More Stringent Emission Standards on Wood Burning Heaters

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has updated its clean air standards for residential wood heaters. The goal is ensure new wood-heating units burn significantly cleaner, with fewer emissions being released into the atmosphere,

These first-ever federal air standards for previously unregulated new wood heaters cover outdoor and indoor wood-fired boilers (also known as hydronic heaters), indoor wood-fired forced air furnaces, and single burn-rate woodstoves.

According to the EPA, the new standards require new woodstoves and heaters to operate about 80 percent cleaner than current models. This will lead to important air quality and public health improvements in communities across the country.

The EPA took action because smoke from residential wood heaters can increase toxic air pollution, volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide and soot to levels that pose serious health concerns. Looking ahead, these new regulations for emissions most likely will make woodstoves more expensive or even difficult to find.

For homeowners and businesses looking for alternatives to wood heaters, propane fireplaces and stoves offer a cleaner-burning, healthier option. These are also more efficient and convenient than wood-burning units, and they operate on a fuel that’s easily available even in rural areas.

Simply put, propane burns much cleaner than wood. As just one example, a wood-burning fireplace can produce 4,000% more emissions than a propane unit!

These emission standards will strengthen the value of propane heating products even further. The team at Advanced Propane looks forward to bringing clean-burning, affordable warmth and energy to Tennessee and Kentucky homes and businesses for many years to come.