The Benefits of DEFRA Exempt Wood Burners

DEFRA approved wood-burning stoves are an excellent option for homeowners who live in areas with smoke control. These stoves have been thoroughly tested and operate in accordance with the strict guidelines.

Stoves that are approved will usually be labelled with "SE" which means Smoke Exempt. They are able to be used in smoke-controlled areas, but only when burning approved fuels by the Defra, namely wood and manufactured smokeless fuels.

Smoke Exempt

DEFRA exempt stoves for wood burning, or Defra approved stoves are designed to comply with the Department of Environment's (DEFRA) regulations. These stoves were tested and inspected in order to ensure that they burn fuel efficiently and produce very little or no smoke. They emit low levels of emissions and their combustion efficiency allows them to re-burn partially burned combustibles such as ash and soot before they escape up your chimney.

If you reside in a large or a city town that is classified as a Smoke Control Area then it is essential that your stove is DEFRA exempt and is able to be used with authorised fuels. It is unlawful to emit smoke from your chimney if you are not using an exempt device or authorised fuels. Exempted Defra stoves are better for your chimney as they burn fuel more efficiently and produce less smoke. Your chimney and flue will remain cleaner for longer.

We have a range of Defra-exempt stoves such as those from Stovax and Arada. We only sell top quality products which means you can be certain that your new stove is an appropriate addition to your home.

There is a popular misconception that you need to buy a Defra exempt stove if you live in a zone of smoke control but this isn't the situation. You can still fit an un-DEFRA stove in your home provided it is fitted with a 6" (150mm) flue liner, and only use it with authorized briquettes or other smokeless fuels.

If you want to be certain that you can legally burn wood in your DEFRA exempt stove, we suggest that you choose one of our Defra approved models. The stoves we offer were designed to meet UK standards for environmental sustainability. They have been tested and certified as DEFRA exempt. This means that they produce minimal smoke. They are also more energy-efficient than traditional stoves, which means you can heat your home with fewer logs. You can pick from a variety of DEFRA Recommended Stoves models in a wide range of styles and colours.

Clean Burn

Open fires and wood-burning stoves can generate smoke that can be harmful to the health of people in your home as as those nearby. This is due to the fine particles that make up this smoke can cause respiratory problems like asthma. Modern stoves that are exempt from DEFRA are designed to minimize the harmful effects of this smoke.

These wood burners have been thoroughly tested and scrutinized to ensure that they meet Department of Environment regulations. They also have been designed to use fuel more efficiently, so that they emit fewer pollutants. These stoves will also show the clear smoke emanating from the chimney instead of the dark smoke that is common with older stoves with log burning and open fires.

The reason that the smoke particles in modern DEFRA exempt stoves are so less is because they have been designed with secondary and tertiary airflow systems. This means the air in the combustion chamber is continuously circulated. This makes it much more difficult for the particles to escape.

This also means that you can only burn fuels that are authorised on your DEFRA exempt wood stove (such as dry seasoned firewood). The airflow system of these modern stoves also helps keep the combustion chamber clean so that the build-up of soot is minimized and gas can easily escape through the flue.

In actual fact, a brand new DEFRA approved wood stove with an EcoDesign baffle will generate around 450 times less pollution than an open fire or old fashioned log burning stove, according to Defra. If you live in the Smoke Control Area and you want to install one of these modern and efficient stoves is crucial to safeguard your health as well as the health of your neighbours.

Alternately, you can set up an DEFRA Approved multi-fuel stove and use a variety of different fuels including peat, briquettes and other kinds of manufactured solid fuel which can be purchased in supermarkets. It is recommended to only burn ready to burn" dry wood that is seasoned. Never burn painted or treated wood because they create more pollutant than untreated wood.

Easy Maintenance

A DEFRA exempt wood-burning stove is simple to maintain, with a regular clean and maintenance checks helping to ensure it lasts for longer. These stoves are also extremely efficient, allowing you to save money on your heating bills and reducing consumption of fuel by up to 50%. The emissions produced by these stoves are far lower than other types of stoves, and they offer a greener alternative to fossil fuels.

These kinds of wood stoves are easy to install and suitable for all homes especially if you reside in an urban area. They have passed Defra testing, which means that they can be used legally in smoke control zones without breaking the law and risking a hefty fine.

Defra approved wood stoves are also often cheaper to run than other stoves, as they have advanced combustion technology that ensures that the fire burns efficiently. This results in fewer particulates and carbon monoxide being released into the air, which is great news for your health as well as that of your family members.

The DEFRA exempted stoves can also be certified by other initiatives, such as Clearskies and Ecodesign. This means they meet the strictest emission and efficiency standards. These certifications are listed on the stoves we sell, and provide you with peace of mind that you're buying an environmentally-friendly and safe model.

You can find a wide selection of Defra exempt stoves on Stoves Direct, including many traditional designs that are ideal for an inglenook fireplace or a fireplace chamber. We also have contemporary, sleek options that look great with a simple fireplace mantle or surround. If you're thinking of purchasing one of our Defra exempt wood burning stoves, it's crucial to consider the style you'd like to see in your home, and how it will fit with the design.

You can only use an exempt stove that is Defra-compliant in a Smoke Control Area. This will save you money if you're trapped with a wood-burning fire. It's also a great alternative for those who wish to reduce their carbon footprint, since the tree is used to make the wood absorbs CO2 as it grows, and returns this back into the atmosphere when it is burned in the stove.

Suitable for Smoke Control Areas

Many UK cities and towns are classified as Smoke Control Areas, so a wood-burning stove that has been DEFRA approved is vital. This means it has passed stringent tests and is safe to use in these areas. The tests make sure that the air isn't contaminated by the combustion particles generated by the stove. These toxins can lead to the dark smoke visible from chimneys within smoke zones of control. They are harmful to health and can be a nuisance to neighbours.

Local councils have also enacted laws to tackle the issue by prohibiting the use open fireplaces as well as non-DEFRA-exempt appliances. The good news is that you can still put your stove in your home as long as it's DEFRA exempt and you only use approved fuel.

Stoves that are approved for use in a Smoke Control Area will be marked as in the Smoke Control Area and have been tested to make sure that they meet or exceed strict emissions and efficiency standards. The stoves that are exempt from Defra tend to be more eco-friendly than other kinds of wood burners because they are equipped with advanced secondary and tertiary combustion systems that help to minimise their carbon footprint.

The simplest method to determine whether you live in a smoke control area is to contact your local council and ask them for more information. You can also determine by looking up your home's postcode online, although it is recommended to go to the official website of your local council for more specific information as every district in the UK might be different.

Even if you don't live in the Smoke Control Area, a Defra exempt wood-burning stove is a good purchase because it is more environmentally and neighbour friendly. It can also mean that your chimney and flue system stays cleaner for longer too because the DEFRA stoves ratings approved stove will produce significantly less smoke than traditional stoves. Because of this, many leading stove manufacturers such as Arada, Burley, Parkray and Stovax have a range of smokeless models that are DEFRA exempt and defra recommended stoves will not be affected by the new law.