Many People Have Old Woodstoves New Stoves Burn Better More than 10 million people across the country, use wood- stoves that can be freestand- ing or a fireplace insert. Nearly 75 percent of these woodstoves are older and emit a significant amount of pollution Woodstoves built after 1990 burn cleaner and pollute less. These EPA-certified woodstoves create the right conditions inside the appliance for firewood to be burned with complete combus- tion. This means a more efficient stove for you - and cleaner air for you and your neighbors. Is Your Stove EPA-Certified? Look at the back of the woodstove for a metal plate like the one below, this signifies that it has been certified by EPA. If you can't tell, contact a hearth specialty retailer. v 1 f nvmonai «rai MOTtcifQ* Oala » KlMlUMI II minm ill | j Benefits of Replacing Old with New PROTECTS HEALTH: Reduces particle pollution by about 70 percent Improves the air in your community and inside your home Helps protect health of children and adults with heait and respiratory disease (e.g. asthma) Reduces exposure to toxic pollutants that have been linked to cancer and other serious health problems SAVES MONEY: New woodstoves are about 50 percent more ef- ficient They use about 1/3 less firewood for the same amount of heat IMPROVES FIRE SAFETY: improperly installed woodstoves and chimneys can destroy homes In a single year, 4,000 fires caused by woodstoves and heaters resulted in 50 deaths and $45 million in property damage (National Fire Protection Agency) Chimney fires can be caused by creosote buildup in chimney pipes, improper woodstove mainte- nance, and faulty installation Q&A Don't\ Improperly installed chimneys can cause smoke to come back into your home Your chimney should be the correct size for your wood- stove Be sure to maintain proper clearance from combustible materials Chimney Inspections Even when installed properly, woodstoves and chimneys still need to be inspected by a certified chimney sweep once a year. Chimney Safety institute of America How to Changeout Learn how to replace your stove through the Great Michigan Woodstove Changeout. Information is available on Michigan United Conservation Club's Web Site. You can also use the site to locate participating hearth specialty retailers in your area to guide you through the process. Visit www.mucc.org Wood Smoke Q & A Q. What's in Wood Smoke? A. Smoke from woodstoves results from a fire that doesn't adequately burn - a process known as incomplete combustion. Wood smoke contains many pollutants, including: ~ Fine particle pollution, or PM ~ Carbon monoxide (CO) ~ Nitrogen oxides (NOx) ~ Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) ~ Benzo (a) pyrene Formaldehyde ~ Dioxins ~- Furans Q. Who's Affected by Wood Smoke? A. Wood smoke can affect everyone but children under 18, older adults people with diabetes, heart disease asthma or other lung diseases are the most vulnerable. Particle pollution - like the particles in wood smoke - can work their way deep into the lungs potentially causing serious health problems. These problems range from burning eyes and runny noses to bronchitis, asthma attacks and even heart attacks. Make Your Fire Cleaner Building small hot fires and keeping ashes cleaned from the stove can make your stove more efficient. That means you'll use less firewood - and you'll reduce smoke right in your neighborhood Making sure your firewood is seasoned - and never burning trash or treated wood - also help keep your community's air cleaner. For more tips on burning cleaner go to www.epa.gov/woodstoves ------- Old Woodstove Waste New Technology Stoves Save If you heat your home with a woodstove manufactured before 1990, you could be wasting your money, risking your property and creating indoor and outdoor air pollution that affects your healthy. Why? The reason is that your woodstove is outdated and inefficient. You can reduce these risks by replacing your old woodstove with new and cleaner technology - whether it's a gas, pellet, corn, or electric woodstove. Masonry heaters are another option. Changing out your old woodstove can help you breathe cleaner air while reducing your home heating bills and minimizing your risk of property damage. Learn more about replacing old woodstoves through the Great Michigan Woodstove Changeout. Visit www.mucc.org or www.woodstovechangeout.org Cleaner Air. Cheaper Heat. Safer Home. EPA and Partners Working Together Through campaigns like the Great Michigan Woodstove Changeout, EPA is working with the hearth industry, state, local and tribal air agencies, and other organizations to encourage people to replace old woodstoves with more efficient and cleaner-burning technology. Partners Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Michigan United Conservation Clubs U.S. Department of Energy www.mucc.org www.epa.gov/woodstoves What to Do with Your Old Stove To help keep your air cleaner, make sure your old woodstove isn't used again. Ask a hearth specialty retailer or a local steel recycler for information on recycling old woodstoves. For details, go to www.epa.gov/woodstoves. Replace Your Old Woodstove and Save! NCHPE & A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Partnership ------- |