What is a Defra Approved Wood Burning Stove?

If you live in a smoke-free zone then you must 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 that are certified will often display the 'Defra-approved logo on their name or specification.

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 fall under a smoke control zone however, that doesn't mean that you can't use a wooden burning stove. It's just that they have to burn approved fuels in their stove (usually brquettes). The premium DEFRA stoves approved stove is a kind of wood-burning stove that has been tested to ensure that it meets certain criteria regarding the emissions it emits when burning fuels that are approved and therefore it can be legally used in the Smoke Control Area.

The Defra logo is widely used in the industry, and a lot of the stoves that have been approved have SE after their name, meaning they are smoke-free. To be SE approved the stove must satisfy strict emission criteria. This means that you can rest assured that you are purchasing the top DEFRA stoves wood stove that is available.

If you search for a wood burning stove that is Defra exempt or is marked with SE after its name, you'll often discover that the manufacturer has done things like ensuring that 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 important because it ensures that the smoke from the wood burning stove is not able to escape through the chimney and into your home.

A stove that is Defra-approved allows you to install a 5" liner that is compliant with UK building regulations. Non-Defra-approved stoves require a 6" liner.

At Stovax we are delighted to offer a range of Defra approved stoves and fires, alongside our Ecodesign Ready stoves that have been created with the future of air quality standards in mind. Many of our Defra-approved stoves are also able to be used in conjunction with a smoke-control system for properties located in Smoke Control Areas. They can be used to burn a variety smokeless fuels, including fire logs.

Approved for Smokeless fuels

The only stove that can be put in inside a smoke-control zone is one that is a DEFRA approved wood burner, also known as DEFRA exempt. This stove should be used for solid fuel, which means wood, and preferably well-seasoned. The government tests these stoves to ensure that they don't emit excessive smoke and can be used only with 'authorized' fuels.

The difference between a DEFRA-approved stove and one that isn't approved is usually very small. A lot of modern stoves can be made DEFRA conforming with a kit that is supplied by the manufacturer and fitted in a matter of 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 limit its combustion air to ensure that it doesn't rob itself of oxygen and cause it smoulder. This is achieved through a mechanism within the stove which opens the air into the firebox during the process of combustion, which is often hidden inside the stove and underneath the base of the firebox.

Stove World UK offers a wide range of DEFRA approved stoves from the country's best manufacturers, including Stovax, Arada and Burley. These are available in a vast variety of styles and designs. Choose from a wide range of Ecodesign stoves, which are designed to meet the future needs for air quality.

Smoke Control Areas are usually situated around large towns and city centres and you can look up the website of your local authority to determine if the area you live in is classed as such. 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 your local authority. This is because if you burn unauthorised fuel in an unapproved stove, such as coal or any other solid fuels, you could be fined up to PS300.

Approved for wood

A DEFRA approved wood stove also called a smoke-free stove is an appliance that can be used in a Smoke Control Area when burning wood. The stove will be stamped with the Defra approved logo or the word "SE" after its name, which means that it is able to be used in smoke controlled areas, when burning approved fuels only which is in this case wood.

Many older wood stoves emit large quantities of particulate matter, which can cause or worsen respiratory problems, asthma attacks and heart issues. It is therefore important to purchase a stove that is compliant with the strict emission standards as set by the Environmental Protection Agency. Look for the "EPA 2020 Certified Label" which means that the wood stove meets the emission limits currently in place.

If you purchase a stove that is not EPA-certified, and you reside in a smoke-free area, you'll need to get it recertified before you can use the stove. It can be costly and time-consuming, however 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 supplied by the installer, the majority of modern stoves can be made Defra-approved. This is because the main difference between the DEFRA approved stove and those which aren't, is the combustion air management system that controls how much air passes through the stove during normal operation. Modifications are typically made to the base or the side of the firebox that is underneath the stove.

Certain manufacturers make two types of wood stove: one that is DEFRA Permitted stoves-approved and the other that isn't. This is due to the process of putting a stove through the strict DEFRA stoves ratings tests can be very costly and to offset some of the costs, they'll sell the non-approved version at a lower cost. The DEFRA approved version will have been subjected to the modification of combustion air included in 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 led to large amounts of smoke emissions as well as health issues. To combat this, Defra established Smoke Control Areas. This means that residential homes can not emit smoke unless their wood burners and multifuel stoves were DEFRA approved British stoves-approved for burning only approved materials like manufactured smokeless coke and anthracite.

Defra approved stoves, also referred to as SE (Smoke Exempt) Stoves, have undergone rigorous tests to prove that they can cleanly burn authorized fuels within a Smoke Control Zone. The most modern combustion technology allows an unabated minimum of secondary air into the firebox. This lets the stove comply with Defra regulations for Smoke Control Areas even when it is used with approved fuels like anthracite and manufactured smokeless coals.

The Stove Yard has a wide range of Defra-approved stoves that are ideal for those who reside in a smoke-free zone and require a brand new wood burning fireplace. We offer a wide collection of traditional, contemporary and inset Defra approved stoves from industry-leading manufacturers such as Stovax, Arada, Burley and AGA.

The good thing is that there is no visual difference between a stove approved by Defra and a non-approved model. However the models that are Defra-approved have a few features designed to make them burn more efficiently. They usually 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 will almost always have a 5" (125mm) flue outlet, which means you can use a smaller stainless steel twin wall flexible chimney liner which is cheaper than a standard 6" (150mm) liner. We've used this when a customer has an old or non-standard chimney that we are installing the DEFRA recommended stoves approved wood-burning stove in and it saves the cost of relining the chimney with a wider diameter liner.