Restrictions on Outdoor Wood Boilers? 7 comments
With the high price of home heating oil, outdoor wood boilers are becoming more popular in the Adirondacks and throughout the country.
The small, freestanding structures burn firewood to heat water, which is then circulated to heat the home. These boilers are adaptable to many existing heating systems, including forced-air, water baseboard and radiant heat. Outdoor wood boilers can cost up to $10,000, but can pay for themselves in just a few years.
On the other hand, outdoor wood boilers can produce an abundance of smoke, a fine particulate matter that can be annoying and hazardous. If homeowners burn material other than dry, well-seasoned firewood (like garbage or pressure-treated wood), the thick smoke can be overwhelming.
Many New York State communities, including several in the Adirondack Park, are imposing regulations on the use of wood boilers: prohibiting their use within village limits, requiring that they be located at least 200 feet from neighboring property lines, and stipulating that smoke stacks be taller than the peak of the residence roofline. In some jurisdictions, regulations define what may be burned in the boilers and when the boilers may be operated, usually early September through late May. This eliminates heavy smoke when many folks are outside and often have their windows open.
Many communities are making exceptions, grandfathering in those who have already invested significant amounts of money in an effort to save on rising fuel costs.
What do you think? Should New York State implement laws restricting the use of outdoor wood boilers to reduce air pollution? Should the restrictions be left to individual communities to enforce?
With the rising cost of gas as well as the decrease of many fossil fuels it’s important that alternative energy sources are used. Restrictions as to what can be burned should most definitely be applied. However, restrictions as to where wood burning boilers should be placed are detrimental to those who are trying to switch over. As long as the smoke stacks are regulated as are the contents that can be burned I see no problems with allowing anyone who wishes to put one in their home. After all not only is it a sustainable way to heat, but it saves people money during this time of economic recession.
yes these should be regulated, i would not want to be next door to someone with this and breath in toxins.
I do not think that there should be out
door wood boilers to show the ADK air as fresh as it is it pollutes the air with smoke.
ALOT OF THE SMOKE THAT IS GENERATED FROM OUTSIDE SYSTEMS COULD BE ELIMINATED IF A REBURN SYSTEM WAS PUT ON THEM(REBURNING THE SMOKE TO BURN THE PARTICLES IN THE SMOKE)LET’S FACE IT-WOOD IS CHEAPER AND WITH THE STORMS WE HAVE HAD RECENTLY-BLOWDOWNS NEED TO BE CLEANED UP AS TO NOT CONTRIBUTE TO LATER FOREST FIRES!
we in TL have baned wood boilers but why? its wood!!! some say its bad because other people have been burning other stuff so why don’t we just burn wood and not other stuff? Can’t there be a law for that?
No burning of garbage, only well dried wood, no burning of waste oil ,as our local car repair shop was doing ,no restrictions of distance from property lines- that is gov’t over stepping and penalizing villagers , something must be allowed to ease the high costs of fuels and oil. Perhaps we should charge the members of Congress more for their fuel. perhaps then they will act in the best interests of their constituents
Outdoor wood boilers should be regulated to limit the harm to the environment.+