Clear Skies

clearSkies certified appliances meet the minimum performance level for Ecodesign Regulations – the minimum legal requirement for an appliance manufactured in the UK from 1st January 2022.

Check out the helpful clearSkies explainer video here.

Efficiency & emissions criteria

The Ecodesign Regulations cover specific minimum criteria that an appliance must achieve under set test conditions, which are independently run.

These criteria are the minimum energy efficiency of the appliance and the maximum levels of emissions permitted of:

CO – Carbon Monoxide
PM – Particulate Matter
OGC – Organic Gaseous Compounds
NOx – Nitrogen Oxide

These new Ecodesign Regulations represent a significant tightening of these criteria over the current CE requirements.

Defra Exemption

In addition to meeting the requirements of Ecodesign for efficiency and emissions, all clearSkies certified appliances at Level 3 or above will also have been verified by the scheme administrator as meeting the requirements for Defra Exemption.

Defra Exemption is where an appliance’s emissions have been independently tested and are low enough that Defra has granted exemption to allow the appliance to be burnt with wood in a Smoke Control Area.

All Level 3 and above appliances certified under the clearSkies scheme have been verified by the clearSkies Administrator, Kiwa Ltd, as complying with both the Ecodesign efficiency and emissions performance requirements, and Defra Exemption and as having the appropriate independent test certificates in place to confirm this.

clearSkies Levels explained

A clearSkies label on a wood burning appliance means you can be assured that the appliance you are buying meets all the energy and efficiency criteria, and the different levels allow you to identify how far beyond Ecodesign criteria they go in terms of reducing emissions and increasing efficiency. This is set out in the different levels of clearSkies certification which are:

Ecodesign compliance

Furthermore, all manufacturers with appliances certified under the clearSkies scheme have had all their emission and efficiency performance data in respect of their Ecodesign compliance and CE mark verified, and the manufacturers have self-certified to clearSkies that they have complied with all other aspects of Ecodesign and CE mark compliance.

Please note: Defra Exemption is granted by each individual country in the UK, and you therefore need to ensure that exemption is in place for the country where you are installing the appliance if you are installing it in a Smoke Control Area. The clearSkies product listing shows the specific countries where the appliance is Defra Exempt

Mineral fuel appliances

clearSkies also covers mineral fuel appliances. Mineral fuels are energy dense and well-known to older generations for their convenience and heat output, however they are mainly fossil fuels and have declined rapidly in popularity due to the growing preference for low carbon wood fuels.

The category of Mineral fuels includes approved Manufactured Smokeless Fuels (MSF) which are engineered composite blends of various types of solid fuel. They can and do include biomass elements and much lower carbon blended fuels are available for Mineral fuel appliances.

While these appliances don’t qualify for a clearSkies Level (because these levels are designed to promote clean wood burning) and would not be listed as Defra Exempt within the clearSkies product listing, they can still qualify for the clearSkies Mark upon satisfying the energy efficiency and emission levels criteria pertaining to the Ecodesign Regulations as set out above.

Smokeless mineral fuels can be burnt in a smoke controlled area. The appliance does not require Defra exemption for them as an approved fuel itself is exempt for use in these areas.

A mineral fuel appliance certified under the clearSkies scheme will receive the following mark:

What our customers have to say:

"We have had our chimney swept by GMS for the past few years. Really good service, I cannot think of anything that could be improved, efficient, tidy and not a silly price."

HR , 6 Jul 2023

"As ever, an excellent service from Green Man Stoves.
They made an immaculate job of installing our stove and have cleaned and thoroughly checked it twice, along with our other woodburner, two years running.
Having moved into a former rented house, we felt reassured by a full CCTV inspection of the existing stove's flue.
What makes it even better is that they are nice people, do a professional job and left our house, clean and tidy.
Highly recommended."

CG , 25 Feb 2022

"We are really really pleased with Green Man Stoves. The stove and fireplace looks and performs beautifully. we were guided through the process and now we have a very efficient, safe and elegant fire. Green Man Stoves kept within the timeframe and were very professional. The end result is as we expected - FABULOUS! Thankyou Green Man for our really beautiful installation and visually stunning fire and surround."

Anne MK , 23 Jul 2021

"Dual sided Clock Blithfield stove installation. New liner, stove, slate hearth and associated works, including knock-through & aperture expansion and replaster & skim, completed to transition from single sided Villager stove. The transformation is absolutely brilliant, now heating two rooms, and with fewer logs. The output control is much more effective. Thank you GMS - our installation team took time to ensure the job was done expertly. Nothing was left onsite. Nicola very patiently offered advice in the showroom, ensuring we selected the most suitable stove - backed up by a pre-installation site survey. Highly recommend!"

A , 7 Oct 2023

"We originally purchased two log burners from Greenman Stoves many years ago. We had an excellent service then and continue to do so with the annual service on the stoves keeping them in tip top condition. All of the staff are very helpful and professional giving any advise needed, the flu’s are swept with no mess whatsoever ending with a written report and at a very reasonable price."

MC , 1 Jan 2022

"Green Man Stoves come to service our wood burner every year and they are professional efficient and very friendly. They do a good job, never leave a mess are very quick and leave the wood burner looking like new. I would certainly recommend they to anyone."

SC , 10 May 2024