Air Quality > Residential/Outdoor Burning > Wood Stove - Fireplace Information

Wood Stoves, Fireplaces, and Other
Home Wood Burning Devices

Many people don’t think of the smoke from their wood stove or fireplace as air pollution. Some people even like the smell of wood smoke. But, much like cigarette smoke, wood smoke contains hundreds of air pollutants that can cause cancer and other health problems.

Wood smoke is Washington’s third leading source of air pollution. It causes about 19 percent of Washington’s yearly air pollution. More than half of Washington’s households have wood stoves, fireplaces, or other wood burning devices. They put out hundreds of times more air pollution than other sources of heat such as natural gas or electricity.

Click on the following links, or scroll down the page, to find more information about wood stoves and wood smoke.

• Health concerns
• Washington's wood stove requirements
• What you can do
• When are indoor burn bans called?
• Links to more information

Health concerns

The most dangerous material in wood smoke may be the fine particles that make up the smoke and soot. Many of these particles are toxic. Most are so small that, when you breathe them, they get past your body’s defenses and go deep into your lungs. There, they can cause serious problems such as scarring of the lung tissue. Studies show that death rates in several U.S. cities increased when there were higher levels of fine particles in the air. Wood smoke is most dangerous to the health of infants and children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with lung or heart disease. Some of the reasons wood smoke is such a serious problem are:

• Almost all the wood smoke in Washington is released during winter months. This means it is very concentrated. It takes just three months for wood smoke to become Washington’s third leading source of air pollution. Almost 90 percent of the wintertime fine particle pollution in our state is from wood smoke.
• In the winter, we often have weather conditions that cause stagnant air. As a result, wood smoke is trapped close to the ground in neighborhoods. At these times, air pollution in many neighborhoods is unhealthy.
• Studies show that people who heat their homes with wood have more respiratory problems than those who don’t. Smoke particles also invade neighboring homes. Research shows that children in wood burning neighborhoods are more likely to have lung and breathing problems.

Washington's wood stove requirements

To protect health, Washington has strict laws about wood stoves and other wood burning devices. Most states use federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emission standards for fine particles to determine which wood burning devices can be sold. To be sold in Washington, all wood burning devices must meet both EPA’s standards and Washington’s stricter standards.

Certified stoves Particulate Matter Emissions Standards

Type of Device	Washington Limit	EPA Limit
Catalytic wood burning Device	2.5 grams per hour	4.1 grams per hour
Non-catalytic wood burning devices	4.5 grams per hour	7.5 grams per hour
Factory-built and masonry fireplaces	7.3 grams per hour	Currently no limit

Any new wood burning device sold, offered for sale, or given away to Washington residents must meet Washington’s standards.  Even devices that are exempt from EPA certification must meet Washington standards.  Wood burning devices include: 

• wood stoves
• pellet stoves
• wood furnaces
• manufactured fireplaces

Other Washington requirements are:

• Wood fuel must have a moisture content of no more than 20 percent. Wood that is split and then dried for at least a year usually meets this requirement.
• Some materials are illegal to burn. It is illegal to burn garbage, treated or painted wood, particle board, plastics, rubber, waste petroleum products, animal carcasses, asphalt products, paints, chemicals, or any substance that normallyemits dense smoke or obnoxious odors.
• Smoke density is restricted. Smoke plumes can have no more than 20 percent opacity. This means you should see only heat waves coming from your chimney. If you can see any smoke from your chimney it is probably more than 20 percent opacity. (It’s okay to have more smoke only when you are starting or stoking a fire.)
• There is a $30 fee on the sale of new wood stoves. This fee pays for wood stove education and enforcement programs.
• Non-wood heat sources are required in new or significantly remodeled construction.
• A local air quality agency or Ecology may prohibit the use of uncertified stoves under certain conditions. Usually, this happens when an area fails to meet federal air quality standards.
• Local burn bans are called when wood smoke pollution reaches unsafe levels. Burn bans
  have two stages:
• Stage 1: The use of all uncertified wood heating devices is banned when pollution
  approaches unhealthful levels.
• Stage 2: All wood heating is prohibited when pollution reaches an even higher level.

Burn bans do not apply to homes with no other source of adequate heat.

What you can do

• Consider all other heating choices before you purchase or install a wood stove. Natural gas and electricity are much cleaner ways to heat your home.  Insulating and weather stripping can cost less than a wood stove and reduce your heating costs. Many cities, counties, housing authorities, and utility companies offer grants, low-interest or interest-free loans, or free weatherization and conservation programs.
• Never install an uncertified stove. It is illegal to install an uncertified stove in Washington.  Click here for information about the difference between certified and uncertified stoves.  If you want to get your wood stove or fireplace tested to see if it meets Washington standards, click on this link: http://www.omni-test.com/
• If you heat with wood, you can reduce smoke by burning properly: Burn only dry, seasoned wood. Be sure your firewood has been split and dried for at
  least one year. Store it under cover.
• Never burn wet, painted, stained or treated wood; colored newsprint; plastic; garbage;
  diapers; or magazines.
• Burn small, hot fires. This helps the wood burn completely and cleanly. Never allow the fire to smolder. This wastes wood, produces little heat, and causes a lot of smoke.
• Make sure your fire gets enough air. Dampering down too much can cause smoldering. You can tell if your fire has enough air by checking the smoke coming from your chimney. You should see only heat waves. If you see smoke, increase the air supply to your fire.
• Make sure your wood stove is the right size for its space. A stove that is too large for the space it is heating will have to be damped down, causing more smoke. Make sure your stove is properly installed.

Other information

• Who Do I Contact About Wood Stoves or Fireplaces?
• EPA Certified Woodstoves
• Coming Soon: Which Wood Burning Devices Can Be Sold in Washington?
• The Health Effects of Wood Smoke
• Wood Smoke and Your Health
• Washington's Wood Smoke Work Group
• Wood Smoke Work Group Report to the Legislature
• Tips for Cleaner Wood Burning
• Plans for Building a Wood Drying Shed
• Information About Washington's Wood Stove Regulations
• Colville Wood Stove Change-Out Program
• Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association
• Indoor Burning Information
• Wood Stove Pollution is a Burning Issue
  The Environmental Magazine article

 

Other Burning Links

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