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 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 that have this status will often display the 'Defra-approved logo on their name or specification.
Approved for Smoke Controlled Areas
Many people believe that living in a Smoke Control Area means you can't have a wood burning stove however this isn't true. In reality, many cities and towns are within an area that is smoke-free, 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 Defra-approved stove is a wood-burning stove that has been thoroughly tested to ensure that it meets certain criteria in regards to the emissions it emits when burning authorised materials. It is therefore able to be legally used in a smoke control area.
The Defra logo is widely adopted in the industry and many of the stoves approved bear SE after their names, meaning they are smoke free. To be able to be SE approved it must meet strict requirements in relation to its emissions So you can be assured that when you purchase a stove that is defra exempt, you will get the most clean and best burning wood stove on the market.
If you are looking for a stove that burns wood that is Defra-exempt or has SE after its title You will see that the manufacturer has taken measures to ensure that there are sufficient air intakes in 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 prevent the accumulation of soot. This is crucial as it will ensure that the smoke from the stove doesn't escape the chimney and enter your home.
Another benefit of the Defra approved stove is that it usually allows you to fit it with 5" chimney liner, which complies with UK building regulations, whilst stoves that aren't Defra-approved will have to be fitted with a bigger 6" liner.
Stovax is proud to offer a range of fireplaces and stoves that are Defra-approved, as well as our Ecodesign Ready stoves which have been designed with future standards for air quality in mind. In fact, a lot of our Defra approved stoves are also capable of being used with a smoke control kit for properties located in a Smoke Control Area and therefore can be used with a variety of smokeless fuels that are authorised, such as fire logs.
Approved for Smokeless Fuels
The only stove that can be used within a smoke-control zone is a DEFRA approved wood burner, also known by the name DEFRA exempt. This stove should be used with solid fuel, that is wood, preferably well-seasoned. The government tests these stoves to ensure that they don't emit excessive smoke and that they can only be used with approved fuels.
The difference between a DEFRA-approved stove and one that is not approved is usually quite small. A lot of modern stoves can be made DEFRA conforming with a kit that is supplied by the manufacturer and installed within a matter of minutes. This is because the Defra approved stove must undergo rigorous tests and has to be limited in the amount of smoke it is able to produce.
To ensure that these restrictions are maintained during testing the stove will have to be capable of limiting the amount of combustion air it gets to ensure that it doesn't starve itself of oxygen, which can cause it to smolder. This is done through a mechanism within 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 firebox.
Stove World UK offers a wide range of DEFRA approved stoves from the best brands in the country such as Stovax, Arada and Burley. They are available in an enormous range of styles and finishes. You can also select from a vast range of Ecodesign ready stoves that are specifically designed to meet future requirements for air quality.
please click the next webpage are primarily situated around large cities and towns and you can look up the website of your local authority to determine if the area you live in is classified as one. It is crucial to buy a DEFRA-approved stove if you live in a smoke-controlled area. This will help you avoid being fined by your local authority. If you burn coal or other solid fuels using a non approved stove, you could be fined PS300.
Approved for Wood
A DEFRA approved wood stove, also called a smoke exempt stove, is an appliance that can be utilized in a Smoke Control Area when burning wood. The stove will bear the Defra approved logo or bear the word "SE" after its name, which means that it can be used in smoke controlled areas when burning approved fuels which is in this case wood.
The older wood stoves can release a lot of particles into the air that can trigger or contribute to respiratory issues asthma attacks, heart issues 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 the "EPA 2020 Certified Label" which indicates that the wood stove meets the emission limits that are currently in place.
If you purchase an appliance that isn't EPA certified and you live in a zone of smoke control, you will need to be able to get it certified before you can use it. It can be costly and time consuming, but it is legally required. Additionally homeowners who sell a home that has a wood stove that is not certified could be liable for clean air tax credits as well as fines.
The majority of modern stoves can be altered to become Defra approved by an adjustment kit or a kit that the installer provides. The primary difference between DEFRA approved stoves and those that aren't combustion air control system, which controls the amount of air that flows through the stove when it is operating normally. The change is usually located on the bottom of the firebox or within the base.
Some manufacturers produce two types of wood stove, one that is Defra-approved, and the other is not. The reason for this is that the cost of putting a stove through the rigorous Defra testing is expensive. To help recoup these costs, they will 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 Gas
Prior to the Clean Air Acts, residential homes could use any fuel they wanted, leading to excessive smoke emissions. This could cause health problems. 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 approved for burning only authorised fuels such as manufactured smokeless coals and anthracite.
Defra approved SE (Smoke-Exempt) Stoves have been subjected to rigorous testing to prove they can burn authorised fuels cleanly within a Smoke Control Area. They achieve this by utilising the latest combustion technology which continuously delivers a minimum amount of secondary air to the combustion chamber, to ensure that even if the stove is used with approved fuels like anthracite or manufactured smokeless coals, it can still meet Defra's regulations for Smoke Control Areas.
If you're in the market for an all-new wood burning stove and you live in an area that has a Smoke Control Area then we recommend that you take a look at the range of Defra approved stoves that can be found here at The Stove Yard. We have an extensive range of traditional, contemporary and inset Defra approved stoves from the most reputable manufacturers such as Stovax, Arada, Burley and AGA.
The good news is that there isn't really a distinction in appearance between an Defra approved wood-burning stove and one that isn't, however the Defra approved models do have various features that are designed to ensure they burn cleaner. Generally they will have a different grate as well as air vents. On the gas models they may also feature an outlet for the flue that is different in size.
Another benefit of the Defra Approved stove is that they'll almost always come with a 5" (125mm) flue outlet. This means that you can choose a narrower stainless steel twin wall flexible chimney liner which is cheaper than a standard 6" (150mm) liner. This is a great option when you install a Defra-approved wood burning stove into an old or non-standard chimney stack. It will save you money replacing a bigger diameter chimney liner.