Florida State Center Wiki: Should You Consider A Florida Property With A Woodstove

Should You Consider A Florida Property With A Woodstove?

You may want take a second look at the age of the woodstove in any Florida property that you are considering. Newer units tend to be less polluting, and Florida state and local clean air agencies recommend considering the use of oil or gas operated furnaces.

Woodstoves and fireplace inserts have become very popular in Florida during the past twenty years. Although these woodburning heat suppliers are relatively cheap to operate, they have some disadvantages to homeowers and renters, including polluting the Florida air. In some areas of Florida, wintertime air pollution from wood smoke has become so bad that Florida governments have had to restric the use of woodstoves and fireplaces under certain weather and pollution conditions.

Particulates such as dust and soot are often present in wood smoke. Wood smoke also contains higher levels of hazardous air pollutants, including some cancer-causing chemicals. In general, smoke from oil- or gas-fired furnaces is claimer. Steps to clean up polution in Florida from wood smoke have included redesigning the burning system in woodstoves; Florida real estate agents and inspectors reccommend the newer woodstoves which put out much less pollution than older models.

Under the federal 1990 Clean Air Act, EPA has issued guidelines for reducing pollution from home wood-burning in all states, including Florida. These guidelines, which are not requirements, include design information for less-polluting stoves and fireplaces.

Sources:

Plain English Guide to the 1990 Clean Air Act

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