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  In Oregon, before you sell a home you must verify if your woodstove or fireplace insert is certified.  If it is not, you must remove and destroy any old uncertified woodstoves and fireplace inserts, effective August 1, 2010.

The 2009 Oregon Legislature signed Senate Bill 102 into law requiring the removal of any uncertified woodstove from a home when it is sold. This bill is part of a program to help protect Oregonians from uncontrolled wood smoke that results from the use of old, polluting and inefficient uncertified woodstoves. Residential wood burning is a significant source of air pollution, including fine particulate and air toxics.

Several jurisdictions in Oregon have already adopted similar measures including Deschutes, Klamath and Jackson Counties, the cities of Bend, Medford, Ashland, Central Point, Eagle Point, Jacksonville, Talent, Phoenix and the Town of Lakeview.  The City of Bend’s ordinance has been in place over 10 years.

Oregon is the first state to formally establish a woodstove change out requirement upon sale of a home. Back in the mid-1980s, Oregon was also the first state to adopt woodstove certification and emission limits. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency later adopted and implemented this certification nationwide.

 You can tell if your device is certified by looking on the back for a certification sticker from Oregon DEQ or EPA. This label indicates it is certified to comply with particulate emission standards. A safety label (from U.L. or other safety-listing agency) is not the same as DEQ or EPA certification.  You can also check to see if your wood heating device is listed on EPA’s or DEQ’s certification list

woodstove label

 Here is an example of what you may see on the label.  Note the US Environmental Protection Agency information on the lower section of the label.

Some wood heating devices are not required to be removed.  The list includes: pellet stoves, antique stoves, cookstoves, masonry fireplaces, masonry heaters, and central, wood-fired boilers are exempt from the requirements and are not required to be removed at the time of home sale.

 Still not certain.  Ask your inspector for assistance.