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Wood Burning Stoves in London: Facts and Regulations
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Wood Burning Stoves in London: Facts and Regulations
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Home | Help & Advice | Wood Burning Stoves in London: Facts and Regulations

Wood Burning Stoves in London: Facts and Regulations

The popularity of wood burning stoves has been on the rise in recent times, with homeowners being drawn to their cosy charm. However, before deciding whether a wood burner is right for your home, you should be aware of the rules and regulations surrounding this type of fireplace.

Regulations surrounding solid fuel burning

Across the UK, there are many smoke control areas which limit the burning of solid fuels, such as wood, due to the smoke that they emit. Many of these regulated areas cover cities, towns and urbanised neighbourhoods and you can receive significant fines for flouting the rules. To check whether your local area is subject to smoke control regulations, you should contact your local council.

Any stoves manufactured after January 2022 must also comply with ECO2022 regulations (this does not apply to stoves already owned by yourself that were manufactured prior to this date). These new rules will cut particle and carbon monoxide emissions, as well as boosting the energy efficiency of ECO2022 stoves – which is great news for your pocket and our planet.

Laws and London

London, unfortunately, has become somewhat renowned for its pollution levels, with air quality being so low, emergency alerts have been triggered several times throughout the past year. Although a lot of pollution does come from vehicles and other transportation, somewhere between 25% and 33% of particulate pollution is attributed to wood burning from London businesses and residences. Wood burning stoves are very popular in the South East, with homes being around three times more likely to have one than elsewhere in the country.

Recently, new proposals have been put forth to tackle London’s air pollution problems and amongst them are restrictions on wood burners. The suggestions, put forth by the mayor of London, would see limits imposed in zones within the city during air quality alerts and at the most polluted times of year from 2025. These controls would, however, only be enforced against businesses and commercial properties. Furthermore, plans to ban the sale of all but the newest and cleanest stoves across the UK from 2022 have been suggested to be brought in earlier in the capital.  

Exemptions

Even if you live within a smoke control area or the capital, you needn’t give up hope of owning a warming stove. There are some stoves and wood burners which have been specifically designed to limit the amount of smoke produced whilst operating. These stoves are thoroughly tested and, should they burn efficiently enough without producing much smoke, they can be designated as complying with the Clean Air Act, allowing them to be legally used in smoke control areas.

Exempt stoves can be identified by the ‘DEFRA approved’ classification. These days there is a lot of choice when it comes to DEFRA approved units – including wood burners and multi-fuel stoves – which can all be readily used, no matter where you live, so long as you use the appropriate, approved fuel.

Alternative fuels

There are some fuels which you can burn even in smoke control areas for example, anthracite, semi-anthracite and gas. Another possible choice instead of a wood burning stove is a fire which uses an alternative fuel, such as bio-ethanol, which is deemed to be a ‘clean burn’ fire and, therefore, is not subject to the smoke control rules either.

Enviro-Flame are fireplace specialists and can supply customers with a selection of solid fuel stoves, as well as DEFRA approved stoves. Our team of skilled experts can carry out a professional installation for you, ensuring safe functioning and a beautiful quality finish. For advice or to discuss your requirements with one of our helpful team, simply get in touch. We serve customers in and around London.

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