Households across the UK are being warned they face fines of £300 this month onwards if they use their chimney.

While every house built before the 1990s probably has a chimney on the roof, most of us won’t have used it for decades or possibly ever, and the fireplace itself may well be blocked up and inaccessible.

But millions of people across the country still use their fireplace to heat their home in the winter, with traditional fuels such as coal, or have a wood burner fitted into the chimney.

Unfortunately, if your chimney starts belching out smoke, there are areas of the UK where you can be reported to the local council and fined, because of a new rule around Smoke Control Areas.

Smoke Control Areas govern how much smoke can be emitted from your chimney.

Most of England is now covered by Smoke Control areas, and if you live in one, you can be fined £300 if your chimney produces too much smoke – while persistent offenders could face criminal charges.

Section 19 of the Clean Air Act 1993 says you must pay £300 if too much smoke is being released from your chimney.

As Direct Stoves says: “The current limit on the amount of smoke your chimney can produce in a Smoke Control Area is 5g per hour, plus 0.5g for each kW of your stove’s heat output. However, there are plans to reduce this limit to 3g per hour, although when this will happen is not yet confirmed.

“These rules mean that only some people with a wood-burning stove or open fire will pay a fine for using it. Most modern wood burners available are DEFRA-approved, so many stove owners do not need to worry.

“If you want to upgrade an older wood burner that emits a lot of smoke or are considering installing a wood burner in your home for the first time, get an appliance that DEFRA has approved for use in Smoke Control Areas. A wood burner with this seal of approval is designed and tested to operate within the restrictions.”