Wood Stove Program
Approximately half the homes in the greater Olympic Peninsula and Coastal area of Washington have some type of wood burning heating device, ranging from wood stoves to fireplaces. There is an increasing body of scientific evidence that associates particulate matter pollution from wood stoves with a variety of health impacts. The very young, the elderly and people who suffer from circulatory and respiratory illnesses are among those most severely impacted. In 1987 the Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater urban area was determined to be in violation of federal air quality standards for particulate matter (PM10). Since that time a variety of State and Local Woodstove Regulations have been adopted to help minimize the impact of wood stove emissions on public health. When monitoring data indicate that pollution levels are rising, ORCAA may declare a Burn Ban which restricts certain burning activities in specific areas.
Those among us who rely on our woodstoves for heat, or otherwise enjoy the use of wood burning appliances or fireplaces, can do several things to minimize the impact of our burning activities on our neighbors.
Good Burning Practices for Fireplaces, Inserts, and Wood Stoves Inlude:
- Burn dry seasoned wood. Season wood outdoors through the hot, dry summer for at least 6 months before burning it. Properly seasoned wood is darker, has cracks in the end grain, and sounds hollow when smacked against another piece of wood.
- Build small hot fires.
- Make sure the fire has plenty of air. OPEN the damper.
- Relight the fire in the morning. Do not let the fire smolder overnight. This creates a lot of smoke and creates dangerous creosote buildup.
- Let the fire burn down to coals and then rake the coals toward the air inlet, creating a mound. Do not spread the coals flat.
- Reload by adding at least three pieces of wood each time, on and behind the mound of hot coals. Avoid adding one log at a time.
- Step outside and look at your chimney. If you see smoke, the wood is not burning completely. Smoke coming from the chimney means air pollution.
- Be aware of current burning conditions. During stagnant periods, a Burn Ban may be in effect.
- Make sure you are using an EPA Certified Woodstove that also meets Washington’s more stringent requirements. A list of all Washington certified woodstoves is available here.
- You can find a full list of Washington certified Pellet Stoves here.
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