What is a Defra Approved Wood Burning Stove?

If you live in an area where smoke is controlled, it’s crucial to purchase a DEFRA stoves comparison-exempt stove. A DEFRA exempt (or SE) stove allows you to legally burn wood in a smoke-controlled area.

They are independently tested to provide the lowest emissions possible. Stoves that have this status are usually branded with the ‘Defra approved’ logo on their name or the specifications.

Approved for Smoke Controlled Areas

Many people believe that living in a smoke controlled zone means they cannot use a wood burning fireplace. This is not true. Many towns and cities are in the smoke control zone, but 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 type of wood-burning stove that has been inspected to ensure it meets certain requirements in regards to the emissions that it produces when burning fuels that are approved and consequently, it is able to be used legally in smoke control Area.

The Defra logo is widely used in the industry and many of the stoves approved bear SE after their names which means they are smoke-free. In order for a stove to be SE approved, it must meet strict requirements in relation to its emissions and emissions, so you can be sure that if you choose a defra exempt stove you will receive the cleanest and best burning wood stove on the market.

If you are looking for a wood burning stove that is Defra exempt or has SE after its name, you’ll often find that the manufacturer has carried out things such as made 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 adequate to stop the build-up of soot. This is crucial as it will ensure that the smoke from the stove does not escape through the chimney and enter your home.

A Defra-approved stove allows you to use a 5″ liner that is in compliance with UK building regulations. Non-Defra-approved stoves require a 6″ liner.

At Stovax we are proud to offer a range of Defra approved stoves and fires, alongside our Ecodesign Ready stoves that have been developed with the future standards of air quality in mind. In fact, a lot 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

A DEFRA approved wood burning stove, also known as a DEFRA exempt stove is the only kind of stove you can install in a smoke control zone in the event that you intend to use it to burn solid fuel (wood and preferably well-seasoned). They are tested by the government to ensure that they don’t create excessive levels of smoke. They are able to be used with ‘authorized’ fuels (coal only).

The difference between a recommended DEFRA stoves-approved kitchen and one that isn’t approved is usually very small. With a kit provided by the manufacturer, a lot of modern stoves can be made DEFRA certified in a matter of just a few minutes. This is because the Defra approved stove must undergo rigorous testing and has to be limited on how much smoke it can produce.

To ensure that the restrictions are kept, the stove must be able to limit its combustion air so that it doesn’t starve itself of oxygen which can cause it smoulder. This is accomplished through a mechanism within the stove that allows the air into the firebox during combustion which is typically hidden within the stove, and under the base of the firebox.

Stove World UK offers a large selection of DEFRA approved stoves from the country’s best manufacturers including Stovax, Arada and Burley. They are available in a vast variety of styles and finishes. Pick from a variety of Ecodesign stoves, which are designed to meet the upcoming demands for air quality.

Smoke Control Zones are mostly in towns and cities with large populations. You can check the website of your local authority to find out whether you reside in one of these. If you live in a zone that is smoke-free, it is very important that you purchase an DEFRA approved stove for your home to avoid being fined by the local authority. This is because if you burn unauthorised multi fuel stove defra approved 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 multi-fuel stoves approved wood stove, also called 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 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 that can trigger or contribute to respiratory issues, asthma attacks, heart problems and premature death. This is why it is important to purchase a new wood stove that is compliant with the strict emission standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Look for the “EPA 2020 Certified Label” which indicates that the wood stove meets 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, you will need to be able to get it certified before you can use it. It can be time-consuming and expensive, but the law requires it. Additionally homeowners who sell their home with an uncertified wood stove could be subject to clean air tax credits and fines.

With a kit, or an adjustment supplied by the installer, most modern stoves can be Defra approved. The primary difference between DEFRA approved stoves and ones that aren’t is the combustion air control system that controls the amount of air that flows through the stove when it’s in normal operation. Modifications are usually applied to the base or the underside of the firebox.

Some manufacturers produce two types of wood stove, one that is Defra-approved, and the other not. This is due to the process of placing a stove through strict Defra tests is very expensive, so to help recoup some of the cost, they’ll offer the non-approved version at a cheaper cost. The DEFRA-approved version has been through the modification to the combustion air as part of the testing procedure.

Approved for Gas

Prior to the Clean Air Acts, residential homes were able to burn any fuel they wanted to, which resulted in large amounts of smoke emissions. This led to health issues. To prevent this, Defra established Smoke Control Areas. This meant that homes could not produce any smoke unless their wood burners and multifuel stoves were defra compliant stoves List-approved for burning only authorised materials such as manufactured smokeless coke and anthracite.

Defra approved stoves, also known as SE (Smoke Exempt) Stoves, have undergone rigorous tests to prove that they are able to burn cleanly authorized fuels within a Smoke Control Area. The most modern combustion technology allows an indefinite amount of secondary air into the firebox. This allows the stove to meet DEFRA compliant stoves list standards for Smoke Control Areas even when it is used with approved fuels like anthracite as well as manufactured smokeless coals.

If you’re in the market for a brand new wood-burning stove and are in an area that has a Smoke Control Area then we suggest to look into the selection of Defra approved stoves which can be found at The Stove Yard. We have a broad collection of traditional, contemporary and inset Defra approved stoves from the most reputable manufacturers such as Stovax, Arada, Burley and AGA.

The good thing is that there is no visual difference between a stove approved by Defra and a stove that is not approved. However the models that are Defra-approved have a few features that are designed to ensure they burn more efficiently. They usually have an unintentionally different grate as well as air vents, and on gas versions they may have a larger flue outlet.

A Defra Approved Stove will almost always have 5″ flue outlet (125mm). This means that you can use a smaller stainless twin wall flexible liner that is cheaper than a 6″ (150mm). This is useful when installing a Defra-approved wood burning stove into an old or nonstandard chimney stack. It can save money on the cost of relining a chimney with a larger diameter liner.