What is a Defra Approved Wood Burning Stove?

If you reside in a zone of smoke control then you must purchase a DEFRA legislation stoves exempt stove. A DEFRA exempt (or SE) stove allows you to burn wood legally in a smoke-controlled zone.

The stoves are independently tested to ensure the lowest possible emissions. Stoves with this status will often display the ‘Defra-approved’ logo on their name or specification.

Approved for Smoke Controlled Areas

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

The Defra Logo is widely used in the industry, and many stoves have the SE after their names to signify that they are smoke-free. In order for a stove to be SE approved, it must satisfy strict requirements in relation to its emissions, so you can be sure that if you choose an exempt defra stove, you will get the most clean and most efficient wood stove on the market.

If you are searching for a stove that burns wood that is Defra-exempt, or has SE after its title You will see that the manufacturer has taken measures to make sure that there are enough air intakes on the front of stove to ensure that there is a full combustion of the fuel, and that the size of the chimney outlet is adequate to avoid soot accumulation. This is important as it helps to ensure that the smoke from the stove doesn’t escape the chimney into your home.

Another benefit of a Defra approved stove is that it usually permits you to use it with a 5″ chimney liner, which complies with UK building regulations. However, stoves that aren’t Defra-approved will have to be fitted with a bigger 6″ liner.

Stovax is proud to offer a range of Defra-approved stoves and fireplaces and Ecodesign Ready stoves which have been designed keeping future standards for air quality in mind. Many of our Defra-approved stoves can also be used in combination with a smoke control system for properties located in Smoke Control Areas. They can be used to burn a variety of non-smokeless fuels, such as 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 that you can put in a smoke control area when you plan to use it for solid fuel (wood, preferably well seasoned). The government tests them to ensure they don’t produce excessive smoke and that they can be used only with fuels that are ‘authorized.

The difference between a DEFRA approved stove and one that isn’t typically is very small. With a kit supplied by the manufacturer, many modern stoves can be easily converted to DEFRA certified in a matter of just a few minutes. This is due to the fact that a defra burning mdf approved stove has to undergo very rigorous tests and must be restricted on how much smoke it can generate.

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 starve itself of oxygen which can cause it smoulder. This is achieved by a mechanism that opens a small amount air into the firebox when it is burning. It is typically hidden in the stove or under the base of its fire box.

Stove World UK offers a wide range of DEFRA approved stoves from the top manufacturers in the country such as Stovax, Arada and Burley. They are available in a vast range of styles and finishes. You can also select from a vast range of Ecodesign ready stoves that are designed to meet the future standards for air quality.

Smoke Control Areas are primarily located around cities and towns with large populations and you can look up the website of your local authority to see if your area is classified as one. If you live in a zone that is smoke-free, it is very important to purchase a DEFRA approved stove for your home, to avoid being fined by your local authority. This is because if you use ‘unauthorised 5kw multi fuel stoves defra approved on a non-approved stove, such as coal or any other solid fuels that could result in fines of up to PS300.

Approved for Wood

A DEFRA approved wood stove also called a smoke-free stove, is a device that can be utilized in a Smoke Control Area when burning wood. The stove will bear the Defra approved logo or bear the word “SE” after its name, which means that it is able to be used in smoke controlled areas when burning approved fuels, in this case wood.

A lot of older wood stoves emit large quantities of particulate matter, which can trigger or exacerbate respiratory problems, asthma attacks and heart problems. This is why it is essential to buy new wood stoves that meets the strict emission standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Look for a “EPA 2020 Certified” label, which indicates that the stove is in compliance with the emission limits currently in place.

If you purchase a stove that is not EPA certified and you live in a zone of smoke control it is necessary to get it recertified before you can use it. It can be costly and time consuming, but it is legally required. In addition homeowners who sell a home that has a wood stove that is not certified could be subject to clean air tax credits and fines.

With a kit, or an adjustment provided by the installer, most modern stoves can be Defra approved. The primary difference between DEFRA approved stoves and those that aren’t combustion air control system, which regulates the amount of air that flows through the stove when it is operating normally. Modifications are usually applied to the base or the side of the firebox that is underneath the stove.

Some manufacturers produce two different versions of a wood stove, one that is Defra-approved while the other is not. The reason is that the cost of putting a wood stove through the rigorous Defra testing is costly. To help recoup these costs, they sell the non-approved version at a lower price. The DEFRA stoves advantages approved version will have had the combustion air modification included in the testing procedure.

Approved for Gas

Prior to the Clean Air Acts, residential homes could use any fuel they wanted, resulting in high levels of smoke emissions. This could cause health problems. To stop 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 authorised materials like manufactured smokeless coke and anthracite.

Defra approved SE (Smoke-Exempt) Stoves have been subjected to rigorous testing in order to prove they can efficiently burn fuels that are approved within a Smoke Control Area. They accomplish this by using the latest combustion technology which constantly delivers a minimum level of secondary air to the firebox, to ensure that even if the stove is operating with approved fuels like anthracite or manufactured smokeless coals, it can still comply with Defra’s rules for Smoke Control Areas.

The Stove Yard has a large selection of Defra-approved stoves which are perfect for those who reside in a smoke control area and require a new fireplace that burns wood. We have an extensive selection of contemporary, traditional and inset Defra approved stoves from the most reputable manufacturers like Stovax, Arada, Burley and AGA.

The good news is there is no distinction in appearance between a stove approved by DEFRA accredited stoves and a stove that is not approved. However, the Defra-approved models do come with a few extra features designed to help them burn more efficiently. They usually have a slightly different grate and air vents and on gas models, they may have a different size flue outlet.

A DEFRA recognized stoves Approved Stove will almost always have a 5″ flue outlet (125mm). This means that you can choose a smaller stainless 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 and it saves the cost of re-lining the chimney stack with a bigger diameter liner.