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The Benefits of DEFRA Exempt Wood Burners

DEFRA approved wood-burning stoves can be a fantastic choice for homeowners who live in areas with smoke control. These particular log burners have undergone rigorous testing and are operating within strict regulations.

Stoves that are approved will have an ‘SE’ which means Smoke Exempt. They can only be used in smoke-controlled zones when burning DEFRA approved British stoves-approved fuels that include wood or smokeless fuels.

Smoke Exempt

DEFRA exempt wood burning stoves, or Defra approved stoves are made to abide by the Department of Environment’s (DEFRA) regulations. The stoves were inspected and tested to ensure that they efficiently burn fuel and produce very little or no smoke. They emit low levels of carbon dioxide and their combustion efficiency is so high that partially burned fuels such as soot and ash are reburned before they escape through your chimney and into the air.

If you live in an area classified as a Smoke-Control Area It is essential that your stove is DEFRA exempt. It should also permit you to use authorised fuels. Smoke from your chimney is illegal if you do not have an exempt appliance or fuels that have been approved. Exempt Defra stoves are better for Heating Appliances your chimney because they burn fuel more efficiently and produce less smoke. Your chimney and flue will remain cleaner for longer.

We offer a large range of Defra exempt stoves from top manufacturers around the world such as Stovax and Arada. We only sell the best quality products and you can be sure that your new stove will be a safe and effective addition to your home.

It is a common myth that you have to purchase an exempt stove from Defra even if your house is located in a smoke-control area. It’s not the case. You can still install an un-DEFRA stove in your home provided it has a 6″ (150mm) flue liner, and only use it with approved charcoal or other smokeless fuels.

If you want to be sure that you are allowed to legally burn wood in your DEFRA exempt stove, then we suggest you select one of our Defra approved models. The stoves we offer were designed to comply with UK standards for environmental protection. They have been tested and approved as DEFRA exempt. This means they emit a minimal amount of smoke. These stoves are also more efficient than older models, so you can heat the property with fewer wood logs. You can choose from a selection of Defra models in a wide range of styles and colours.

Clean Burn

Open fires and wood-burning stoves can produce smoke that can be detrimental to the health of people in your home as well as those nearby. This is due to the fine particles that make up the smoke can cause respiratory issues such as asthma. Modern DEFRA-exempt stoves are designed to lessen these harmful effects.

These wood burners that are clean burning, which are often also known as SE or Defra approved stoves, have been rigorously tested and examined to ensure that they comply by the Department of Environmental’s regulations. They also have been designed to use fuel more efficiently, so that they release less pollutants. They also display a clear vapour that is released from the chimney instead of the dark smoke that is common with older stoves that burn logs and open fires.

The reason why the smoke particles in modern DEFRA exempt stoves are much lower is due to them being designed with secondary and tertiary airflow systems. This means the air in the combustion chamber is constantly circulated. This makes it more difficult for the particles to escape.

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

In actual fact, a brand new DEFRA approved wood stove with an EcoDesign baffle will produce around 450 times less pollution than an open fire or traditional log burning stove according to Defra. If you reside in an area that has a Smoke Control Area, then installing one of these modern and efficient stoves is vital to protect your health and those of your neighbours.

You can also put in a DEFRA Approved Multi-Fuel Stove and make use of a variety of fuels, including peat, briquettes and other manufactured solid fuels which are available at supermarkets. However, it is advised to only use dry ‘Ready to Burn’ seasoned wood, and never burn treated or painted timber as these will produce more pollutants than untreated timber.

Easy Maintenance

A DEFRA exempt wood burning stove is simple to maintain, with a regular cleaning and maintenance check which will ensure that it lasts longer. These stoves are also extremely efficient, providing savings on your Heating appliances bills and reducing fuel consumption by up to 50%. They produce less emissions than other stoves and are a more eco green alternative to fossil fuels.

The wood stoves are easily installed and are suitable for many homes, particularly in urban areas. They have passed the Defra tests which means that you can use them legally in smoke control areas without violating the law or risking an expensive fine.

Wood stoves that are Defra-approved can be cheaper to operate than other stoves, because of their 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, including Clearskies and Ecodesign. This means they meet the strictest emission and efficiency standards. You may see these certifications advertised on the stoves that we stock, and they will give you confidence that you’re buying a safe and environmentally responsible model.

Stoves Direct offers a large range of stoves that are Defra-exempt that include many traditional designs that are ideal for an inglenook or fireplace chamber. We also have modern, sleek options that are perfect for simple mantles or surrounds. If you’re thinking of purchasing one our Defra-exempt wood burning stoves, you need to consider the style you’d like to see for your home, and how it will blend with the design.

A Defra exempt stove is the only kind of stove that can legally burn in a Smoke Control Area, and it will save you from having to pay a fine if find yourself in the middle of a illegal wood-burning fire. It’s also a great option for those who want to reduce their carbon footprint, since the tree is used to make the wood absorbs CO2 as it grows and releases it back into the atmosphere when burned in the stove.

Smoke Control Areas Suitable

Many UK cities and large towns are classified as Smoke Control Areas, so a wood burning stove that has been DEFRA approved is vital. This means that the stove has passed strict tests and can be used legally in these areas. These tests ensure that the particulates of combustion produced by the stove will not pollute the air. These toxins are the reason for the dark smoke often seen coming from chimneys in smoke control areas and they can have a negative impact on health, as well as creating a nuisance for neighbours.

In response local councils have enacted laws that ban the use of open fires and appliances that are not exempt from DEFRA in these areas to tackle the problem. But the good news is that you can still install an appliance in your home, provided it is DEFRA exempt and you only burn fuel that is approved for burning.

Stoves that are approved for use in Smoke Control Areas will be marked and tested to ensure that they are in compliance with the strict emission and efficiency requirements. Stoves that are exempt from Defra regulations are also more sustainable in comparison to other types of woodburners because they have advanced secondary and tertiary burn systems that reduce their carbon footprint.

The simplest way to find out whether you are in a zone of smoke control is to contact your local council and ask for more information. You can also find out by looking up your home’s postcode online, but it is recommended to check your local council website for more detailed information as every district in the UK could be different.

Even if you don’t reside in a Smoke Control Area a Defra-exempt wood burning stove is an investment worth making. It is more eco friendly and neighbor-friendly. It can also mean that your chimney and flue system stays more clean, as a Defra approved stove produces significantly less smoke than traditional stoves. Many of the leading stove makers like Arada Burley Parkray Stovax, have a variety of smokeless models which are DEFRA exempt.