New EPA standard for Wood burning stoves

[Possom]

First off a little background. I live in the middle of the ouachita national forest. Firewood is available in great supply here. I won't get into my thoughts on the federal government owning land outside of DC but the short of it is this. You can buy a firewood permit to cut dead and down timber off the government for something like $25 for 10 cord of wood. Far cheaper than buying natural gas or propane to heat with.

I know these restrictions have been out and discussed for several months now but I didn't see any discussion on it here. If I missed a thread touching on this feel free to delete this thread or merge it in.

Now the all powerful EPA is changing the guidelines on what wood heaters can be purchased and used in the name of "air pollution". First off, those burning wood for heat are not the ones polluting the air. But burning wood does give you a little independence from big business selling other forms of heating fuel.

If any of you are planning on buying a new wood heater it might be wise to do it fairly quickly.

How does this effect your prepping plans? I am assuming most all of us plan to use wood to heat and cook in a grid down situation.

http://www.theorganicprepper.ca/the-epa-takes-an-ax-to-self-sufficiency-most-woodburning-stoves-will-soon-be-illegal-09282013

[helomech]

That article was written by a Canadian, I don't see anywhere talk of a ban in the U.S. The link that is listed in the article does bring you to the U.S. EPA, but there is no talk of any kind of ban I can find. It just give you a list of the ones certified by them to burn less than so any grams per hour.

[Possom]

http://blogs.courier-journal.com/watchdogearth/2014/01/07/epa-proposes-strict-new-wood-stove-standards/

This article gives a little more detail. Baby steps in restrictions.

[helomech]

I still have not seen anything that says they are trying to ban them in the U.S. I see that for them to be certified by the EPA that have to meet certain pollution standards (Which I think is stupid) but that does not mean they are trying to ban the rest of them. I have seen this before about a year ago, and never found anything then either that backed up the statements. I hate the EPA as much as anyone, just don't see any proof they are trying to ban them. Heck if they do I will just make my own.

[Possom]

I should have picked a better article to use as an example. Those silly Canadians always seem to get a bit carried away. I had it on my mind and grabbed an article after skimming it but not fully reading it (sorry) The new restrictions are for producers of wood stoves. My point was they are tightening restrictions in baby steps. How are these restrictions going to effect what stoves you can purchase? Will there be more restrictions on down the road? I guess it has made more questions than answers for me.

I believe it started out the same way with smog regulations on cars. First it was a simple catalytic converter that the manufacturers were required to put on new vehicles. Your old vehicles didn't have to have one, then more and more regulations. Now most states require you to have a smog inspection before you can tag your car. Will it end up being the same for your wood stove? Have a "certified inspector" test your emissions out of your wood stove before being "permitted" to burn wood?

[Sniper-T]

I, as one who has to put up with the 'silly Canadians' who enact the laws here, can attest that yes, they do have some rules about wood stoves, but no, they're really not that bad. I bought a new fireplace last year, and it was energy efficient this and approved that, blah blah, blah! but here are the facts, after using it to heat my home for 16 hours+ of every single day in this longest coldest winter in history...

It is fucking phenominal! for the amount of heat it throws to the amount less wood I burn, it blows away my old one 100x over. With my old one, from outside, there'd be visible smoke, ash, whatever going up the chimney. this one I can see a heat mirage over the top of the chimney but no smoke.

I keep the thermostat for my furnace set at 15C (60F) at all times. I fire it up when I get home from work, and within an hour the house is at 21C (72F). I damper it down and one load of wood burns for hours! I stoke it before bed, and there are enough coals to just toss in a stick in the morning to keep it going. My wife stokes it before she leaves, and quite often, there are still coals when I get home.

Incidentally... all 'old' stoves are grandfathered, as long as they are installed. If I sell my old one, the buyer wouldn't get insurance... so I'll keep it and throw it in a hunting shack somewhere.

[ladyhk13]

I think I read somewhere that all new Canadian homes must meet strict zero carbon footprint guidelines by 2016 or something like that so maybe companies that sell these wood burning stoves in Canada are trying to make sure they are able to meet those standards and as a byproduct we in the US are getting the higher graded stoves as well? Easier to upgrade all the stoves instead of selling different kinds in different countries.

[TroubleShooter]

I, as one who has to put up with the 'silly Canadians' who enact the laws here, can attest that yes, they do have some rules about wood stoves, but no, they're really not that bad. I bought a new fireplace last year, and it was energy efficient this and approved that, blah blah, blah! but here are the facts, after using it to heat my home for 16 hours+ of every single day in this longest coldest winter in history...

It is fucking phenominal! for the amount of heat it throws to the amount less wood I burn, it blows away my old one 100x over. With my old one, from outside, there'd be visible smoke, ash, whatever going up the chimney. this one I can see a heat mirage over the top of the chimney but no smoke.

I keep the thermostat for my furnace set at 15C (60F) at all times. I fire it up when I get home from work, and within an hour the house is at 21C (72F). I damper it down and one load of wood burns for hours! I stoke it before bed, and there are enough coals to just toss in a stick in the morning to keep it going. My wife stokes it before she leaves, and quite often, there are still coals when I get home.

Incidentally... all 'old' stoves are grandfathered, as long as they are installed. If I sell my old one, the buyer wouldn't get insurance... so I'll keep it and throw it in a hunting shack somewhere.
+10000, the new stoves are super efficent.......

[realist]

I just saw this post. One thing nice about these new stoves is they are so efficient they put out very little particulate material, commonly known as smoke. There is one made in Seattle which makes the signature almost none existent. I got a new stove this summer and can't wait to get it going. I may have to get one for my cabin...

[Sniper-T]

I wish I could burn ice and it would act as an air conditioner! For the first time ever... my cooling bills in the summer are more than my heating bills in the winter!