2020 EPA Standard question

[TypeB]

Say I buy a new wood stove today, certified with a gph (grams per hour) emissions rating of 4 (easily within the standards of the 2015 law). In three years (2020) the gph requirement lowers to 2.0.

If I sell my house AFTER 2020, can I sell my 2017 wood stove with it? Will it still be considered certified? I asked a dealer this question yesterday and he just said, "Good question!" (He didn't know the answer.)

From what I can find, the law is not clear if the 2015 certification will still be valid after 2020, if the rating of the stove is over 2.

ALSO -- Do you think that dealers are keeping a low inventory because in three years, many of the models they are currently selling will become illegal to sell? (Which makes me think there'll be some killer sales just before 2020!)

 

[Tegbert]

I believe that that rule is just for selling new units. After 2020 they have to meet that requirement. The ones sold before are still ok.

It's just like car emissions. The older cars only have to meet the requirements of the time they were built while newer ones have to meet more strict requirements.

I think dealers are keeping a lower inventory because most people would rather have a forced air furnace than deal with wood. I think that if it is like other areas of regulation that as long as it was made before the standard took affect that they are still ok to sell. Just the manufacturers have to abide by that requirement after that date. But I haven't really read or looked into it much.


Lopi Rockport

 

[djkeev]

I agree, old units are grandfathered in.

This does not totally clear you in the future though. There are areas that have outlawed older polluting stoves rendering them useless and thus valueless for any used item sale. Other areas ban wood burning during certain weather situations as well.

I remember living in the Rogue Valley of Oregon in the 1970's/80's when lumber mills still burned their sawdust and everyone heated with a choked off smoldering fire! The brown haze that hung over that valley.........

 

[TypeB]

Yes, but you can still sell old cars. Non-certified wood stoves are illegal to sell. At least in Oregon .... So what I'm asking is -- after 2020 can you sell a house with a wood stove that doesn't meet the 2020 gph limit, even though it meets the 2015 certification?

We sold my mother-in-law's house several years ago and had to dispose of her old non-certified stove. We could not sell the house until the stove was gone or replaced. As long as she kept the house, the stove could stay.

 

[Tegbert]

Yes, but you can still sell old cars. Non-certified wood stoves are illegal to sell. At least in Oregon .... So what I'm asking is -- after 2020 can you sell a house with a wood stove that doesn't meet the 2020 gph limit, even though it meets the 2015 certification?

We sold my mother-in-law's house several years ago and had to dispose of her old non-certified stove. We could not sell the house until the stove was gone or replaced. As long as she kept the house, the stove could stay.

See that is the states decision not the EPA. In Washington you can sell a house with a uncertified stove and the new owner can use it too. But you can not sell the stove or remove and install it somewhere else. But they recommend getting a certified stove. One county here though has more strict requirements than the state does.


Lopi Rockport

 

[TypeB]

Oh, okay. It's an Oregon thing. Hmmmm.

 

[Lloyd the redneck]

Sounds like extensive government over reach !

 

[brenndatomu]

We could not sell the house until the stove was gone or replaced. As long as she kept the house, the stove could stay.

This ^ ^ ^.
My understanding of the new law is that any wood stove (or furnace) that does not meet the then current regs is illegal and cannot be sold with the house, or sold at all, or given away, or taken with you to your new house. It can be used at the current address as long as you live there, that's it. Well, or scrapped...that's your 2 options.
Now...will they actually have the manpower to enforce these regs? We'll see...but I really doubt it

 

[webfish]

This link may help.
http://www.forgreenheat.org/policy/state_policy.html

 

[bcrtops]

This ^ ^ ^.
My understanding of the new law is that any wood stove (or furnace) that does not meet the then current regs is illegal and cannot be sold with the house, or sold at all, or given away, or taken with you to your new house. It can be used at the current address as long as you live there, that's it. Well, or scrapped...that's your 2 options.
Now...will they actually have the manpower to enforce these regs? We'll see...but I really doubt it

This is how OR has gone about it. They enforce it, primarily, via the realtors/banks/deed transaction. It is impossible to sell a house with an old non-epa stove in it & when one is removed for the sale, proof of scrapping is required. You can remove the stove, before placing the house on the market, but it is, technically illegal to do anything with it other than scrapping it out.

It is, also, illegal to sell, &/or re-install the non-epa stoves. This, however, is hard to control -- you see them for sale on craigslist all the time. Policing that part is difficult. I know for a fact that even some of the scrapped stoves, end back in service -- maybe not in OR, or maybe for shop stoves, etc.
(Heating wood stoves -- wood fired cook stoves are exempt)

 

[begreen]

This ^ ^ ^.
My understanding of the new law is that any wood stove (or furnace) that does not meet the then current regs is illegal and cannot be sold with the house, or sold at all, or given away, or taken with you to your new house. It can be used at the current address as long as you live there, that's it. Well, or scrapped...that's your 2 options.
Now...will they actually have the manpower to enforce these regs? We'll see...but I really doubt it

I would think that decision would be at the state, not federal level.