Approved Wood Burning Stoves

Benefits

• EPA-certified wood burning stoves produce less smoke than uncertified stoves, and they’re around 30 percent more efficient, according to the EPA. The fires produced in certified stoves burn more completely, so they produce less creosote and you don’t need to use as much wood, which translates into lower fuel costs and less time spent on your firewood. Many towns that restrict wood burning appliances or regulate when you can burn often exempt EPA-certified stoves from their rules.

Requirements

• The EPA requires certified stoves to reduce smoke emissions by around 90 percent compared to older stove models. As of 2011, there is no way to upgrade an uncertified stove or fireplace insert for the EPA to certify it. Instead, the old stove or insert must be replaced by a new one that is certified. An existing wood burning fireplace, however, can be upgraded by installing a certified fireplace insert. Buying a new wood stove in the U.S. is illegal unless it is EPA certified. Some states, like Washington, have stricter rules than the EPA. Residents in those states must adhere to state rules.

Identifying

• You have several ways to tell if a stove you’re looking at has been certified by the EPA. Check the stove against the EPA’s most current list of certified wood stoves, which is posted on its website (see Resources). Look for the permanent label, which can be found on the front, back or side of the stove. The label will state that the stove meets the EPA particulate emissions limit. New stoves also have a temporary cardboard label attached to the front that will give you information about the emissions rate and efficiency of the stove.

Types

• Catalytic, non-catalytic and pellet stoves can all be certified by the EPA, although some pellet stoves are exempt from certification. Catalytic stoves produce less pollution and are given a default efficiency rating of 72 percent, compared to 63 percent for non-catalytic wood stoves. Pellet stoves, which burn pellets of sawdust or other biomass materials, have a default efficiency rate of 78 percent. Most pellet stoves are exempt from EPA certification because of their low emissions, but some manufacturers seek certification anyway.