Ecodesign and smoke control checker
The calculator needs JavaScript. The worked example, formula and figures below show exactly how it works, so you can do the sum yourself. A guide, not advice. Check the figures against your stove's manual, your supplier and your installer.
Short answer
Pick your nation, say whether you're in a smoke control area, and tell us what you'll burn. The checker lists what to look into (smoke control, Ecodesign and fuel sales), links the official pages, and tells you what to check with your council and the Defra exempt-appliance list. No postcode is needed, and it never tells you an appliance is allowed.
Worked example
| You enter | Value |
|---|---|
| Where do you live? | England |
| Are you in a smoke control area? | Don't know |
| What will you burn? | Logs |
| Where are you with the stove? | Choosing one |
3 things to check for England
What applies where you live
- Smoke control areas (England): the official page is being confirmed. Until then, check gov.uk and your council.
- Ecodesign (England): the official page is being confirmed. Until then, check gov.uk and your council.
- Ready to Burn and wood-fuel sales rules (England): the official page is being confirmed. Until then, check gov.uk and your council.
What to check
- Find out whether you're in a smoke control area: your council's website has a map.
- Before you choose a stove, check with your council and the Defra exempt-appliance list.
- Ecodesign: ask whether the stove meets Ecodesign, and check the maker's listing.
- Burn dry logs, at or below 20% moisture. Look for the Ready to Burn label where it applies, or measure with a moisture meter.
- A new stove is notifiable building work: a HETAS-registered installer (or building control) signs it off.
Show the working
- England: 0 of 3 official pages confirmed
How it works
- Nation → the official pages on smoke control, Ecodesign and fuel sales (data/tables/rules.json, each to be confirmed against gov.uk, gov.wales, gov.scot or nidirect)
- In a smoke control area (or not sure) → check with your council and the Defra exempt-appliance list
- Logs → buy dry wood (Ready to Burn where it applies); smokeless fuel → buy an approved fuel
A guide to the rules, not legal advice. Rules differ between nations and from one council to another: always check the official pages and with your council.
We never say an appliance or fuel is allowed where you live. Check with your council and the Defra exempt-appliance list.
Assumptions and sources
The figures this calculator starts from, and where each comes from. Your stove's spec plate, your supplier and your own meter readings come first: change any figure to match.
This calculator has no built-in defaults: every figure comes from you or your product's data.
| Table | Clause | Nations | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rules by nation: smoke control, Ecodesign, fuel sales, CO alarms, Building Regulations gov.uk, gov.wales, gov.scot, nidirect, Defra, HETAS and Woodsure (Researcher to add each page) | Brief §0 and §3 rules.json. We explain and link the rules; we never say an appliance or fuel is legal in an area. | UK-wide | 1/22 values entered Not yet checked against the source |
FAQs
What is an Ecodesign stove?
A stove made to meet the Ecodesign standard for emissions and efficiency. Check the maker's listing or the stove's manual. See Ecodesign stoves explained.
How do I know if I'm in a smoke control area?
Your council's website has a map of smoke control areas. If you're not sure, ask your council.
Can I use a wood burner in a smoke control area?
Check with your council and the Defra exempt-appliance list before you choose or use one. The rules differ between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Do the rules differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
Guides
Ecodesign stoves explained: what the label means
What Ecodesign means for a new stove, how it differs from a Defra-exempt appliance, and where to check the official lists.
Smoke control areas explained
What a smoke control area means for a wood burner, how to find out if you're in one, and where to check exempt appliances and fuels.
Wood burner rules in Scotland, Wales and NI explained
How the stove rules in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland differ from England's, with links to each government's pages.