14 of 20
BURNING WOOD IN A SMOKE CONTROL AREA
You must purchase a smoke control version of the Mendip stove which is modified slightly to comply with
regula�ons. Any change to this modifica�on will invalidate the stoves compliance for smoke control areas.
The Clean Air Act 1993 and Smoke Control Areas
Under the Clean Air Act local authori�es 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 "unauthorised 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 publica�on on a list by the Secretary of State in accordance with changes
made to sec�ons 20 and 21 of the Clean Air Act 1993 by sec�on 15 of the Deregula�on Act 2015. In Scotland
appliances are exempted by publica�on on a list by Sco�sh Ministers under sec�on 50 of the Regulatory Reform
(Scotland) Act 2014. Similarly, In Northern Ireland appliances are exempted by publica�on on a list by the
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs under Sec�on 16 of the Environmental Be�er
regula�on Act (Northern Ireland) 2016. In Wales appliances are exempted by regula�ons made by Welsh
Ministers.
Further informa�on on the requirements of the Clean Air Act can be found here:
Your local authority is responsible for implemen�ng the Clean Air Act 1993 including
designa�on and supervision of smoke control areas and you can contact them for details of Clean Air Act
requirements.
The Ashco� Wide has been recommended as suitable for use in smoke control areas when burning wood logs.
The appliance must be fi�ed with a permanent stop to prevent closure of the secondary air controller beyond
5mm open. , Fig 3, altera�ons should not be a�empted.
Beltane smoke control stoves should not be burnt with the door le� open.
The refuelling procedure : -
Allow the newly charged fuel to burn with the secondary air control set at maximum for up 3 to 4 minutes. A�er
this period, with flames from the logs fully established, close the secondary air supply to the low output
se�ng. When opera�ng at high output (secondary air set fully open) the new refuel charge does not require any
boost air to establish combus�on.
Refuelling on to a low fire bed
If there is insufficient burning material in the firebed to light a new fuel charge, excessive smoke emission can
occur. Refuelling must be carried out onto a sufficient quan�ty of glowing embers and ash that the new fuel
charge will ignite in a reasonable period. If there are too few embers in the fire bed, add suitable kindling to
prevent excessive smoke.
Fuel Overloading
The maximum amount of fuel specified in this manual should not be exceeded, overloading can cause excess
smoke.
Air controls & doors le� open
Opera�on with the air controls fully open can cause excess smoke. The appliance must not be operated with air
controls, or door le� open except as directed in the instruc�ons.