The Santa Clara County Rule does at least allow outdoor or cooking wood-burning fireplaces and wood-burning fireplaces in rural areas 150 feet beyond the gas lines. I wonder if we could suggest that Santa Clara County update their rule to recognize the ASTM test standard and the EPA Voluntary Program.
Full Answer
Is it legal to have a wood burning stove in California?
Fireplace use banned in 7 California counties. The Air Quality Management District says burning wood, pellets and manufactured fire logs in residential fireplaces, stoves and fire pits is prohibited until midnight Monday. The counties included are San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Madera, Fresno, Kings and Tulare. Portions of Kern County are also included.
Are outdoor wood-burning fireplaces covered by the regulations?
Also, outdoor wood-burning devices are not covered in these regulations. They do need the same certifications as indoor installations, but, as recreational devices, they are still subject to Winter Spare the Air Alerts. ( Winter Spare the Air FAQs)
Should I stop burning wood during a winter Spare the air alert?
“Eliminating residential wood burning during a Winter Spare the Air Alert can reduce soot in the Bay Area by 35 tons each day” ( Wood Burning Regulations Flier ). On top of the particulate pollution, wood smoke also contains a variety of gases, including toxins like dioxin ( Wood Burning Regulations Flier ).
Can you use a fireplace in Santa Clara County?
Keep in Compliance Gas-fueled fireplaces and logs, gas inserts, and electrical fireplaces are permitted. Any resident who begins a chimney or remodeling project that costs more than $15,000 and requires a building permit may only install a gas-fueled, electric, or EPA-certified device.
Can you burn wood in fireplace in San Jose?
On June 6, 2000, the City of San José adopted Ordinance 26133 which specifies that: Only wood burning appliances that comply with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements may be installed; those that do not comply are prohibited.
Are wood-burning fireplaces illegal in California?
Wood-Burning Devices Rule Makes it illegal to use any wood-burning devices (such as fireplaces, woodstoves, or pellet stoves) when fine particulate pollution is forecast to exceed federal health standards and a Spare the Air Alert is in effect.
Are you allowed to burn wood in your fireplace?
You cannot burn wood or coal in an open fire in London e.g. in a basket or insert fire. However, you can burn smokeless fuel which is manufactured to produce less smoke. Smokeless fuel is still a fossil fuel and therefore not renewable. You can burn wood in London in a DEFRA approved appliance.
Can you burn wood for heat in California?
Can You Use Wood-Burning Fireplaces in California? You can use a wood-burning fireplace in some California districts on most days, but it becomes illegal to do so in your area on no-burn days, which typically occur during the winter.
Is it legal to light a fire in your fireplace?
1) Are fireplaces allowed in London? / Are open fireplaces allowed in London? As London is known as a smokeless zone, using wood and coal to fuel a fire is forbidden. That said, open fireplaces are allowed in London – only if you burn smokeless coal.
Can you build a house in California with a wood-burning fireplace?
First of all, you need to be aware of local regulations. In Southern California, in both Orange and Los Angeles counties, you cannot add an open-hearth wood-burning fireplace to an existing home, due to air quality concerns. Thus any new open-hearth fireplace must have a gas or alcohol-fueled log set.
What type of fireplace is legal for California?
Permanent wood-burning devices in any new residential developments are banned, and those with wood-burning fireplaces are subject to mandatory “no-burn” days when high pollution levels are forecast during the season.
Can I install a wood-burning stove in my house in California?
California Laws Regulating Fireplaces There are no California statewide laws regulating wood-burning stoves and fireplaces beyond those found in most other states and issued by the Environmental Protection Agency, but various municipalities have their own regulations.
What are you allowed to burn in your fireplace?
So long as you burn DEFRA-approved fuels, you're free to hygge-up your hearth to your heart's content. A list of approved fuels can be found here but basically, if it's smokeless, you're good to go. Crucially, though, wood and standard house coal is banned — unless you're using an exempt appliance.
Can I still burn logs?
So while you can continue to burn kiln dried firewood in your log burner after May 2021, there will be no change for coal or gas fires. The changes ahead are going to have a big impact on how much wood fuel you need for heating with wood.
What are the new laws on log burners?
New laws banning the sale of certain types of fuel come in force aimed at cutting the amount of a kind of damaging air pollution. Anyone using a wood burning stove or open fire in the home from today must only use cleaner alternatives to wet wood and coal, a new law says.
History
About a year ago, there were proposed regulations in place that were going to make stipulations for home sellers with older fireplace in the San Francisco Bay Area, including San Jose, Los Gatos, and nearby. Amendments have since been made to the ordinance, removing this requirement.
Pollution
With 1.4 million woodstoves and fireplaces around the Bay Area, it’s no surprise they make up a major part in the region’s air pollution – approximately one third of winter pollution! That’s greater than the amount of pollution caused by vehicles.
Exceptions
Outdoor fireplaces (not attached to a structure) do not need to follow the same regulations as indoor devices.
What is the number to call for wood burning?
For more information, and to file a wood burning complaint, you can call 1- 877-4NO-BURN (1-877-466-2876) .
When is it illegal to burn wood?
In 2008, the Air District passed a rule that makes it illegal to burn wood on days when a Spare the Air Alert is in effect for particulate pollution. This regulation was adopted to protect public health, and originally only applied to the winter months between November and February. In 2019, the rule was amended ...
What is the biggest source of air pollution in the Bay Area?
During winter months, wood smoke is the largest source of air pollution in the Bay Area, accounting for more than one-third of fine particulate matter pollution.
What is the burning rule?
Know What You Burn. The Wood Burning Rule places a year-round prohibition on excessive chimney smoke. Smoke is in violation when it obscures objects viewed through it by more than 20 percent. A violation can result in a fine.
Can you burn plastic in a wood stove?
The burning of garbage, plastics, or other harmful materials in fireplaces and wood stoves is also prohibited year-round. Only burn clean, dry wood in short, hot fires, and look for the “seasoned” label that the Wood Burning Rule requires from suppliers. Seasoned wood has low moisture content and burns more cleanly.
Is wood burning illegal in the Bay Area?
Besides making wood burning illegal on Spare the Air Days issued for fine particle pollution, there are other provisions in the Wood Burning Rule. Wood-burning devices are prohibited in new buildings constructed in the Bay Area. Gas-fueled fireplaces and logs, gas inserts, and electrical fireplaces are permitted.
Is it illegal to burn wood in the Bay Area?
When a Spare the Air Alert is called due to high levels of fine particulate pollution, the Air District's wood-burning regulation makes it illegal indoors and outdoors throughout the Bay Area to burn wood, fire logs, pellets, or other solid fuels in a fireplace, wood stove, outdoor fire pit, or other wood-burning device. This regulation applies to both households and businesses like hotels and restaurants.
When is wood burning allowed?
Wood-burning limited on days when air pollution approaches unhealthy levels. Limits on the number of wood stoves or fireplaces that can be installed in new residential units. Wood-burning curtailment is required on days when air pollution approaches unhealthy levels (Level 1 & 2).
What is a stage 1 burn ban?
A Stage 1 Burn Ban prohibits the use of all fireplaces and uncertified wood stoves and inserts. Uncertified units are typically older than 1990 and lack a certification label on the back of the unit. All outdoor burning is also prohibited. A Stage 2 Burn Ban prohibits all wood heating, including certified units.
What is the Bay Area's burning rule?
In addition, the Bay Area's Wood Burning Rule includes provisions such as prohibiting wood-burning devices in new buildings and a year-round prohibition on excessive chimney smoke. Smoke is in violation when it obscures objects viewed through it by more than 20 percent. A violation can result in a fine.
What is the burning limit in Colorado?
During red advisories, mandatory residential burning restrictions generally apply to everyone in the 7-county Denver-Boulder metro area below 7,000 feet.
Is wood burning legal in Washington?
The Washington Department of Ecology provides information about burn bans, which wood burning devices are legal in Washington, why wood smoke is harmful to health, and how to reduce the smoke from your wood burning device . They have established wood stove emission performance standards.
Does Colorado have a wood burning ban?
Colorado has a regulation that applies to the sale and installation of wood-burning appliances and the use of certain wood-burning appliances during high pollution days. This and other air quality regulations are on their Air Quality Control Commission regulations website.
Is there a burn ban in Puget Sound?
Puget Sound, WA (Kitsap, King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties) - Air-quality burn bans temporarily restrict some or all indoor and outdoor burning, usually called when weather conditions are cold and still. The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency uses current and forecasted conditions to decide when a burn ban is needed.