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Topic 656	Wood Stoves
igc:afrey	en.energy	11:58 am  Sep 30, 1990

The following article appeared in The New York Times 9/29/90:

Coping With Choosing a Wood Stove
By John Warde

Rising fuel costs and concern over the future of oil supplies from the 
Middle east have aroused renewed interest in wood stoves.

Retailers of wood stoves are already reporting sales increases of up 
to 25 percent in the Northeast since the Persian Gulf crisis began, 
said Geoff Wurzel, the communications director for the Wood Heating 
Alliance in Washington, a national trade association.

Wood-stove makers are also seeing increased demand from dealers, 
some of whom have doubled their orders, Mr. Wurzel said.  Prices 
are generally not expected to rise as a result, he added, but if the 
trend grows, manufacturers may be pressed to meet production 
needs.

If you are in the market for a wood stove, there are several things 
you should know.  Probably the most important is that since 1988, 
the sale and manufacture of wood stoves in the United States have 
been regulated by performance standards established by the 
Environmental Protection Agency.  The automobile is the only other 
consumer product governed by E.P.A. regulations.

Meeting the E.P.A. standards has involved the introduction of 
increasingly rigorous antipollution measures, the most stringent of 
which took effect on July 1.  These limit the emissions of specified 
pollutants:  for wood stoves with catalytic combustors, the rate is 4.1 
grams per hour, and for stoves without such equipment, the rate is 
7.5 grams per hour.

A catalytic combustor is a device that cleans smoke by burning 
pollutants that usually escape up the chimney.  Stoves without 
catalytic combustors that also meet E.P.A. requirements usually have 
secondary combustion chambers instead; these remove pollutants 
from the smoke by burning them at a high temperature.

Virtually all wood stoves now available in stores are E.P.A certified.  
A stove with a Phase 2 certification meets the standards that went 
into effect on July 1.  A stove certified under earlier stages of the 
program carries a Phase 1 certification.  For stoves with catalytic 
combustors this allows emissions of up to 5.5 grams per hour; for 
other stoves, the rate is 8.5 grams per hour.  These older models can 
be sold until July 1, 1992.

Certain stoves that are not certified are still available.  these were 
made before July 1, 1989, by companies that were granted 
extensions because of their small production levels.  Stoves in this 
category can be sold until July 1, 1991.

Although stoves that lack E.P.A. certification are legal, buying a 
certified stove is insurance against any future regulations that may 
outlaw them.  Local building codes governing new construction are 
increasingly specifying E.P.A certification, and some communities 
that have banned the use of wood stoves during certain weather 
conditions are considering exempting certified stoves.

A certified stove is also usually more efficient, often consuming only 
half as much wood as an older stove.  Certified stoves are often safer, 
since they generally emit fewer indoor pollutants and are less likely 
to coat the chimney with creosote, the gummy, flammable residue in 
smoke that is the primary cause of chimney fires.

Prices for certified wood stoves start at about $750, but most models, 
including those with catalytic combustors, cost 41,000 to $1,300.  
Usually, it is best to buy from a local dealer who can take care of 
delivery and installation.  For extra assurance choose a dealer whose 
installers are certified by the Wood Heating Education and Research 
Foundation, a non-profit group affiliated with the Wood Heating 
Alliance.

Check your chimney before you make a purchase.  For safety, a 
round chimney flue is best, since square flues like those in many 
fireplace chimneys tend to accumulate creosote in the corners.  If the 
flue is not enclosed in a masonry chimney, it should be double-
insulated steel.

Directions for stove installation generally specify the flue size 
recommended for the most effective operation.  best results are 
usually achieved when the diameter of the chimney flue is the same 
as that of the stove flue.  Expect to pay about $30 per running foot 
(more where labor costs are high) for chimney installations or 
modifications, said Bruce Nattress, a salesman at Scandia Stoves and 
Spas in Kutztown, Pa.

For more information, the E.P.A. has a free booklet, "Buying an E.P.A. 
Certified Wood Stove," and a list of certified stoves.  These are 
available from the Federal Programs Section (EN-341), U.S.E.P.A., 401 
M Street SW, Washington, D.C. 20460.

Another free booklet, "Straight Answers to Burning Questions," which 
outlines the safe use of wood stoves, and a list of certified stove 
installers are available from the Wood Heating Education and 
Research Foundation, 1101 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 7000, 
Washington, D.C. 20036.



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