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) permits you to legally burn wood in a smoke-controlled area.

They are independently tested to provide the lowest emissions possible. Stoves with this status are usually branded with the 'DEFRA stoves for sale approved logo on their specifications or name.

Approved for Smoke Controlled Areas

Many people believe that living in a smoke-free zone means that they aren't able to make use of a fireplace that burns wood. It's not the case. In reality, most cities and towns are in a smoke-free zone, but this doesn't mean you can't have stoves, it just means that you must make use of an exempt device and only use authorised fuels (usually Briquettes) in your stove. The stove that is Defra-approved is a wood-burning stove that has been thoroughly tested to ensure that it meets certain standards in terms of the emissions it generates when burning authorised materials. It can therefore be used legally in smoke-control zones.

The Defra Logo is widely used in the industry, and many stoves are marked with the SE after their names to indicate that they are smoke-free. To be able to be SE approved, it must satisfy strict criteria with regards to its emissions, so you can be certain that when you purchase an exempt defra stove, you will receive the cleanest and best burning wood stove on the market.

If you search for a wood burning stove that is DEFRA legislation stoves exempt or has SE after its name, you'll often discover that the manufacturer has carried out things such as made sure there are enough air inlets on the front of the stove to permit full combustion of the fuel and that the chimney outlet is large enough to prevent soot build-up. This is important because it ensures that smoke from the wood burning stove is not able to escape through the chimney into your home.

A stove that is Defra-approved permits 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 proud to offer a variety of Defra approved stoves and fires, as well as our Ecodesign Ready stoves that have been developed with the future standards of air quality in mind. Many of our stoves that are Defra-approved can also be used in conjunction with a smoke control system for properties located in Smoke Control Zones. They can be utilized to burn a variety of in 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, also referred to by the designation DEFRA exempt. The stove has to 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 stove and one that isn't approved is usually quite small. With a kit from the manufacturer, many contemporary stoves can be transformed into DEFRA certified in a matter of minutes. This is because Defra approved appliances must pass extremely stringent tests and are restricted in the amount of smoke they can produce.

To ensure that these limitations are not violated during testing, the stove needs to be capable of limiting its combustion air supply so that it does not starve itself of oxygen, which can cause it to smoke. This is accomplished by a mechanism in the stove that allows the air into the firebox during combustion, which is often hidden inside the stove and underneath the base of the fire box.

Stove World UK has a wide range of DEFRA approved stoves, from some of the best brands in the country such as Stovax Arada and Burley. These are available in a huge variety of styles and finishes. You can also select from a vast selection of Ecodesign ready stoves that are specifically designed to meet future air quality requirements.

Smoke Control Zones are predominantly in large cities and towns. You can visit the website of your local authority to find out whether you are in one. It is crucial to buy a DEFRA lawful stoves-approved stove if you reside in a zone that is smoke-controlled. This will help you avoid being fined by your local authority. This is because if you burn 'unauthorised fuel on an unapproved stove, such as coal or any other solid fuels, you could be fined up to PS300.

Approved for wood

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

The older wood stoves produce huge amounts of particulate matter. These can trigger or exacerbate respiratory problems, asthma attacks and heart issues. This is why it is essential to buy an updated wood stove that is compliant with the strict emission standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Look for a "EPA 2020 Certified" label, which means that the stove is in compliance with the emissions limits that are now in place.

If you purchase a stove that is not EPA-certified, and you reside in a smoke-free area you'll have to recertify it before you can use the stove. This can be expensive and time-consuming, but it is legally required. Homeowners who decide to sell a property with wood stoves that are not certified may be subject to tax credits or fines that relate to the clean air.

The majority of modern stoves can be altered to be Defra approved with an adjustment kit or kit that the installer provides. This is due to the primary difference between a DEFRA approved stove and those that are not, is the combustion air management system which controls how much air passes through the stove in normal operation. The change is usually located on the bottom of the firebox or in the base.

Certain manufacturers make two different versions of a wood stove, one that is DEFRA stoves ratings and reviews-approved while the other that isn't. The reason for this is that the cost of putting a stove through the rigorous Defra testing is costly. To help recoup these costs, they will sell the non approved version at a cheaper cost. The DEFRA-approved version will have been through the modification to the combustion air in the course of the test procedure.

Approved for Gas

Prior to the Clean Air Acts, residential homes could use any fuel they wanted to, leading to high levels of smoke emissions. This led to health issues. To stop this, Defra established Smoke Control Areas which meant that homes in residential areas couldn't emit any smoke from their wood burners or multifuel stoves unless the appliance was Defra certified to burn only approved fuels like manufactured smokeless coals and anthracite.

DEFRA compliant stoves approved stoves, also known as SE (Smoke Exempt) Stoves, have undergone rigorous testing to demonstrate 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 comply with Defra standards for Smoke Control Areas even when it is using authorised fuels like anthracite and manufactured smokeless coals.

If you're looking for an all-new wood burning stove and are in an area that has a Smoke Control Area then we would recommend that you take a look at the wide selection of Defra approved stoves which can be found here at The Stove Yard. We have a broad selection 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's not really a difference in appearance between an DEFRA approved multi-fuel stoves approved wood-burning stove and one that isn't, however the Defra approved models do have several features that are designed to ensure they burn more efficiently. They typically have an aesthetically different grate and air vents as well as on gas models they may have a slightly smaller flue outlet.

Another benefit of an Defra Approved stove is that they'll almost always come with five" (125mm) flue outlet, which means you can use a smaller stainless steel twin wall chimney liner that is less expensive than the standard 6" (150mm) liner. This is useful when installing a Defra-approved wood burning stove into an old or nonstandard chimney stack. It can save money on the cost of relining a chimney with a larger diameter liner.