What is a Defra Approved Wood Burning Stove?
If you live in a zone of smoke control then you must purchase a
Defra Approved Eco Design Stoves exempt stove. A DEFRA exempt (or SE) stove permits you to legally burn wood in a smoke-controlled area.
They are independently tested to provide the lowest emissions possible. Stoves with this certification typically carry the logo 'Defra-approved' in their name or on their specifications.
Approved for Smoke Controlled Areas
Many people think that living in a Smoke Control Area means you can't use a wood-burning stove and this is not true. In reality, most cities and towns are in a smoke controlled zone but that doesn't mean you cannot use a stove, it just means that you must use an exempt appliance and only burn fuels that are approved (usually Briquettes) in your stove. The Defra approved stove is a kind of wood-burning stove that has been tested to ensure it meets certain requirements in regards to the emissions it emits when burning authorised fuels and therefore, it can be legally used in a Smoke Control Area.
The Defra logo is widely adopted by the industry and a large number of the stoves that are approved have SE after their name, meaning they are smoke free. To be able to be SE approved it must meet strict requirements in relation to its emissions So you can be sure that if you choose a defra exempt stove you will get the most clean and best burning wood stove available.
When you look for a stove that burns wood that is Defra exempt or has SE after its name, you'll often find that the manufacturer has taken care of things like making sure there are enough air intakes on the front of the stove to permit 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 ensures that the smoke from the stove does not escape through the chimney into your home.
A Defra-approved stove allows you to install a 5" liner which is compliant with UK building regulations. Non-Defra-approved stoves require an 6" liner.
At Stovax we are delighted to offer a selection of Defra approved stoves and fires, as well as our Ecodesign Ready stoves that have been developed with future air quality standards in mind. In fact, many of our Defra approved stoves are also capable of being 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
The only stove that can be installed inside a smoke-control zone is one that is a DEFRA approved wood burner, also known by the name DEFRA exempt. The stove has to be used for solid fuel, which means wood, and preferably well-seasoned. They are tested by the government to ensure that they don't generate excessive levels of smoke and are able to be used with 'authorized fuels (coal only).
The distinction between a stove that is DEFRA approved and one that isn't approved is usually quite small. Modern stoves can be made DEFRA certified by an approved kit supplied by the manufacturer and installed within a matter of minutes. This is due to the fact that Defra approved appliances must pass very strict tests and are limited in the amount of smoke they are able to produce.
To ensure that these limitations remain in place during the testing process, the stove must be capable of limiting the amount of combustion air it gets so that it does not starve itself of oxygen, which could cause it to smolder. This is accomplished by a mechanism inside the stove which opens the air into the firebox during combustion which is usually hidden within the stove and beneath the base of the fire box.
Stove World UK offers a wide range of DEFRA approved stoves from some of the best brands in the country, including Stovax, Arada and Burley. These are available in a vast variety of styles and designs. You can also choose from an impressive range of Ecodesign ready stoves that have been designed to meet the future air quality requirements.
Smoke Control Zones are located mostly in large cities and towns. You can check the website of your local authority to find out if you live in one. It is crucial to buy an approved DEFRA stove if you live in a smoke-controlled area. This will help you avoid being fined by your local authority. This is because if you burn 'unauthorised fuel in a non-approved stove, like coal or any other solid fuels and you are fined up to PS300.
Approved for wood
A DEFRA approved wood stove also called a smoke-free stove, is an appliance that can be utilized in a Smoke Control Area when burning wood. The stove will bear the
defra burning mdf approved logo or have an 'SE' in its name meaning it can be used in smoke controlled areas, when burning approved fuels that is, in this instance, wood.
The older wood stoves can release lots of particles into the air, which can cause or contribute to respiratory issues, asthma attacks, heart issues and premature death. This is why it is important to purchase new wood stoves 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 smoking area it is necessary to get it recertified before you can use the stove. This can be expensive and time-consuming, but it is required by law. Additionally, homeowners who sell a home that has a wood stove that is not certified may be liable for clean air tax credits as well as fines.
With a kit or an adjustment made by the installer, a majority of modern stoves can become Defra-approved. The primary difference between DEFRA approved stoves and ones that aren't is the combustion air control system, which regulates the quantity of air that goes through the stove in normal operation. The change is usually made on the underside of the firebox or in the base.
Certain manufacturers make two versions of a wood stove: one that is Defra-approved while the other that isn't. The reason behind this is that the cost of putting a stove through the rigorous Defra testing is expensive. To help recoup these costs, they will sell the non-approved version for a lower price. The DEFRA-approved version will have undergone the combustion air modification in the course of the test process.
Approved for Gas
Before the Clean Air Acts were brought in homes for residential use, homeowners could burn any type of fuel they wanted, which resulted in huge amounts of smoke emissions as well as health problems. To combat this Defra created Smoke Control Areas which meant that residential homes couldn't produce any smoke from their wood burners or
DEFRA Approved Eco Design Stoves multifuel stoves unless the appliance was Defra certified to burn only fuels that were authorised, such as manufactured smokeless coals and anthracite.
Defra approved SE (Smoke-Exempt) Stoves have been put through rigorous testing to demonstrate that they can safely burn approved fuels within a Smoke Control Zone. The latest technology for combustion delivers a constant minimum of secondary air into the firebox. This lets the stove meet Defra regulations for Smoke Control Areas even when it is used with approved fuels such as anthracite or manufactured smokeless coals.
If you're in the market for a new wood burning stove and you live in an area that has a Smoke Control Area then we recommend to look into the wide selection of Defra approved stoves which can be found here at The Stove Yard. We have a wide range of Defra-approved stoves. These include traditional models, modern and inset from top brands like Stovax. Arada, Burley, and AGA.