What is a Defra Approved Multi Fuel Stove?
A defra-approved multi-fuel stove is one that has passed the Defra test for smoke. These stoves are often referred to as SE (smoke-exempt) stoves.
The government's Defra department handles rules and regulations pertaining to the environment, farming and rural issues. The Defra Test ensures that you can burn wood or approved smokeless fuels such as Anthracite ovals in a smoke-controlled area without disturbing your neighbours.
Eco-Friendly
Eco-friendly stoves make use of sustainable fuels and materials to reduce emissions. Eco-friendly stoves are generally built to burn wood, or in combination with other approved fuels. There are a variety of eco-friendly multi-fuel stoves as well as log burners to choose from, ranging from modern to traditional models. Some eco-friendly stoves use dung (the excreta of domesticated livestock) to provide a highly efficient and carbon negative alternative to wood.
The most important aspect to ensuring that your stove is eco-friendly is to ensure that the fuel you use is properly seasoned and kiln dried. This reduces the amount of moisture and lets the wood burn more efficiently, generating less smoke. It is also a good idea to purchase only wood that has been harvested from sustainable forests. Look for the Woodsure 'Ready to Burn' logo when buying wood to ensure it has been dried at the right level.
Most of the newer stoves comply with strict EU EcoDesign Standards. These standards require that stove manufacturers create wood-burning stoves that are energy efficient and with environmental protection in the back of their minds. Manufacturers must take into account emissions as well as resource efficiency and waste reduction when designing Ecodesign stoves. These stoves are among the most eco-friendly and clean stoves on the market.
Replace the grates on your stove with ceramic grate. This will make it more environmentally friendly. This material is not only attractive but also has the benefit of being non-smoking and helping reduce the amount of sulphur dioxide that is released into the air. Ceramic grates also have a longer time and are more easy to clean than steel inserts for grates.
While you may still enjoy the comfort of cozy wood burning stoves or multi fuel stove in a Smoke Control Area it is crucial to only use Defra approved fuels. If you don't then, you may be in violation of the law and face getting a fine from your local council. To avoid this, only make use of Defra approved fuels, such as anthracite that is manufactured smokeless in your stove.
Clean Burning
Multi fuel stoves approved by Defra can be used only in areas that are smoke-controlled that burn only smokeless fuel. It could be a smokeless log, anthracite or a manufactured or natural product. Stove manufacturers must follow the rules in order to create an DEFRA exempt wood burner for sale. The Stove Yard has a great selection of DEFRA approved multi-fuel stoves as well as wood burning stoves by leading brands like Arada, Parkray and Burley.
These kinds of Defra exempt stoves offer the latest combustion technology designed to reduce the amount of emissions and tar build-up in your chimney and flue system. The stoves use secondary and tertiary systems to ignite particulates, tar gases and other pollutants before they go into the air. This is why Defra approved wood burning stoves are much more clean than open fires and older generation stoves.
The design of the Defra approved stove is also different Most of our range has an internal mechanism hidden within the stove that allows for a small continuous flow of air to the fire, even when the vents for air are shut. This is to prevent the soot and ash from being carried up the chimney, which can block your stove and can lead to dangerous chimney fires.
The new Defra-approved stoves won't permit you to completely shut the vents for air and sleep the stove over night, which can send part burned combustibles in the atmosphere.
A DEFRA-approved stove will also have a longer burning time compared to older stoves that are not DEFRA-approved. However should you decide to replace your fuel of choice with smokeless coal in order to slumber the stove overnight it would also reduce the burning time due to the constant air supply required for slumbering would curtail the combustion of the smokeless fuel.
Reduced Emissions
If properly used, a stove that is exempt from DEFRA can produce very low levels of emissions. These emissions are usually PM2.5 particles which, when inhaled, can lead to a variety of health issues including heart conditions and lung diseases.
The high combustion efficiency provided by a DEFRA-approved wooden burner reduces the amount harmful particles and pollutants released during the burning process. This reduces the impact of the burning process on the environment.
In addition to reducing harmful emissions In addition, the efficiency of a stove can reduce the cost of heating your home. Utilizing an DEFRA approved wood burning stove over a conventional gas boiler will reduce your carbon footprint as well as save money on your energy costs.
If you live in an area where smoke is controlled, it's essential that your stove is DEFRA Approved (or Smoke Exempt) because this will enable you to burn Defra Approved fuels, such as manufactured smokeless ovals, such as Anthracite or Homefire as well as dried wood and other authorised fuels. This allows you to relax in your fireplace and not worry about nuisance smoke disturbing your neighbors.
In addition to being DEFRA approved Many stoves are tested to meet the requirements of clearSkies and can be marked with the clearSkies mark. The clearSkies scheme is an independent scheme that requires stove manufacturers display information about the effectiveness and emissions of their products, allowing consumers make an informed choice. The information must include a stove's efficiency rating as well as emissions, as well as the type and size of the stove.
It's important to keep in mind that, just like Ecodesign clearSkies regulations set minimum standards. Manufacturers may go above and over these. ESSE for instance has developed its new stoves to be more efficient and cleaner burning, producing less particulates without compromising on performance or control. This latest development uses patented Twin Catalytic Combustion Technology that recycles all smoke particles, reducing their impact on the atmosphere.
In reality when you're in a smoke-free zone and are using an DEFRA Approved stove with a good quality, kiln dried or seasoned log, you'll be able to generate as much, or more, heat from the same amount of dry wood as if were burning it in a non-DEFRA approved stove. It can be up 24 per cent less expensive to heat your home using a new Defra Approved Stove than with gas boilers.
Conforms to Building Regulations
If you reside in a Smoke Control Area, it's important to have a DEFRA approved multi-fuel stove. These stoves have passed tests to ensure that they don't emit any smoke when burning an approved fuel, which means you can use them in areas that are usually heavily populated by buildings. We supply and install DEFRA approved log stoves from the top brands like Mi-fires and Contura.
You can also safely burn peat, wood, and other solid fuels with a DEFRA-approved multi-fuel stove. It is crucial to be aware that certain fuels cannot be used in Smoke Control Areas.
Proper ventilation is vital for safe operation of a multi fuel stove, because it helps to reduce carbon monoxide accumulation in your home. DEFRA approved multi fuel stoves have an inbuilt venting system that is able to automatically deliver enough air to the combustion process, ensuring that your home will always be fully ventilated and safe for use.
DEFRA approved stoves also come with a minimum size of 550mm2, which means they can be used in combination with a standard dualwall system. Our line of flue liners is compatible with DEFRA approved stoves. You can make your fireplace meet the latest emission standards with our wide selection.
When you are choosing a DEFRA approved stove look for the 'DEFRA symbol on the packaging or in the information provided by the manufacturer online. Numerous reputable stove retailers will also include this information on their websites as well as on their displays in the store so that you can easily determine which stoves are in compliance with the regulations.
If defra stoves of installing a multi-fuel stove, you must ensure to have the work done by a professional who is certified to ensure that you are in compliance with the building regulations. Infractions to the correct installation guidelines could result in a fine and damage to your property. We recommend choosing a HETAS certified installer to carry out your stove installation, because they are familiar with the manufacturers guidelines and building regulations.