What is a DEFRA approved sustainable stoves Approved Wood Burning Stove?

If you live in a smoke-free zone then it is crucial to buy a DEFRA exempt stove. A DEFRA exempt (or SE) stove permits you to legally burn wood in a smoke-controlled space.

They are independently tested to ensure the lowest possible emissions. Stoves that are certified are usually branded with 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 that they aren't able to use a fireplace with wood. This is not true. In reality, many cities and towns are located in a smoke controlled zone but this doesn't mean you can't have an oven, it simply implies that you have to make use of an exempt device and only use authorised fuels (usually Briquettes) in your stove. The Defra approved stove is a type of wood burning stove that has been tested to ensure it meets certain standards in relation to the emissions it releases when burning fuels that are approved and therefore, it can be legally used in the Smoke Control Area.

The Defra Logo is widely used in the industry, and many stoves feature the SE after their names to indicate that they are smoke-free. To be able to be SE approved, it must satisfy strict criteria in regards to its emissions and emissions, so you can be certain that if you select an exempt defra stove, you will get the most clean and best burning wood stove available.

When you look for a wood-burning stove that is Defra exempt or is marked with SE after its name, you will often 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 full combustion of the fuel, and that the chimney outlet size is sufficient to stop the build-up of soot. This is crucial as it ensures that the smoke from the stove doesn't escape through the chimney and enter your home.

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

Stovax is proud to offer a variety of Defra-approved stoves and fireplaces as well as our Ecodesign Ready stoves which have been designed with future standards for air quality in mind. In fact, many of our Defra approved stoves are capable of being used with a smoke control kit for those properties that are located in a Smoke Control Area and can therefore be used with a variety of approved smokeless fuels, including fire logs.

Approved for Smokeless Fuels

The only stove that can be used within a smoke-control zone is a DEFRA Stoves disadvantages approved wood burner, which is also known as DEFRA exempt. This stove must be used with solid fuel, which means wood, preferably well-seasoned. They are inspected by the government to ensure that they don't generate excessive levels of smoke and can be used with approved fuels (coal only).

The difference between the difference between a DEFRA accredited stoves approved stove and one that is not typically is very small. Many modern stoves can easily be converted to DEFRA conforming with a kit that is supplied by the manufacturer and installed within a matter of minutes. This is because the Defra approved stove must undergo rigorous testing and must be restricted in the amount of smoke it can generate.

To ensure that these limitations are maintained during testing the stove needs to be able to limit the combustion air supply to ensure that it does not starve itself of oxygen, which may cause it to smoulder. This is accomplished by an opening mechanism that lets the air in the firebox when it is burning. It is typically hidden within the stove or beneath the base of its firebox.

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

Smoke Control Zones are located mostly in towns and cities with large populations. You can check the website of your local authority to determine whether you are in one. If you live in a smoke-free zone, it is very important to purchase an DEFRA approved stove for your home to avoid being fined by the local authority. This is because if you burn unauthorised fuel on an unapproved stove, such as coal or any 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 an appliance that can be used in a Smoke Control Area when burning wood. The stove will bear the DEFRA compliant stoves UK approved symbol or the word 'SE' in front of its name meaning it can only be used in areas controlled by smoke where you can burn approved fuels. In this instance wood is the fuel.

A lot of older wood stoves emit large amounts of particulate matter. These can trigger or exacerbate asthma attacks, respiratory issues and heart issues. This is why it's essential to buy a new 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 currently in place.

If you purchase a stove that isn't EPA certified and you live in a smoke control area it is necessary to have it recertified before you can use it. It is costly and time-consuming, but the law requires it. Additionally homeowners who sell their home with a wood stove that isn't certified may be liable for clean air tax credits as well as fines.

The majority of modern stoves can be modified to be Defra approved using an adjustment kit or kit that the installer provides. The main 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's in normal operation. Modifications are typically applied to the base or the underside of a stove's firebox.

Certain manufacturers will make two versions of their wood stoves, one that is Defra approved and the other not. The reason for this is that the cost of putting a stove through the rigorous DEFRA stoves features testing is high. To help recoup the costs, they sell the non approved version for a lower cost. The DEFRA-approved model will have been through the modification to the combustion air as part of the test procedure.

Approved for Gas

Prior to the Clean Air Acts, residential homes were able to burn any fuel they wanted, resulting in excessive smoke emissions. This caused health problems. 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 to allow burning only approved substances like manufactured smokeless coke and anthracite.

DEFRA stoves features approved SE (Smoke-Exempt) Stoves have been put through rigorous testing to prove that they can burn authorised fuels cleanly in a Smoke Control Zone. They achieve this by utilising the latest combustion technology which constantly delivers a minimum level of secondary air to the firebox so that even if the stove is operating with authorised fuels such as anthracite or manufactured smokeless coals, it can still comply with the regulations of Defra for Smoke Control Areas.

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

The good thing is that there is no difference in appearance between a stove that is Defra-approved and a stove that is not approved. However the models that are Defra-approved include a few features designed to make them burn cleaner. They will usually have an unintentionally different grate as well as air vents and on gas models, they may have a slightly different size flue outlet.

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