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Under the Clean Air Act local authorities may
declare the whole or part of the district of the
authority to be a smoke control area.
It is an offence to emit smoke from a chimney of
a building, from a furnace or from any fixed boiler
if located in a designated smoke control area.
It is also an offence to acquire an “unauthorized
fuel” for use within a smoke control area unless
it is used in an “exempt” appliance (“exempted”
from the controls which generally apply in the
smoke control area).
In England appliances are exempted by
publication on a list by the Secretary of State in
accordance with changes made to sections 20
and 21 of the Clean Air Act 1993 by section 15 of
the Deregulation Act 2015.
Similarly in Scotland appliances are exempted by
publication on a list by Scottish Ministers under
section 50 of the Regulatory Reform (Scotland)
Act 2014.
In Northern Ireland appliances are exempted
by publication on a list by the Department of
Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs under
Section 16 of the Environmental Better regulation
Act (Northern Ireland) 2016.
In Wales appliances are exempted by regulations
made by Welsh Ministers.
Further information on the requirements of the
Clean Air Act can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/smoke-control-area-rules
Your local authority is responsible for
implementing the Clean Air Act 1993 including
designation and supervision of smoke control
areas and you can contact them for details of
Clean Air Act requirements.
The Clean Air Act 1993 & Smoke Control Areas
Safe distances to combustible materials for the
SHERWOOD 5
should be
500mm Rear and
500mm to the side.
Ideally, adjacent walls should be of suitable non
combustible construction, preferably brickwork.
In large fireplaces take care that any supporting
beam is protected by a 13mm (0.5”) thick sheet
of Masterboard / Supalux spaced 13mm (0.5”)
off the surface with strips of non-combustible
material.
Make sure that there is a gap between an un-
insulated flue system and any combustible
material.
This gap must be at least 3x the outside diameter
of the flue pipe, or 1.5x the flue diameter to non-
combustible surfaces.
Combustible Materials
Recommended Fuels
Wood logs
- Burn only seasoned timber with a moisture
content of less than 20%. To ensure this allow cut
wood to dry for 12 to 18 months.
Poor quality timber causes low combustion
efficiency, produces harmful condensation,
reduces effectiveness of the airwash and life of
the appliance.
DO NOT burn construction timber painted,
impregnated / treated wood, manufactured
board products or pallet wood
.
Solid Fuel
- Burn only anthracite or manufactured briquette
smokeless fuels listed as suitable for use with
closed heating appliances.
Wood length
max 200mm,
and 100mm
in diameter.
