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All The Details Of Defra Approved Stove List Dos And Don'ts
What is a Defra Approved Wood Burning Stove?

If you reside in an area where smoking is controlled, it's important 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 ensure the lowest possible emissions. Stoves that are certified as such typically carry the word 'Defra approved' in their name or on their specifications.

Approved for Smoke Controlled Areas

Many people believe that living in a smoke controlled zone means they cannot use a wood burning fireplace. It's not the case. The majority of towns and cities are within a smoke control zone but that doesn't mean they can't use a wood burning stove. It's just that they must burn authorised fuels in their stove (usually briquettes). The Defra-approved stove is a wood-burning stove that has been thoroughly tested to make sure that it meets certain criteria regarding the emissions it produces when burning authorised materials. It is therefore able to be legally used in a smoke control area.

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 SE approved the stove must meet strict emission criteria. This means that you can be confident you are buying the best wood stove on the market.

If you're looking for a stove that burns wood that is Defra-exempt, or has SE after its name You will notice that the manufacturer has taken measures to make sure that there are enough air intakes on the front of the stove to allow full combustion of fuel and that the size of the chimney outlet is sufficient to prevent the accumulation of soot. This is important as it helps to ensure that the smoke from the stove doesn't escape the chimney into your home.

Another benefit of the Defra approved stove is that it usually allows you to fit it with 5" chimney liner, which will comply with the UK building regulations, whereas non-Defra approved stoves will need to be fitted with a bigger 6" liner.

At Stovax we are pleased to offer a selection of Defra approved stoves and fires, alongside our Ecodesign Ready stoves that have been developed with future air quality standards in mind. Many of our Defra-approved stoves can also be used in conjunction with a smoke control system for properties located in Smoke Control Areas. defra stove can be used to burn a variety of smokeless fuels, including fire logs.

Approved for Smokeless Fuels

A DEFRA approved wood burning stove, also known as a DEFRA exempt stove is the only type of stove you can install in a smoke-control area when you plan to use it for solid fuel (wood, preferably well seasoned). The government tests them to ensure they don't release excessive smoke and are only suitable for use with 'authorized' fuels.

The difference between the differences between a DEFRA approved stove and one that is not can be very minimal. A lot of modern stoves can be transformed into DEFRA compliant with the kit supplied by the manufacturer and installed within a matter of minutes. This is because Defra approved appliances must pass extremely stringent tests and are restricted in the amount of smoke they are able to produce.

To ensure that these restrictions are maintained during testing the stove must be able to limit the amount of combustion air it gets to ensure that it does not exhaust itself of oxygen, which can cause it to smoulder. This is achieved by a mechanism inside the stove that allows the air into the firebox during the process of combustion, which is often hidden inside the stove, and under the base of the fire box.


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

Smoke Control Areas are primarily situated around cities and towns with large populations and you can check the official website of your local authority to see if your area is classed as such. It is crucial to buy an approved DEFRA stove if you reside in a zone that is smoke-controlled. This will allow you to avoid a fine from the local authority. This is because if you burn 'unauthorised fuel on an unapproved stove, for example coal or any other solid fuels and you are fined up to PS300.

Approved for wood

A DEFRA approved wood stove, also called a smoke-free stove, is a device that can be utilized in a Smoke Control Area when burning wood. The stove will bear the Defra approved symbol or 'SE' in the title meaning it can only be used in areas controlled by smoke if you burn approved fuels. In this instance wood.

Many older wood stoves emit large amounts of particulate matter. These can trigger or exacerbate respiratory problems, asthma attacks and heart issues. It is therefore important to buy a wood stove that meets strict emission standards as set by the Environmental Protection Agency. You should look for the "EPA 2020 Certified" label, which means that the stove meets the emission limits that are now in place.

If you buy a stove that isn't EPA-certified and you reside in a smoking zone you'll have to renew the certification before you can use the stove. It is expensive and time-consuming, however the law requires it. Homeowners who sell a house with wood stoves that are not certified may also be subject to tax credits or fines related to the clean air.

With a kit or an adjustment supplied by the installer, the majority of modern stoves can be made Defra-approved. This is because the primary difference between the DEFRA approved stove and one which aren't, is the combustion air management system that controls how much air passes through the stove during normal operation. Modifications are usually done to the base or underside of a stove's firebox.

Some manufacturers produce two versions of a wood stove: one that is Defra-approved while the other not. The reason for this is that the cost of putting a stove through the rigorous Defra testing is expensive. To offset these costs, they sell the non-approved version at a cheaper price. The DEFRA-approved model will have undergone the combustion air modification as part of the testing process.

Gas Approved

Prior to the Clean Air Acts, residential homes were able to burn any fuel they wanted, leading to large amounts of smoke emissions. This led to health issues. To combat this Defra created 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 stoves, also known as SE (Smoke Exempt) Stoves, have gone through rigorous testing to demonstrate that they can cleanly burn authorised fuels within a Smoke Control Area. The latest technology for combustion delivers a constant minimum of secondary air into the firebox. This lets the stove meet Defra standards for Smoke Control Areas even when it is using authorised fuels such as anthracite or manufactured smokeless coals.

The Stove Yard has a wide range of Defra-approved stoves that are ideal for those who reside in a smoke control area and require a new fireplace that burns wood. We offer a wide selection of contemporary, traditional and inset Defra approved stoves from industry-leading manufacturers such as Stovax, Arada, Burley and AGA.

The good news is that 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 include a few features that are designed to ensure they burn cleaner. Generally they will have a different grate design as well as air vents. On the gas versions, they may also have an outlet for the flue that is different in size.

A Defra Approved Stove will almost always have 5" flue outlet (125mm). This means that you can choose a smaller stainless steel twin wall flexible liner that is cheaper than a 6" (150mm). This is useful when installing wood-burning stoves that are Defra-approved in an older or non-standard chimney stack. It can save money on re-lining a larger diameter chimney liner.

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