, homeowners who sell a home with an uncertified wood stove could be subject to clean air tax credits and fines.

Most modern stoves can be modified to become Defra approved by an adjustment kit or a kit that the installer offers. This is because the main difference between the DEFRA approved stove and those which aren't, is the combustion air management system which regulates the amount of air that passes through the stove during normal operation. Modifications are usually applied to the base or the underside of a stove's firebox.

Certain manufacturers make two different 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 stove through the rigorous Defra testing is high. To offset these costs, they will sell the non-approved version at a cheaper cost. The DEFRA approved version will have been able to have the modification to the combustion air done as part of the testing process.

Gas Approved

Before the Clean Air Acts were brought in residential homes could burn any type of fuel they liked which resulted in huge amounts of smoke emissions as well as health issues. To combat this Defra established Smoke Control Areas which meant that residential homes could not emit any smoke from their wood burners or multifuel stoves unless the appliance was Defra certified to burn only authorised fuels such as manufactured smokeless coals and anthracite.

Defra approved SE (Smoke-Exempt) Stoves have been put through rigorous testing to demonstrate that they can burn authorised fuels cleanly in a Smoke Control Zone. The most modern combustion technology allows an indefinite amount of secondary air into the firebox. This allows the stove to meet Defra standards for Smoke Control Areas even when it is used with approved fuels like anthracite as well as manufactured smokeless coals.

The Stove Yard has a vast selection of stoves that are Defra approved that are ideal for those who live in a smoke control area and require a new wood burning fireplace. We have an extensive range of traditional, contemporary and inset Defra approved stoves from industry-leading manufacturers such as Stovax, Arada, Burley and AGA.

The good news is there is no difference in appearance between a stove that is Defra-approved and a stove that is not approved. However the stoves that are approved by Defra have a few features that are designed to help them burn more efficiently. They usually have a slightly different grate and air vents as well as on gas models they might have a slightly different size flue outlet.

A Defra Approved Stove will almost always have five" 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 seen this helpful when the customer has an older or non-standard chimney stack that we are installing the Defra approved wood burning stove in to and it reduces the cost of relining the chimney with a bigger diameter liner.