One step closer to permanent wood heat ban in California?

[PILOON]

:thumbdown:
Its difficult to understand how gun control legislation never gets any traction in the US yet these crazy proposed controls seem to get all kinds of traction...
Whats next!
Cheers,
Jon

What irks me more is that legislation is always aimed at the consumer and never at the manufacturer.
Always the little guy.

i.e., You can manufacturer and sell all you want but if the consumer buys it he can't use it.
They know that the lobbies can mount all kinds of legal arguments but the poor consumer has not a chance to object.
Naturally political donations has nothing to do with it.

Then they claim they need to start somewhere, "look at us, we think green".

 

[PILOON]

Great, so some exemptions do exist, only problem is that they have opened up a whole new industry. Emission engineers! Something affordable that anyone can avail themselves of.
Great opportunity, invent a portable emission test set that only requires annual calibration and certification.

Emissions Limits for New Woodstoves and Pellet Stoves
Step 1 (Now): For all stoves without current EPA certification
4.5 grams per hour of operation for catalytic and noncatalytic stoves
Limit is for crib testing. If tested with cordwood, emissions test method must be approved, and stoves must meet crib wood limit.
60 days after final rule is published in the Federal Register.

Step 2 (2020): All woodstoves and pellet stoves
2.0 grams per hour for catalytic and noncatalytic stoves, if emissions are tested using cribs
Alternative limit: 2.5 grams per hour, if tested with cord wood; method must be approved
5 years after the effective date of the final rule.

 

[dave1949]

Great, so some exemptions do exist, only problem is that they have opened up a whole new industry. Emission engineers! Something affordable that anyone can avail themselves of.
Great opportunity, invent a portable emission test set that only requires annual calibration and certification.

We really need educated wood heat users. All those tests and certifications don't mean squat when the stove is stuffed full of green wood and the damper is closed down. At least for the folks who burn correctly, the tighter emissions for new stoves mean more heat from the wood.

Oil furnaces here get checked for flue emissions as part of annual maintenance. The only wood appliance that comes close to the steady state of an oil burner is a pellet or wood chip burner I think.

 

[ultrarunner]

Few if any I know burn... as mentioned... I can't even give away split seasoned oak.

What pushed my buttons is the requirement existing fireplaces must be removed or otherwise rendered inoperative... and the Air Board is now considering having inspectors check, for a fee, to certify a wood burner is not present upon sale.

Totally ridiculous and an abuse... a fireplace is nothing more than an architectural feature without a fire.

The only time the air is thick with smoke is when there are firework shows at the Oakland Coliseum and the 4th of July where all fireworks are banned and have been for decades.

I can see it now... what was his crime... why, he roasted marshmallows on an open fire.

We already have restrictions of using BBQ and using any gasoline powered equipment when an alert is called... yet, the air district has said the air is many times cleaner that it has been for decades... so what gives?

The air board is also the very same that charges $780 annually for a standby generator permit if Diesel fueled.

 

[Rustyiron]

What pushed my buttons is the requirement existing fireplaces must be removed or otherwise rendered inoperative... and the Air Board is now considering having inspectors check, for a fee, to certify a wood burner is not present upon sale.

Totally ridiculous and an abuse... a fireplace is nothing more than an architectural feature without a fire.

Your tax dollars at work. How wonderfull. :mur:

 

[Oldpath05]

I might need a few more exemptions to burn firewood, I have to dig out some from the snow bank this weekend, cant wait to burn it and have an Emission engineer pay me the usual test fee of $100.00/hr. for testing the burn, it's the standard (feel the burn) test we have here. With any luck it should test to about 40.5 grams/hr. if it does, It will qualify me for a brand new (free) gasification wood burning furnace under the obama administration clean air act.

I wish we could go back to the days when Charlton Heston stood up in front of a NRA meeting with a stick of wood, and said, " FROM MY COLD DEAD HANDS".

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Emissions Limits for New Woodstoves and Pellet Stoves
Step 1 (Now): For all stoves without current EPA certification
4.5 grams per hour of operation for catalytic and noncatalytic stoves
Limit is for crib testing. If tested with cordwood, emissions test method must be approved, and stoves must meet crib wood limit.
60 days after final rule is published in the Federal Register.

Step 2 (2020): All woodstoves and pellet stoves
2.0 grams per hour for catalytic and noncatalytic stoves, if emissions are tested using cribs
Alternative limit: 2.5 grams per hour, if tested with cord wood; method must be approved
5 years after the effective date of the final rule.


How difficult or expensive can it be? I see a lot of good stoves listed that meet the new 4.5 grams per hour requirements now but will have some work to do by 2020 to get down to 2.0 or 2.5 (depending on the test method used).

Not very.

I installed a QuadraFire 4300 step top last year that is EPA certified at 1.1 gm/hr and doesn't use a catalytic converter. Cost a lot more than $2500, but it'll last me the rest of my life...:thumbsup:

 

[Sprinklerman]

I remember a story about Tea being dumped into Boston harbor . Can history tell us anything ?

 

[ultrarunner]

I might need a few more exemptions to burn firewood, I have to dig out some from the snow bank this weekend, cant wait to burn it and have an Emission engineer pay me the usual test fee of $100.00/hr. for testing the burn, it's the standard (feel the burn) test we have here. With any luck it should test to about 40.5 grams/hr. if it does, It will qualify me for a brand new (free) gasification wood burning furnace under the obama administration clean air act.

I wish we could go back to the days when Charlton Heston stood up in front of a NRA meeting with a stick of wood, and said, " FROM MY COLD DEAD HANDS".

Heston's quote was on my mind too!

 

[dave1949]

Not very.

I installed a QuadraFire 4300 step top last year that is EPA certified at 1.1 gm/hr and doesn't use a catalytic converter. Cost a lot more than $2500, but it'll last me the rest of my life...:thumbsup:

People do speak well of Quadrafire. I thought ~$2200 for the Avalon was on the low side of what I would expect to pay for a good, clean-burning new stove. Travis Industries also makes the Lopi stoves. I checked the reviews at hearth.com to make sure I didn't randomly pick out a junky stove. Folks were happy with the Avalon. I have no experience with them.