What is a Defra Approved Multi Fuel Stove?
A multi-fuel stove that has been approved by defra is one that has passed the Defra test for smoke. These stoves are often referred to as SE (smoke-exempt) stoves.
The government's Defra department oversees rules and regulations related to the environment, agriculture and rural issues. The Defra Test assures you that you are able to burn wood and approved smokeless fuels, such as Anthracite Ovals in a smoke-controlled space without disturbing your neighbours.
Eco-Friendly
Eco-friendly stoves make use of sustainable fuels and materials to reduce emissions. Eco-friendly stoves are generally built to burn wood, or a combination with other approved fuels. There are many eco-friendly multi-fuel stoves and log burners available, from modern to traditional models. Some eco-friendly stoves use dung as a sustainable and carbon-negative substitute for wood.
The most important aspect to ensuring that your stove is eco-friendly is to ensure that the fuel you use is properly seasoned and kiln dried. This helps reduce the moisture content and lets the wood burn more efficiently, and produce less smoke. It is also a good idea to buy only wood that has been sourced from sustainable forests. Look for the Woodsure 'Ready to Burn' logo when purchasing wood to guarantee that it has been dried to an appropriate temperature.
Most modern stoves are designed to meet the strict EU EcoDesign standards. These standards require stove makers to design wood-burning stoves keeping energy efficiency and the environment in mind. Manufacturers must consider emissions as well as resource efficiency and waste reduction when they design Ecodesign stoves. These stoves are among the most eco-friendly and clean stoves available.
Replace the grates on your stove with ceramic grates. This will make it more environmentally friendly. This material is not only aesthetically pleasing and attractive, but it also comes with the added benefit of being anti-smoking and helping reduce the amount of sulphur dioxide that is released into the air. Ceramic Grease liners also have a longer life span and are easier to clean than steel inserts into grates.
While you can still enjoy the comfort of cozy wood burners or a multi fuel stove in a Smoke Control Area, it is essential to only use Defra approved fuels. You could be breaking the law if you do not. To avoid this, only use Defra approved fuels, like a manufactured smokeless anthracite oval in your stove.
Clean Burning
A Defra approved multi fuel stove can be used in smoke controlled areas, provided it burns smokeless fuel only. It could be a smokeless log, anthracite, or a naturally occurring or manufactured product. Stove makers must also adhere to the regulations in order to make an DEFRA exempt wood burner available for sale. Here at The Stove Yard we have an incredible selection of DEFRA approved stoves for wood burning and multi fuel stoves from top brands such as Arada, Parkray, Burley,
DEFRA exempt stoves Stovax and many more.
These types of
Defra exempt stoves feature the latest combustion technology designed to reduce emissions and the build-up of tar up in your chimney and flue system. They use the latest secondary and tertiary airflow techniques to ignite tar gases and particulates before they can escape into the atmosphere - this is the reason why a Defra approved stove less polluting than older wood burning stoves and open fires.
The design of a Defra approved stove is also different The majority of our stoves include an internal mechanism hidden within the stove that allows a small flow of air through to the fire, even when the air vents are shut. This prevents soot and ash from being carried up the chimney, which can block your stove and can cause dangerous chimney fires.
The new Defra-approved cooktops don't allow you to shut the air vents and slumber the stove overnight and release part-burned combustibles to the atmosphere.
A DEFRA-approved cooktop will have a longer burn time compared to older stoves that are not DEFRA-approved. However, if you were to replace your fuel of choice with smokeless coal in order to rest the stove for a night, this would also shorten the burn as the constant supply of air needed to slumber would reduce the combustion of the smokeless fuel.
Reduced Emissions
When used properly, a DEFRA exempt stove can generate very low levels of emissions. These emissions are usually PM2.5 particles which, when inhaled, could cause various health issues, including heart problems and lung illnesses.
The high efficiency of combustion in a DEFRA approved wood burner reduces the amount of harmful particles and pollutants released during the combustion process. This significantly lowers the impact on the environment, particularly in urban areas where pollution levels are very high.
The efficiency of a stove could reduce the cost of heating your house. Using the DEFRA approved wood-burning stove instead of gas boilers of the conventional variety will reduce your carbon footprint as well as save money on your energy bills.
If you live in a zone where smoke is controlled, it's vital that your stove is DEFRA-approved (or Smoke Exempt) as this will enable you to burn approved Defra fuels like manufactured smokeless ovals like Anthracite or Homefire as well dried wood and other approved fuels. This will let you relax in the fireplace, without worrying about how the stench of smoke could disturb your neighbors.
Many stoves that are DEFRA-approved, are tested in accordance with clearSkies standards and can be labelled using the clearSkies label. The clearSkies scheme is an independent scheme which requires stove makers to provide information on the efficiency and emissions of their products that allow consumers to make an informed decision. The information must include the stove's efficiency rating, emissions, and type and size.
However, it's important to remember that, as with Ecodesign the clearSkies regulations are minimum standards and manufacturers are able to exceed them. ESSE has developed its most recent stoves to make them even more efficient and cleaner, producing less dust without any compromise in the performance or control. This latest advancement utilizes the Twin Catalytic Combustion Technology, a patent-pending technology that reburns all smoke particles which reduces their impact on the atmosphere.
If you live in a smoke-free zone and use a DEFRA Approved Stove with a high-quality, kiln-dried or seasoned log, you will get as much heat, or more in the same amount of dry wood as when it was burned in an non DEFRA Approved Stove. It could be up to 24 percent less expensive to heat your home using the latest DEFRA Approved Stove than with gas boiler.
Conforms to Building Regulations
If you live in an area that is under smoke control, it is important to use a multi-fuel stove approved by DEFRA. The stoves have been tested to ensure they do not emit smoke when burning approved fuel. You can therefore use them in areas with a large number of buildings. We supply and install
DEFRA stoves advantages approved log stoves from top brands such as Mi-fires and Contura.
You can also safely burn wood, peat, and other solid fuels using a DEFRA-approved multi-fuel stove. It is essential to be aware that certain types of fuels cannot be used in Smoke Control Areas.
Proper ventilation is vital for safe operation of a multi fuel stove, because it helps to reduce the amount of carbon monoxide that builds up in your home. DEFRA approved multi fuel stoves have an integrated venting system that automatically delivers an adequate amount of air to the combustion process, so your home will always be fully ventilated and safe to use.
