Do certified corner inserts exist?

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DontTakeTheL

New Member
Jan 26, 2024
2
Vancouver, BC
Hi all,

Starting September 2025, my jurisdiction will require all wood burning appliances to be certified, either EPA or the equivalent Canadian standard (CSA B415.1-10). This means I have just under 600 days to determine the fate of our beloved left-corner open fireplace: replace with electric, switch to wax firelogs only, or find an appropriate fireplace insert.

Obviously, only one of those options is on the table.

However, I can't for the life of me find an EPA or CSA certified corner insert. I've found some European certified ones, but unfortunately that apparently won't cut it under the new law. I've seen some lovely single pane inserts, but the whole corner thing really ties the room together.

Does a certified corner insert exist, somewhere out there?? I've got time to work it into the budget, I can go for anything in the US or in Canada, and I'm not that picky - I just really want to look at both the front and the left side of my fire.
 
Are you saying all the existing installations have to comply with this code requirement?
 
A "corner" insert is just a regular insert that has been framed into a corner. Most 36" EPA fireplaces lend themselves to this style of installation. Several companies make fireplaces in this size range. RSF, Quadrafire, Pacific Energy, Vacourt, FPX and others make EPA fireplaces.
 
Yes and no !

All new wood stoves and inserts being sold must be EPA compliant at time of sale, presently EPA 2020 stoves only are sold in retail shops obviously. My understanding is there was no standards or lower standards for fireplaces, prefabs, etc.
I believe that is where these changes will apply to manufacturers of such appliances..
There are cities such as Montréal where smog has been a major problem in the coldest of winter, 2 years ago Montréal outlawed within their city limits and jurisdiction all existing wood burners be it fireplace, wood stoves and inserts that did not meet the 2 - 2-5 grams maximum level to help in resolving the high levels of smog, in the past winters this would be approx. 5-15 days. There were thousand and thousands of smoke dragons for sale real cheap in Montréal over the past few years, people were buying them to install in their hunting and fishing camps located in the farther corners of the province..
 
I'm in the Vancouver metro area, where the new standards will apply to everything, including existing fireplaces. Nothing stopping me from keeping it, just a question of whether any of the neighbours will feel like reporting me and my steadily shrinking woodpile to bylaw enforcement at some point.

What I'm looking for is something like this from a shape perspective, with glass on the front and the left.