What is a Defra Approved Wood Burning Stove?

If you live in a smoke-free zone then it is crucial to buy a DEFRA exempt stove. A DEFRA exempt (or SE) stove permits you to legally burn wood in a smoke-controlled zone.

They are independently tested to ensure the lowest possible emissions. Stoves with this status are often branded with the 'Defra-approved' logo on their name or the specifications.

Approved for Smoke Controlled Areas

Many people believe that living in a smoke-free area means they can't use a wood burning fireplace. It's not the case. In reality, a majority of cities and large towns are in a smoke-free zone, however this doesn't mean that you cannot use a stove, it just means that you must make use of an exempt appliance and only burn authorised fuels (usually briquettes) in your stove. The Defra approved stove is a kind of wood-burning stove that has been inspected to ensure it meets certain standards in regards to the emissions it emits when burning authorised fuels, and therefore it can be used legally in the Smoke Control Area.

The Defra Logo is widely used in the industry, and many stoves have the SE after their names to signify that they are smoke-free. To be SE approved the stove must satisfy strict emission standards. This means you can rest assured that you are purchasing the top wood stove available.

If you search for a stove that burns wood that is Defra exempt or has SE after its name, you will often discover that the manufacturer has done things like making sure there are enough air intakes on the front of the stove to allow for full combustion of the fuel and that the chimney outlet size is adequate to stop the build-up of soot. This is important as it will ensure that the smoke from the stove doesn't escape through the chimney and into your home.

A Defra-approved stove allows you to install a 5" liner which is compliant with UK building regulations. Non-Defra-approved stoves require a 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 designed with future air quality standards in mind. In fact, a lot of our Defra approved stoves are also capable of being used with smoke control kits for properties in a Smoke Control Area and so can be used with a variety of authorised smokeless fuels including fire logs.

Approved for Smokeless Fuels

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

The difference between a DEFRA-approved kitchen and one that isn't approved is usually minimal. Many modern stoves can easily be transformed into DEFRA conforming with the kit supplied by the manufacturer and then fitted in a matter of minutes. This is because Defra approved appliances must pass extremely rigorous tests and are restricted in the amount of smoke they can produce.

To ensure that the restrictions are maintained, the stove must be able limit its combustion air to ensure that it doesn't deprive itself of oxygen and cause it smoulder. This is achieved by a mechanism that opens the air in the firebox when it's burning. It is usually hidden inside the stove or underneath the base of its firebox.

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

Smoke Control Zones are located mostly in large towns and cities. You can visit the website of your local authority to see if you live in one of these. If you live in a smoke controlled area it is very important that you buy an DEFRA approved stove for your home to avoid being fined by your local authority. This is because if you burn unauthorised fuel on a non-approved stove, such as coal or any other solid fuels that could result in fines of 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 bear the Defra approved symbol or the word 'SE' in the front of its name meaning it can only be used in smoke-controlled areas if you burn approved fuels. In this case, wood.

Many older wood stoves emit large quantities of particulate matter. This can cause or worsen respiratory problems, asthma attacks and heart problems. Therefore, it is essential to buy a wood stove that is compliant with the strict emission standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency. Look for a "EPA 2020 Certified" label, which signifies that the stove meets the emissions limits currently in place.

If you purchase an appliance that isn't EPA certified and you reside in a smoke-free zone it is necessary to get it recertified before you can use it. It can be costly and time-consuming, but the law requires it. Additionally homeowners who sell a house with a wood stove that isn't certified may be liable for clean air tax credits and fines.

With a kit or an adjustment supplied by the installer, the majority of modern stoves can become Defra-approved. This is because the primary difference between the DEFRA approved stove and those that aren't is the combustion air management system that regulates how much air flows through the stove in normal operation. Modifications are usually done to the base or side of the firebox that is underneath the stove.

Certain manufacturers make two types of wood stove, one that is Defra-approved and the other that isn't. This is because the process of putting a stove through the strict Defra tests is very expensive and to offset some of the costs, they'll offer the non-approved version at a lower price. The DEFRA approved version will have been subjected to the modification of combustion air included in the testing procedure.

Approved for Gas

Before the Clean Air Acts were brought into effect, residential homes could use any type of fuel they liked which resulted in large quantities of smoke emissions and health problems. To stop this, Defra established Smoke Control Areas. This meant that residential homes could not produce any smoke unless their wood burners and multifuel stoves were approved by Defra for burning only approved materials such as manufactured smokeless coke and anthracite.

DEFRA list stoves approved SE (Smoke-Exempt) Stoves have been put through rigorous testing to demonstrate that they can efficiently burn fuels that are approved within a Smoke Control Area. They do this by using the most advanced combustion technology that constantly delivers a minimum level of secondary air to the combustion chamber, so that even if the stove is used with authorised fuels such as anthracite or manufactured smokeless coals, it can still comply with the regulations of Defra for Smoke Control Areas.

The Stove Yard has a large selection of Defra-approved stoves which are perfect for those who live in a smoke control zone and require a brand new fireplace that burns wood. We have an extensive range of traditional, contemporary and inset Defra approved stoves from industry-leading manufacturers such as Stovax, Arada, Burley and AGA.

The good part is that there's much of a distinction in appearance between a Defra approved wood-burning stove and one that isn't, however the Defra approved models do come with various features that are designed to ensure they burn cleaner. In general, they have a different design of grate and air vents, and on the gas versions, they may also have an alternative size flue outlet.

A Defra Approved Stove will almost always have 5" flue outlet (125mm). This means that you can use a smaller stainless steel twin wall flexible liner that is cheaper than a 6" (150mm). We've seen this helpful when customers have an older or non-standard chimney stack which we are installing the Defra approved wood-burning stove in and also saves the expense of re-lining the chimney stack with a wider diameter liner.