What is a Defra Approved Wood Burning Stove?
If you reside in a smoke control area then it is crucial to buy a DEFRA exempt stove. A DEFRA exempt stove (or SE) permits you to legally burn wood in a smoke-controlled area.
The stoves are tested independently to ensure the lowest emission possible. Stoves with this status often feature the word '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 have a stove that burns wood and this is not true. In reality, a majority of cities and towns are within an area that is smoke-free, but this doesn't mean you cannot use an oven, it simply means you need to make use of an exempt appliance and only burn fuels that are approved (usually brquettes) in your stove. The Defra approved stove is a type of wood-burning stove that has been inspected to ensure it meets certain standards in regards to the emissions that it produces when burning authorised fuels, and consequently, it is able to be used legally in the Smoke Control Area.
The Defra Logo is widely used in the industry, and many stoves feature the SE after their names to signify that they are smoke-free. To be SE approved the stove must meet strict emission standards. This means that you can rest assured that you're buying the best wood stove available.
If you are looking for a wood burning stove that is Defra exempt or has SE after its name, you will often find that the manufacturer has carried out things such as made sure there are enough air intakes on the front of the stove to allow 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 doesn't escape the chimney into your home.
A stove that is Defra-approved allows you to use 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 variety of Defra approved stoves and fires. We also have our Ecodesign Ready stoves that have been created with the future standards of air quality in mind. In fact, many of our Defra approved stoves are suitable for use with a smoke control kit for those properties that are located in a Smoke Control Area and therefore can be used with a variety of authorised smokeless fuels including fire logs.
Approved for Smokeless Fuels
The only stove that can be installed inside a smoke-control zone is a DEFRA approved wood burner, which is also known by the designation DEFRA exempt. This stove should be used with a solid fuel, which is wood, which is best seasoned. They are tested by the government to ensure that they don't produce excessive levels of smoke. They can be used with approved' fuels (coal only).
The difference between a DEFRA approved stove and one that is not can be very minimal. With a kit supplied by the manufacturer, many contemporary stoves can be easily made DEFRA compliant in only a few minutes. This is due to the fact that Defra approved appliances must pass very strict tests and have a limit on the amount of smoke they can produce.
To ensure that the restrictions are not violated the stove must be able to limit the amount of combustion air to ensure that it doesn't deprive itself of oxygen and cause it to smolder. This is achieved by a mechanism in the stove that opens an air pocket 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 large selection of DEFRA approved stoves from the country's best manufacturers including Stovax, Arada and Burley. They are available in a vast variety of styles and finishes. You can also choose from a wide range of Ecodesign ready stoves that are designed to meet future standards for air quality.
Smoke Control Zones are located mostly in large towns and cities. You can go to the website of your local authority to determine whether you are in one of these. If you reside in a smoke controlled area it is essential to purchase an DEFRA approved stove for your home, to avoid being fined by the local authority. If you use coal or other solid fuels in a non approved stove, you may be fined PS300.
Approved for Wood
A DEFRA approved wood stove also known as a smoke exempt stove, is a device that can be utilized in a Smoke Control Area when burning wood. The stove will be stamped with the Defra approved logo or have 'SE' after its name meaning it can be used in smoke-controlled areas that burn approved fuels only which is in this case wood.
The older wood stoves can release large amounts of particles into the air that can trigger or contribute to respiratory problems, asthma attacks, heart problems and premature death. Therefore, it is essential to choose a wood stove that is compliant with the strict emission standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency. Look for an "EPA 2020 Certified" label, which indicates that the stove is in compliance with the emissions limits that are currently in place.
If you purchase a cooktop that isn't EPA-certified and you live in a smoking area it is necessary to recertify it before you can use the stove. This can be expensive and time consuming, but it is required by law. Homeowners who decide to sell a property with wood stove that is not certified may also be liable for tax credits or fines that relate to clean air.
With a kit or an adjustment supplied by the installer, a majority of modern stoves can be made Defra-approved. This is due to the primary difference between a DEFRA approved stove and one which aren't, is the combustion air management system which regulates how much air flows through the stove in normal operation. Modifications are typically made to the base or side of the firebox that is underneath the stove.
Some manufacturers produce two types of wood stove: one that is Defra-approved, and the other not. The reason behind this is that the cost of putting a stove through the rigorous Defra testing is high. To help recoup the costs, they sell the non-approved version for a lower price. The DEFRA approved version will have been subjected to the modification of combustion air done as part of the testing procedure.
Approved for Gas
Prior to the Clean Air Acts, residential homes were able to burn any fuel they wanted to, which resulted in large amounts of smoke emissions. This could cause health problems. To combat this, Defra established Smoke Control Areas. This meant that residential homes could not emit smoke in the event that their wood burners or multifuel stoves were Defra-approved for burning only authorised substances 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 are able to burn cleanly authorised fuels within a Smoke Control Area. They do this by using the latest combustion technology which constantly delivers a minimum level of secondary air to the firebox, so that even when the stove is used with approved fuels like anthracite or manufactured smokeless coals it can still comply with Defra's rules for Smoke Control Areas.
If www.fireplacesandstove.com looking to purchase an all-new wood burning stove and are in Smoke Control Area then we would recommend to look into the range of Defra approved stoves which are available at The Stove Yard. We have a broad selection of contemporary, traditional and inset Defra approved stoves from industry-leading manufacturers like Stovax, Arada, Burley and AGA.
The good news is that there is no distinction 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 that are designed to help them burn more efficiently. In general, they have a different design of grate as well as air vents. On the gas models they might also have 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 smaller stainless steel twin wall chimney liner that is cheaper than a standard 6" (150mm) liner. We've found this useful when a customer has an old or non-standard chimney that we are installing the Defra approved wood-burning stove in and it saves the cost of re-lining the chimney stack with a larger diameter liner.