New Source Performance Standards for Residential Wood Heaters
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Rule Summary
EPA's performance standards strengthen the emissions standards for new wood stoves, while establishing federal air standards for other new wood heaters, including outdoor and indoor wood-fired boilers (also known as hydronic heaters).
The final standards also set particulate matter (PM) emission limits for newly manufactured adjustable-rate woodstoves, pellet stoves, wood-fired hydronic heaters, wood-burning forced-air furnaces, and a type of previously unregulated woodstove known as a “single burn rate” stove.
The rule does not affect existing woodstoves and other wood-burning heaters currently in use in people’s homes. It also does not apply to new or existing heaters that are fueled solely by oil, gas or coal, and it would not apply to outdoor fireplaces, fire pits, pizza ovens or chimineas.
In addition, EPA did not include new indoor fireplaces for regulation, based on the agency’s review of data indicating that typical fireplaces are not effective heaters. Fireplaces are included in an EPA voluntary program that encourages manufacturers to make cleaner-burning new fireplaces, and retrofits for existing fireplaces, available for consumers.
There are several types of wood-burning appliances that people use to heat their home – either as a primary source of heat, as supplemental heat, or for ambiance. EPA’s Burn Wise website has a description of these appliances.
Smoke from residential wood heaters contains fine particle pollution, also known as fine particulate matter or PM2.5, along with other pollutants including carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), black carbon, and air toxics, such as benzene. Residential wood smoke can increase particle pollution to levels that pose serious health concerns, and in some areas constitutes a significant portion of the fine particle pollution problem. The fine particles in smoke can get deep into the lungs, harming the lungs, blood vessels and heart. People with heart, vascular or lung disease, older adults and children are the most at risk. Learn more about the health effects of PM2.5
EPA has a number of tools available to help local governments address existing heaters, including “Strategies for Reducing Residential Wood Smoke” issued by EPA’s Burn Wise program. This comprehensive document covers local regulations, voluntary programs, funding mechanisms and best burn practices - all of which can help reduce particle pollution from existing wood-burning appliances.
Rule History
- 05/22/2020 - Proposed Amendments: Standards of Performance for New Residential Wood Heaters and New Residential Hydronic Heaters and Forced-Air Furnaces
- 04/02/2020 - Final Standards of Performance for New Residential Wood Heaters, New Residential Hydronic Heaters and Force-Air Furnaces
- 11/30/2018 - Proposed Amendments to the NSPS for Residential Wood Heaters
- 11/30/2018 - Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the NSPS for Residential Wood Heaters (2018)
- 03/16/2015 - Revised Standards for New Residential Wood Heaters and Final Standards for New Hydronic Heaters and New Forced-Air Furnaces
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11/24/1998 - Amendments to NSPS for Residential Wood Heaters
Additional Resources
- Regulatory Impact Analysis
- Summaries of Requirements for Residential Wood Heaters
- EPA-approved Test Labs and Third-Party Certifiers
- What are the requirements for the Voluntary Hangtag Program?