Masonry Magazine December 2010 Page. 24
CHIMNEYS & FIREPLACES
area ground levels, which makes avoiding exposing local residents to the hazardous pollutants in wood smoke difficult.
Harmful wood smoke leaving the firebox through the chimney system doesn't mean that your lungs are safe. Studies reveal that most homes in North America exchange inside and outside air at least once every several hours, providing a pathway for what's in the air outside to get inside, contaminating indoor air quality with harmful particulates, carbon monoxide and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).
Restricting the use and even banning the open-hearth wood burning fireplace is viewed by air quality regulators as a quick fix for air pollution nationwide. To address the wood burning fireplace problem, the EPA is revising the Federal New Source Performance Standard (NSPS) to include wood burning fireplaces. The Federal Clean Air Act requires the EPA to establish federal emission standards for source categories, like wood burning fireplaces, which cause or contribute significantly to air pollution. These standards are intended to promote the use of the Best Available Control Technology (BACT), weighing the cost of the technology against the projected air quality, health and environmental improvements derived from the technology.
The EPA has created a test and certification program for every type of appliance that burns wood, including wood stoves, wood boilers and, of course, wood burning fireplaces. The ASTM and EPA, working with the Hearth Patio and Barbecue Association, established a Performance Specification for wood burning fireplaces. ASTM E-2558 has been accepted as the industry standard for particulate emissions testing of wood burning fireplaces.
It is expected that by 2012, all wood burning fireplaces will be required to meet the new NSPS projected 5.1 grams of particulates for each kilogram of wood burned (g/kg) or even lower. If this plan is implemented by the EPA and a fireplace doesn't meet this new standard, it legally can't be installed or operated. Mason contractors across the country should be paying close attention.
EPA readily admits that, although there are technological solutions for most wood
EPA Phase II Qualification Tested
Low Emissions
Masonry Fireplace
The HearthCAT™
Emission Control System
for Wood Burning Fireplaces is
a revolutionary catalytic technology that reduces wood smoke
pollution up to 90%. The HearthCAT™™™ was recently awarded the
prestigious Clean Air Excellence Award by the US Environmental
Protection Agency (US EPA).
The HearthCAT™™™ is now available for masonry fireplace new
construction and wood burning fireplace retro-fit programs
nationwide. The technology can be completely installed in less
than an hour, doesn't require any power or maintenance and is
affordable to the masonry contractor and the homeowner.
Contact Whitacre Greer for information about the HearthCAT™.
Exclusive Distributor for the HearthCAT™ in Masonry New Construction
WHITACRE GREER
Visit our Website @ www.wgfirebrick.com
Contact @ 1-800-947-2837
HearthCAT Installed in Isokers Fireplace.