The Reason Defra Approved Stove List Will Be The Hottest Topic In 2023

What is a Defra Approved Wood Burning Stove?

If you reside in an area where smoking is controlled, it's important to buy a DEFRA exempt stove. A DEFRA exempt (or SE) stove permits you to legally burn wood in a smoke-controlled area.

The stoves are tested independently to ensure the lowest possible emissions. Stoves with this certification typically have the logo 'Defra-approved' in their name or on their 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. In reality, most cities and large towns are located in a smoke-free zone, however this doesn't mean that you cannot use 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 stove that is Defra-approved is a wood-burning stove that has been rigorously tested to ensure that it meets certain criteria regarding the emissions it produces when burning approved materials. It is therefore able to be used legally in smoke-control zones.

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

If you are searching for a wood-burning stove which is Defra-exempt or has SE after its title You will see that the manufacturer may have done things like ensure that there are enough air intakes on the front of the stove to allow for full combustion of fuel, and that the size of the chimney outlet is sufficient to prevent accumulation of soot. This is important as it helps to ensure that the smoke from the stove doesn't escape through the chimney and into your home.

A stove that is Defra-approved allows 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 range of Defra-approved fireplaces and stoves as well as our Ecodesign Ready stoves which have been designed keeping future air quality standards at heart. Many of our stoves that are Defra-approved are also able to be used in conjunction with a smoke-control system for homes located in Smoke Control Areas. They can be utilized to burn a variety of smokeless fuels, including 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 if you plan to use it to burn solid fuel (wood and preferably well-seasoned). The government tests these stoves to ensure that they don't produce excessive smoke and are only suitable for use with approved fuels.

The difference between the differences between a DEFRA approved stove and a non-approved one can be very minimal. With a kit supplied by the manufacturer, many contemporary stoves can be easily transformed into defra approved energy-efficient stoves conforming in just a few only a few minutes. This is due to the fact that Defra approved appliances must pass very strict tests and are restricted in the amount of smoke they can produce.

To ensure that the restrictions are kept the stove must be able limit its combustion air so that it doesn't deprive itself of oxygen and cause it smoulder. This is achieved through a mechanism within the stove that opens an air pocket into the firebox during combustion which is usually hidden within the stove and underneath the base of the fire box.

Stove World UK has a wide range of DEFRA approved stoves from some of the best manufacturers in the country, including Stovax Arada and Burley. These are available in a wide variety of styles and finishes. You can also pick from a wide selection of Ecodesign ready stoves that are designed to meet the future standards for air quality.

Smoke Control Zones are mainly in large cities and towns. You can go to the website of your local authority to find out whether you are in one of these. If you live in a smoke-free zone, it is essential to purchase an DEFRA approved eco design stoves approved stove for your home, to avoid being fined by the local authority. If you burn coal or any other solid fuels in a stove that is not approved stove, you could be fined up PS300.

Approved for wood

A DEFRA approved stove, also referred to as a smoke-free wood stove is a device that can be used to burn wood in the Smoke Control Area. The stove will bear the Defra approved symbol or the word 'SE' in the title that means it can only be used in smoke-controlled areas where you can burn approved fuels. In this instance, wood.

The older wood stoves produce large amounts of particulate matter. These can cause or worsen asthma attacks, respiratory problems and heart issues. It is therefore important to purchase a stove that is in compliance with strict emission standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency. Look for the "EPA 2020 Certified Label" which means that the stove is in compliance with the emission limits currently in place.

If you purchase a stove that isn't EPA certified and you reside in a smoke-free zone, 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. Homeowners who decide to sell a property with wood stoves that are not certified may be liable for tax credits or fines related to the clean air.

With a kit or an adjustment supplied by the installer, most modern stoves can be Defra approved. This is due to the primary difference between a DEFRA approved wood burning stoves approved stove and one which aren't, is the combustion air management system that controls how much air passes through the stove during normal operation. Modifications are usually applied to the base or the side of the firebox that is underneath the stove.

There are some manufacturers who produce two different versions of a wood stove. One is Defra-approved and the other that isn't. The reason for this is that the cost of putting a stove through the rigorous Defra testing is high. To help recoup these costs, they will sell the non approved version at a lower price. The DEFRA approved version will have had the combustion air modification performed as part of the testing process.

Approved for Gas

Before the Clean Air Acts were brought in residential homes could burn any type of fuel they wanted which resulted in large quantities of smoke emissions and health problems. To combat this Defra established Smoke Control Areas which meant that residential homes couldn't produce any smoke from their multifuel stoves or wood burners unless the appliance was Defra approved to burn only authorised fuels such as manufactured smokeless coals and anthracite.

Defra approved SE (Smoke-Exempt) Stoves have been put through rigorous testing in order to prove that they can efficiently burn fuels that are approved in a Smoke Control Zone. They achieve this by utilising the most advanced combustion technology that 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 meet Defra's regulations for Smoke Control Areas.

If you're looking to purchase a new wood burning stove and live in a Smoke Control Area then we recommend that you take a look at the wide selection of 5kw defra multifuel stove approved stoves that can be found here at The Stove Yard. We have a wide range of Defra-approved stoves, including traditional models, modern and inset from top DEFRA stoves brands like Stovax. Arada, Burley, and AGA.

The good thing is that there is no distinction in appearance between a stove that is Defra-approved and a non-approved model. However the stoves that are approved by Defra come with a few extra features that are designed to ensure they burn cleaner. In general, they have a different grate and air vents and on the gas versions they may also feature an alternative size flue outlet.

A Defra Approved Stove will almost always have 5" flue outlet (125mm). This means that you can choose a smaller stainless twin wall flexible liner, which is less expensive than a 6" (150mm). We've used this when a customer has an older or non-standard chimney that we are installing the top DEFRA stoves approved wood burning stove in to and it reduces the cost of relining the chimney with a wider diameter liner.