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Why Defra Approved Stove List Still Matters In 2023
What is a Defra Approved Wood Burning Stove?

If you live in an area where smoke is controlled, it's crucial to purchase a DEFRA-exempt stove. A DEFRA exempt stove (or SE) allows you to legally burn wood in a smoke controlled area.

They are independently tested to provide the lowest possible emissions. Stoves with this status typically have the 'Defra approved' logo in their names or specifications.

Approved for Smoke Controlled Areas

Many people believe that living in a Smoke Control Area means you can't have a stove that burns wood however this isn't true. In reality, many cities and towns are in a smoke-free zone, however this doesn't mean that you cannot use an oven, it simply means that you must make use of an exempt device and only use authorised fuels (usually Briquettes) in your stove. The Defra approved stove is a specific type of wood-burning stove that has been inspected to ensure it meets certain standards in relation to the emissions it releases when burning authorised fuels and consequently, it is able to be legally used in the Smoke Control Area.

The Defra logo is widely adopted in the industry and many of the stoves approved bear SE after their name which means they are smoke-free. To be SE approved the stove must meet strict emission requirements. This means that you can be sure that you're buying the best wood stove available.

If you're looking for a wood-burning stove which is Defra-exempt, or has SE after its title, you will find that the manufacturer has taken measures to make sure that there are enough air intakes on the front of stove to ensure that there is a full combustion of fuel and that the size of the chimney outlet is sufficient to avoid soot accumulation. This is crucial because it ensures that smoke from the wood burning stove does not escape through the chimney and into your home.

A stove that is Defra-approved permits you to install a 5" liner that is in compliance 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, as well as our Ecodesign Ready stoves that have been created with the future of air quality standards in mind. In fact, a lot of our Defra approved stoves are also able to be used with smoke control kits for those properties that are located in a Smoke Control Area and therefore can be used with a range of approved smokeless fuels, including fire logs.

Approved for Smokeless Fuels

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

The difference between a DEFRA-approved kitchen and one that isn't approved is usually very small. With a kit from the manufacturer, many contemporary stoves can be made DEFRA compliant in minutes. This is due to the fact that Defra approved appliances must pass extremely stringent tests and are limited in the amount of smoke they can produce.

To ensure that the restrictions are maintained the stove must be able to limit its combustion air to ensure that it doesn't rob itself of oxygen and cause it smoulder. This is accomplished through a mechanism within the stove which opens the air into the firebox during combustion, which is often hidden inside 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. They are available in a wide range of styles and finishes. Pick from a variety of Ecodesign stoves, which are designed to meet future needs 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 if you live in one of these. If you live in a smoke controlled area it is crucial that you purchase an DEFRA approved stove for your property, to avoid being fined by your local authority. If you burn coal or other solid fuels in a stove that is not approved stove, you may be fined up PS300.

Approved for wood

A DEFRA approved stove, also called a smoke exempt wood stove is an appliance which can be used to burn wood in a Smoke Control Area. The stove will bear the Defra approved symbol or 'SE' in front of its name that means it can only be used in areas controlled by smoke when you burn approved fuels. In this instance wood.

A lot of older wood stoves release lots of particulate matter into the atmosphere that can trigger or contribute to respiratory problems asthma attacks, heart problems and premature death. This is why it's essential to buy new wood stoves that is compliant with the strict emission standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Look for the "EPA 2020 Certified Label" which indicates that the stove is in compliance with the emission limits that are currently in place.

If you purchase a stove that isn't EPA-certified and you live in a smoking area, you'll need to get it recertified before you can use the stove. It is costly and time-consuming, but the law requires it. In addition homeowners who sell a house with an uncertified wood stove could be liable for clean air tax credits and fines.

With a kit, or an adjustment provided by the installer, the majority of modern stoves can become Defra-approved. The main difference between DEFRA approved stoves and those that aren't is the combustion air control system that controls the quantity of air that goes through the stove when it's in normal operation. The modification will usually be made on the underside of the firebox or within the base.

Certain manufacturers make two types of wood stove, one that is Defra-approved while the other not. This is because the process of putting a stove through the strict Defra tests can be very costly and to offset some of this expense they'll sell the non-approved version at a cheaper cost. The DEFRA-approved version will have undergone the combustion air modification as part of the test process.

Approved Gas

Before the Clean Air Acts were brought in homes for residential use, homeowners could burn any kind of fuel they wanted, which resulted in huge quantities of smoke emissions and health issues. To combat this, Defra established Smoke Control Areas. This meant that homes could not emit any smoke in the event that their wood burners or multifuel stoves were approved by Defra for burning only approved substances like manufactured smokeless coke and anthracite.

Defra approved SE (Smoke-Exempt) Stoves have been put through rigorous testing in order to prove that they can burn authorised fuels cleanly within a Smoke Control Area. The latest technology for combustion delivers an unabated minimum of secondary air into the firebox. This lets the stove meet Defra regulations for Smoke Control Areas even when it is using authorised fuels like anthracite as well as manufactured smokeless coals.

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

The good news is that there isn't any noticeable difference in appearance between an Defra approved woodburning stove and one which isn't, however the Defra approved models have several features that are designed to ensure that they burn more efficiently. In DEFRA stoves near me , they have a different grate as well as air vents. On the gas versions they may also feature a different sized flue outlet.

Another benefit of the Defra Approved stove is that they'll typically have a 5" (125mm) flue outlet, which means you can use a narrower stainless steel twin wall flexible chimney liner which is cheaper than the standard 6" (150mm) liner. We've used this when customers have an old or non-standard chimney that we are installing a Defra approved wood burning stove in to and it saves the cost of relining the chimney with a bigger diameter liner.