Woodstoves and Fireplaces
This
page is dedicated to residential fuel combustion and incentive programs offered
by the District to reduce pollution from woodstoves and fireplaces.
Wood
smoke is waste. Any smoke that escapes from your wood stove or fireplace is
wasted fuel that may stick in your chimney as creosote or be released as air
pollution. Wood smoke contains particulates such as PM 10 and PM 2.5 as well as
toxic air contaminants and other criteria pollutants. An old or poorly
installed wood stove can result in higher maintenance costs, greater risk of
smoke in your home, and more pollution.
Beginning
in 1990, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began
certifying woodstoves for emissions levels. Properly installed EPA certified
wood stove and fireplace inserts offer many benefits. They burn wood
efficiently, more safely, and heat your home effectively with much less smoke.
With EPA certified wood stoves and fireplace inserts, you should see only a
thin wisp of steam coming from your chimney.
Burning Efficiently Guidance from EPA on how to
burn wood more efficiently.
General Information Basic information from EPA on
types of wood burning devices, selecting the right model and size, and local
retailers in your area.
List of EPA-Certified
wood stoves
Woodstove Changeout Program
2011/2012
The Feather River Air Quality Management District
is offering vouchers to residents of Yuba and Sutter Counties who replace or
retrofit an old wood stove or wood burning fireplace with a cleaner,
EPA-certified appliance. To quality, you can replace a:
Pre-1990 wood stove with a
new, EPA-certified wood stove
Pre-1990 wood stove with a
pellet stove
Pre-1990 wood stove with a
gas-stove
or
Retrofit existing
fireplace with a EPA-certified insert.
The woodstove or fireplace must be in operational
condition, and permanently installed in a residence in Yuba or Sutter
Counties.
The 2011 grant program begins on October 28,
2011, at 3:00 pm. The District has allocated $20,000 for this program.
Vouchers will be mailed directly from the District and will contain the
District's official seal. The
vouchers should arrive around November 1 and must be redeemed by November
30, 2011.
Vouchers must be used at a pre-approved retailer. For more information, visit:
Visit the Airwatch Northwest's website to view short videos on how to select a wood burning appliance and how to operate your wood stove more efficiently:
http://www.airwatchnorthwest.org/homeheating/index.htm
For more information on the pollution caused by woodstoves and fireplaces, please visit the District's Particle Pollution webpage.