Smoke control area

Silverbull

Just found I may be in a smoke control area. Not sure its light blue on the map that means some of it is smoke control.

If we are, do I have to do anything?

Our old house has a few open fires and a stove in the kitchen. Its hundreds of years old. We dont use it much but want to next winter.

What happens if I am in a smoke control area and I am do have wood burning on my stove? Is it serious?

Gloomendoom

You need to burn smokeless fuel in all your stoves and fires. Alternatively, you can burn wood on a Defra approved clean burning stove.

If you don't, you risk a fine.

Silverbull

Is it possible to get my stove Defra approved?

It a permenant feature of our house, it will only burn wood.

I have only just found out about smoke control area being brought in.

My house has used this stove for generations, my family used it last winter.

When you say risk a fine, surely we would get a warning first. I cant see how anyone would know anyway.

Do you get inspectors driving round trying to smell smoke?

Gloomendoom

It's unlikely that you would be able to get the stove approved retrospectively.

Have a look at this linky

From the stories I've read, it is usually neighbours that complain to the council.

I think the fine is up to £1000, but I suspect you would get a warning first.

Silverbull

Gloomendoom wrote: »

It's unlikely that you would be able to get the stove approved retrospectively.

Have a look at this linky

From the stories I've read, it is usually neighbours that complain to the council.

I think the fine is up to £1000, but I suspect you would get a warning first.

Im lucky I have no neighbours just trees.

Ive got until next winter to decide what to do. We have the wood store full and its all nice and drying this summer.

We are starting to think just carry on until we get a warning. Then argue that this fire has been used for centuries.

The government should encourage renuable energy sources like wood.

Its a crazy law, whats the point. Do they want gas to run out sooner?

Gloomendoom

Silverbull wrote: »

Im lucky I have no neighbours just trees.

Ive got until next winter to decide what to do. We have the wood store full and its all nice and drying this summer.

We are starting to think just carry on until we get a warning. Then argue that this fire has been used for centuries.

The government should encourage renuable energy sources like wood.

Its a crazy law, whats the point. Do they want gas to run out sooner?

The point is all kinds of horrible respiratory diseases that are aggravated by poor air. In 1952 an estimated 12000 people died in London alone from the effects of smoke induced smog. Hence the Clean Air Act of 1956.

If it's just you burning wood, I doubt very much that you will kill anyone, but if everybody started doing it......

A._Badger

Gloomendoom wrote: »

The point is all kinds of horrible respiratory diseases that are aggravated by poor air. In 1952 an estimated 12000 people died in London alone from the effects of smoke induced smog. Hence the Clean Air Act of 1956.

If it's just you burning wood, I doubt very much that you will kill anyone, but if everybody started doing it......

There's not much chance of that. For reasons best known to themselves, most people seem to prefer central heating.

The problem in cities was also exacerbated by the use of bituminous coal, which produces pretty noxious smoke. It surprises me how widely this stuff is still being sold in garages, wherever you go. I very much doubt it's being bought by people who live outside smokeless zones.

Swipe

I'd just carry on using the stove and not give it a second thought. Unless anyone complains it's unlikely you'll be discovered. If you are bothered about someone seeing smoke from your chimney you could always just light it when dark.

I burnt smokeless coal on my multifuel in my previous house (in a smoke control area) but it never stopped me throwing a couple of logs at night once it had gone dark.

DPJames

Agreed, just use it. I'm in a town in a smokeless zone and smokeless coal is fine and so is wood. If you were in a built up city you'd be fine, and in the country with no-one around is even better!!! Hoy the logs in and get it going man.

Silverbull

Thanks very much all. I just dont like breaking the law.

crphillips

It is unlikely you'll get done but it is illegal to burn wood in a smokeless zone unless on a DEFRA approved stove.

If your stove is that old though you would benefit from a newer model thats DEFRA approved. They burn a lot cleaner, are better to control, keep the glass claner and are more efficient. You'll get more heat from your wood.

Soemthing to think about.