What is a Defra Approved Wood Burning Stove?
If you live in an area where smoking is controlled, it's essential to purchase a DEFRA-exempt stove. A DEFRA exempt stove (or SE) permits you to legally burn wood in a smoke controlled area.
They are independently tested to provide the lowest emissions possible. Stoves with this status are often 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 Control Area means you can't have a wood burning stove but this isn't the case. Many towns and cities fall under a smoke control zone, however, that doesn't mean that you can't use a wooden burning stove. It just means they need to burn authorised fuels in their stove (usually Briquettes). The Defra-approved stove is a wood-burning stove that has been thoroughly tested to make sure that it is in compliance with certain requirements in regards to the emissions it emits when burning approved materials. It is therefore able to be used legally in areas of smoke control.
The Defra Logo is widely used in the industry, and a lot of stoves have the SE after their names to indicate that they are smoke-free. To be SE approved the stove must satisfy strict emission criteria. This means you can rest assured that you are purchasing the top wood stove that is available.
If you are searching for a wood-burning stove which is Defra-exempt or that has SE after its name, you will find that the manufacturer may have taken measures to ensure that there are enough air intakes on the front of the stove to allow full combustion of fuel, and that the size of the chimney outlet is sufficient to prevent accumulation of soot. This is crucial as it helps to ensure that the smoke from the stove doesn't escape through the chimney and enter your home.
A stove that is Defra-approved permits you to use a 5" liner which is compliant with UK building regulations. Non-Defra-approved stoves require an 6" liner.
Stovax is proud to offer a selection of Defra-approved fireplaces and stoves as well as our Ecodesign Ready stoves which have been designed keeping future standards for air quality in mind. In fact, a lot of our Defra approved stoves are also capable of being used with smoke control kits for properties located in a Smoke Control Area and so can be used with a range 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 a DEFRA approved wood burner, which is also known by the name DEFRA exempt. This stove must be used with solid fuel, that is wood, which is best seasoned. The government tests them to ensure they don't emit excessive smoke and that they can be used only with fuels that are 'authorized.
The difference between a DEFRA-approved stove and one that is not approved is usually quite small. With a kit supplied by the manufacturer, many contemporary stoves can be converted to DEFRA certified in a matter of only a few minutes. This is because Defra approved appliances must pass very strict tests and are restricted in the amount of smoke they are able to produce.
To ensure that the restrictions are not violated the stove has to be able to limit the amount of combustion air to ensure that it doesn't deprive itself of oxygen and cause it smoulder. This is accomplished by a mechanism inside the stove that allows an air pocket into the firebox during combustion which is usually hidden within the stove, and under the base of the fire box.
Stove World UK offers a vast selection of DEFRA approved stoves from the country's best manufacturers such as Stovax, Arada and Burley. They are available in a huge variety of styles and finishes. Pick from a variety of Ecodesign stoves that are designed to meet the future demands for air quality.
Smoke Control Zones are predominantly in large towns and cities. You can visit the website of your local authority to see whether you are in one. It is crucial to buy an approved DEFRA-approved stove if reside in a zone that is smoke-controlled. This will allow you to avoid a fine from the local authority. This is because if you burn unauthorised fuel in an unapproved stove, for example coal or 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 be stamped with the Defra approved logo or bear the word "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 a lot of particles into the air that can trigger or contribute to respiratory problems asthma attacks, heart problems and premature death. It is therefore important to buy a wood stove that meets strict emission standards set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency. Look for the "EPA 2020 Certified Label" which indicates that the stove has met the emission limits currently in place.
If you purchase a stove which is not EPA-certified and you reside in a smoke-free area, you'll need to recertify it before you can use the stove. It is time-consuming and expensive, but the law requires it. In addition, homeowners who sell their home with an uncertified wood stove could be subject to clean air tax credits as well as fines.
Modern stoves can be upgraded to become Defra approved by an adjustment kit or a kit that the installer provides. This is because the primary difference between the DEFRA approved stove and those that aren't is the combustion air management system that regulates how much air flows through the stove during normal operation. Modifications are usually applied to the base or the underside of a stove's firebox.
Some manufacturers produce two versions of their wood stove one that is Defra approved and the other that is not. The reason for this is that the cost of putting a stove through the rigorous Defra testing is expensive. To offset these costs, they sell the non-approved version at a cheaper price. The DEFRA approved version will have had the combustion air modification done as part of the testing procedure.
Approved Gas
Before the Clean Air Acts were brought in homes for residential use, homeowners could burn any type of fuel they wanted which led to large amounts of smoke emissions and 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 approved to burn only approved fuels like manufactured smokeless coals and anthracite.
Defra approved SE (Smoke-Exempt) Stoves have been put through rigorous testing to prove they can safely burn approved fuels within a Smoke Control Zone. The most modern combustion technology allows a constant minimum of secondary air into the firebox. This allows the stove to meet Defra regulations 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 large selection of Defra-approved stoves that are ideal for those who live in a smoke control area and need a new fireplace that burns wood. We have a broad selection of Defra-approved stoves. These include traditional, contemporary and inset models from top brands like Stovax. Arada, Burley and AGA.
The good thing is that there is no visual difference between a stove that is Defra-approved and a stove that is not approved. However the stoves that are approved by Defra come with a few extra features that are designed to ensure they burn more efficiently. They will usually have an unintentionally different grate as well as air vents and on gas models, they may have a slightly larger flue outlet.
A Defra Approved Stove will almost always have five" 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 an approved wood burning stove from Defra in an older or non-standard chimney stack. It will save you money re-lining a larger diameter chimney liner.