Bay Area Air Quality Management District wants to ban the sale of all homes with wood-burning fireplaces

[NYMTman]

They have bans like this in Montana. It is common sense.

[stan4]

I wish we had that.
Everyone with their fireplaces and outdoor kitchens creating choking, third world-smelling stench.

Ugh.

[3rdGen SFan]

Originally Posted by stan4

I wish we had that.
Everyone with their fireplaces and outdoor kitchens creating choking, third world-smelling stench.

Ugh.

I don't like it when smoke from neighbors' chimneys and BBQ grills get into my house either. It usually happens on days when there isn't much wind or the air is stagnant, but, fortunately, my neighbors rarely burn wood lately.

Wood burning might be okay in less populated areas where properties are far apart for the smoke to not suffocate people, but in densely populated cities it's going to affect people.

[Ultrarunner]

A couple of comments...

Wood burning standards are good.

Wood burning is often a misnomer because too many simply do not know or choose to ignore rules that forbid the burning of trash... plastic are the worst for pollution.

Modern EPA certified ultra low emission stoves are super clean and require seasoned hardwood... NO TRASH BURNING.

My fireplace insert in California is one of these certified units that uses an expensive Catalytic Convertor to maintain low emissions... the previous owner installed it with permit.

It is heavy handed to say the least when any agency or group lumps all "Wood Burners" together because the science proves otherwise.

My point is the Air Quality Districts around the country prefer to take a shotgun approach for expediency...

Also... I rarely burn... may twice a year EXCEPT when the power is down and a few years ago the area wide outage lasted a week at below zero some nights...

If you want the support of the citizens use some common sense and realize those that burn seasoned hardwood in certified stoves are not the problem... and I have been told this by a regulator when I attended public hearings... followed by it is easier to enforce blanket bans.

[Ultrarunner]

Originally Posted by 3rdGen SFan

I don't like it when smoke from neighbors' chimneys and BBQ grills get into my house either. It usually happens on days when there isn't much wind or the air is stagnant, but, fortunately, my neighbors rarely burn wood lately.

Wood burning might be okay in less populated areas where properties are far apart for the smoke to not suffocate people, but in densely populated cities it's going to affect people.

Densely populated cities have few wood burning fireplaces or easy access to firewood...

Without a reliable source of local firewood... wood heat is not economical nor convenient.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

In any case, this needs to be stiff armed. It is a step too far.

In addition to all the other improvements we need to fund in our old house, we don't need this on top of it all.

And given how much it costs people to buy a house to begin with, this is just a slap in the face.

ENOUGH ALREADY!!!!!

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Prediction - if they get away with this, come the next big earthquake, there will be about 10X the number of actual damaged fireplaces submitted as claims. The day after the quake people will "help the earthquake."

Insurance companies should also oppose BAAQMD on this one.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Originally Posted by stan4

I wish we had that.
Everyone with their fireplaces and outdoor kitchens creating choking, third world-smelling stench.

Ugh.

Ironically, the hardest thing to enforce or control is use of outdoor devices. And of course none of those have catalytic convertors. Even here, the BAAQMD will never really be able to stop the outdoor action. And the outdoor action will increase, if anything, given our generally outdoor friendly climate and the fact that many people love a crackling fire.