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What is a Defra Approved Wood Burning Stove?

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

They are independently tested to provide the lowest emissions. Stoves that are certified are usually 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 Control Area means you can't have a stove that burns wood however this isn't true. In reality, most cities and towns are in a smoke-free zone, but this doesn't mean you cannot use an oven, it simply means you need to make use of an exempt appliance and only use authorised fuels (usually Briquettes) in your stove. The Defra-approved stove is a wood-burning stove that has been rigorously tested to ensure that it is in compliance with certain requirements in terms of the emissions it generates when burning authorised fuels. This means it can be legally used in smoke-control zones.

The Defra Logo is widely used in the industry, and a lot of stoves feature the SE after their names to signify that they are smoke-free. In order for a stove to be SE approved it must meet strict criteria with regards to emissions So you can be assured that if you choose an exempt defra stove, you will get the most clean and most efficient wood stove available.

When you look for a stove that burns wood that is Defra exempt or is marked with SE after its name, you will often find that the manufacturer has taken care of things like ensuring that there are enough air inlets on the front of the stove to permit full combustion of the fuel, and that the chimney outlet size is sufficient to prevent the build-up of soot. This is crucial as it will ensure that the smoke from the stove doesn't escape through the chimney and into your home.

Another benefit of an Defra approved stove is that it typically allows you to fit it with a 5" chimney liner, which complies with the UK building regulations. However, stoves that aren't Defra-approved will have to be fitted with a larger 6" liner.

At Stovax we are delighted to offer a selection of Defra approved stoves and fires. We also have our Ecodesign Ready stoves that have been designed with the future of air quality standards in mind. A large portion of our approved stoves can also be used conjunction with a smoke control system for properties located in Smoke Control Areas. They can be used to burn a variety of non-smokeless fuels, such as 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 by the name DEFRA exempt. This stove should be used for solid fuel, which means wood, which is best seasoned. They are tested by the government to ensure that they don't generate excessive amounts of smoke and can be used with 'authorised' fuels (coal only).

The difference between a DEFRA approved stove and one that is not typically is very small. With a kit provided by the manufacturer, many modern stoves can be made DEFRA conforming in just a few only a few minutes. This is because the Defra approved stove has to undergo rigorous testing and must be restricted in the amount of smoke it can produce.

To ensure that these restrictions remain in place during the testing process, the stove will have to be able to limit the combustion air supply to ensure that it does not starve itself of oxygen, which could cause it to smoulder. This is accomplished through a mechanism within the stove which opens an air pocket into the firebox during combustion, which is often hidden inside the stove and underneath the base of the firebox.

Stove World UK has a vast selection of DEFRA approved stoves, from some of the best manufacturers in the country including Stovax Arada and Burley. They are available in an enormous range of styles and finishes. You can also choose from a vast selection of Ecodesign ready stoves that have been specifically designed to meet future standards for air quality.

Smoke Control Zones are mostly in large cities and towns. You can visit the website of your local authority to determine whether you reside in one. It is crucial to buy a DEFRA-approved stove if you reside in a smoke-controlled zone. This will allow you to avoid being fined by your local authority. If you use coal or any other solid fuels in a stove that is not approved stove, you may be fined 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 be marked with the Defra approved symbol or 'SE' in the title meaning it is only permitted to 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. These can lead to or worsen asthma attacks, respiratory problems and heart issues. It is therefore essential to choose a wood stove that meets strict emission standards set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency. Look for an "EPA 2020 Certified" label, which indicates that the stove has met the emissions limits currently in place.

If you purchase a stove that is not EPA certified and you reside in a smoke-free zone you must be able to get it certified before you can use it. This can be expensive and time consuming, but it is required by law. Additionally, homeowners who sell their home with an uncertified wood stove may be liable for clean air tax credits as well as fines.

With a kit, or an adjustment supplied by the installer, a majority of modern stoves can become Defra-approved. The major difference between DEFRA approved stoves and ones that aren't is the combustion air control system, which regulates the quantity of air that goes through the stove when it is in normal operation. Modifications are typically applied to the base or underside of a stove's firebox.

Some manufacturers produce two versions of their wood stove, one that is Defra approved and the other that is not. This is due to the process of putting a stove through the rigorous Defra tests can be very costly, so to help recoup some of the costs, they will sell the non-approved model at a lower price. DEFRA regulations stoves -approved model will have been subjected to the modification of the combustion air as part of the test process.

Approved for Gas





Before the Clean Air Acts were brought into effect, residential homes could use any kind of fuel they liked which resulted in huge amounts of smoke emissions and health problems. To prevent this Defra established Smoke Control Areas which meant that homes in residential areas couldn't emit any smoke from their multifuel stoves or wood burners unless the appliance was Defra approved to burn only fuels that were authorised, such as manufactured smokeless coals and anthracite.

Defra approved SE (Smoke-Exempt) Stoves have been subjected to rigorous testing in order to prove that they can efficiently burn fuels that are approved within a Smoke Control Area. They accomplish 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 fuels that are authorised, such as anthracite or manufactured smokeless coals it will still be able to meet Defra's regulations for Smoke Control Areas.

If you're looking for an all-new wood burning stove and live in Smoke Control Area then we would recommend to look into the wide selection of Defra approved stoves that can be found here at The Stove Yard. We have a broad selection of Defra-approved stoves, including traditional modern, contemporary and inset models, from leading manufacturers like Stovax. Arada, Burley and AGA.

The good news is there is no difference in appearance between a Defra-approved woodburning stove and one that isn't. However the stoves that are approved by Defra come with a few extra features that are designed to help them burn more efficiently. Generally they will have a different design of grate and air vents and on the gas models they may also feature a different sized flue outlet.

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