EPA restrictions on wood stoves

[John Dirks Jr]

Has anyone heard the news on EPA restricting wood stoves?

What's your opinion on these actions?

[David Meiland]

Not sure. Seems like the smokiest stove installations have to do with poor venting, either too large (someone installs a 6" stove on an existing 8" chimney) or too short (pipe ends a few feet above a low-slope single-story roof and has lousy draw). And of course wet firewood being burned by everyone who "forgot" to get it early enough, or were sold wet wood as dry by a liar.

[John Dirks Jr]

Not sure. Seems like the smokiest stove installations have to do with poor venting, either too large (someone installs a 6" stove on an existing 8" chimney) or too short (pipe ends a few feet above a low-slope single-story roof and has lousy draw). And of course wet firewood being burned by everyone who "forgot" to get it early enough, or were sold wet wood as dry by a liar.

Ahh...so the stove itself may have less to do with emmisions than other things.

[David Meiland]

I think the EPA is trying to manage what it can, which is new stove design, and leaving alone what it can't, which is venting. I know very little about how stoves are tested for emissions, but my casual observation is that chimney design has a lot to do with how well they burn, even with a brand new compliant stove.

[Chad Fabry]

It's about generating revenue for listing agencies.

[Bill Kibbel]

I read about this last month. The EPA is updating the performance standards for the manufacture and sale of new residential wood heaters.

The standards revision was specifically implemented to settle multiple lawsuits from several environmental groups. It's a successful method for these types of activists. "Sue and settle" writes new, strict regulations while bypassing input from the public and affected businesses.