What is DEFRA approved wood burning stoves Approved Wood Burning Stove?
If you live in an area where smoke is controlled, it's crucial to buy 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. Stoves with this status will often display the 'Defra-approved logo on their name or the specifications.
Approved for Smoke Controlled Areas
Many people think 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 are in the smoke control zone, however, that doesn't mean that you can't use a wooden burning stove. It's just that they need to burn authorised fuels in their stove (usually Briquettes). The Defra approved stove is a kind of wood-burning stove that has been inspected to ensure it meets certain criteria in regards to the emissions it emits when burning authorised fuels, and therefore it can be used legally in smoke control Area.
The Defra Logo is widely used in the industry, and a lot of stoves feature the SE after their names to indicate they are smoke-free. To be SE approved, a stove must meet strict emission criteria. This means that you can rest assured that you are buying the best wood stove that is available.
If you are searching for a stove that burns wood that is Defra-exempt or that has SE after its title, you will find that the manufacturer has done things like ensure that there are sufficient air intakes in the front of stove to allow full combustion of fuel and that the size of the chimney outlet is sufficient to prevent the accumulation of soot. This is important because it helps to ensure that the smoke from the stove does not escape through the chimney and into your home.
A Defra-approved stove allows you to install a 5" liner that is compliant with UK building regulations. Non-Defra-approved stoves require a 6" liner.
Stovax is proud to offer a variety of fireplaces and stoves that are Defra-approved and Ecodesign Ready stoves which have been designed with future standards for air quality in mind. Many of our stoves that are Defra-approved can also be used combination with a smoke control system for properties that are located in Smoke Control Areas. They can be used to burn a variety of in smokeless fuels, including fire logs.
Approved for Smokeless Fuels
A DEFRA approved wood burning stove, also referred to as a DEFRA exempt stove, is the only type of stove that you can put in a smoke-control area when you plan to use it to burn solid fuel (wood, preferably well seasoned). They are tested by the government to ensure that they don't generate excessive levels of smoke. They are able to be used with 'authorized fuels (coal only).
The difference between the differences between a DEFRA approved stove and one that isn't typically is very small. With a kit supplied by the manufacturer, a lot of modern stoves can be converted to DEFRA conforming in just a few only a few minutes. This is due to the fact that a Defra approved stove must undergo very rigorous tests and is limited on how much smoke it can produce.
To ensure that the restrictions are maintained the stove must be able limit its combustion air to ensure that it doesn't starve itself of oxygen, which could cause it to smolder. This is achieved by a mechanism in the stove that opens a small amount of air into the firebox during combustion, which is typically hidden within the stove and underneath the base of the fire box.
Stove World UK has a large selection of DEFRA approved stoves, from some of the top manufacturers in the country including Stovax Arada and Burley. They are available in a vast variety of styles and colors. You can also pick from an impressive range of Ecodesign ready stoves that are specifically designed to meet future requirements for air quality.
Smoke Control Areas are primarily situated around cities and towns with large populations and you can check the official website of your local authority to determine if the area you live in is classified as one. It is crucial to buy a DEFRA-approved stove if you reside in a zone that is smoke-controlled. This will allow you to avoid being fined by the local authority. If you burn coal or other solid fuels using a non approved stove, you may be fined 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 bear the Defra approved logo or have 'SE' after its name which means it is able to be used in smoke controlled areas, when burning approved fuels only that is, in this instance, wood.
The older wood stoves produce large quantities of particulate matter. These can lead to or worsen asthma attacks, respiratory issues and heart problems. It is therefore essential to buy a wood stove that is in compliance with strict emission standards set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency. You should look for the "EPA 2020 Certified" label, which signifies that the stove has met the emissions limits that are currently in place.
If you purchase an appliance that isn't EPA certified and you live in a smoke control area, you will need to get it recertified before you can use it. It's time-consuming and expensive, but the law requires it. In addition, homeowners who sell a home with an uncertified wood stove may be liable for clean air tax credits as well as fines.
Modern stoves can be upgraded to become Defra approved with a kit or an adjustment that the installer provides. The primary difference between DEFRA approved stoves and those that aren't is the combustion air control system, which controls the quantity of air that goes through the stove when it is in normal operation. The change is usually placed on the underside of the firebox, or in the base.
Some manufacturers produce two versions of their wood stoves one that is Defra approved and the other not. This is because the process of placing a stove through strict Defra tests can be very costly in order to recover some of the cost, they'll offer the non-approved version at a lower cost. The DEFRA approved version will have been subjected to the modification of combustion air performed as part of the testing process.
Approved for Gas
Prior to the Clean Air Acts, residential homes could use any fuel they wanted, which resulted in large amounts of smoke emissions. This could cause health problems. To stop this, Defra established Smoke Control Areas which meant that homes in residential areas couldn't emit any smoke from their multifuel stoves or wood burners unless the appliance was Defra certified to burn only authorised fuels such as manufactured smokeless coals and anthracite.
Defra approved stoves, also referred to as SE (Smoke Exempt) Stoves, have been subjected to rigorous tests to prove that they can cleanly burn authorized fuels within a Smoke Control Area. The latest combustion technology delivers a constant minimum of secondary air into the firebox. This lets the stove meet Defra standards for Smoke Control Areas even when it is used with approved fuels like anthracite as well as manufactured smokeless coals.
If you're looking for a brand new wood-burning stove and you live in Smoke Control Area then we recommend that you take a look at the wide selection of Defra approved stoves that can be found here at The Stove Yard. We offer a variety of Defra-approved stoves, including traditional models, modern and inset from top brands like Stovax. Arada, Burley, and AGA.
The good thing is that there is no difference in appearance between a stove approved by Defra and one that isn't. However, the Defra-approved models do come with a few extra features designed to make them burn cleaner. They typically have an aesthetically different grate and air vents, and on gas versions they might have a slightly smaller flue outlet.
Another benefit of an Defra Approved stove is that they'll almost always have a 5" (125mm) flue outlet. This means that you can use a narrower stainless steel twin wall flexible chimney liner which is less expensive than the standard 6" (150mm) liner. We've used this when the customer has an old or non-standard chimney stack which we are installing a Defra approved wood burning stove in to and also saves the expense of relining the chimney with a larger diameter liner.