15 Wood Smoke Inspection 1989 oa
BOARD OF HEALTH
IOHN T.JOYCE,Chairman
PETER C.IENNY M.D.
MICHAEL R.PARSONS
PETER 1.McERLAIN.Health Agent
CITY OF NORTHAMPTON
MASSACHUSETTS 01060
OFFICE OF THE
BOARD OF HEALTH
210 MAIN STREET
01060
(613)5566950 Ext.213
f[
NOTICE OF WOOD SMOKE INSPECTION II
Date January 31 , 1989
To Ms. Joan Karkut
15 Hebert Ave .
Northampton , Mass . 01060
Dear Ms . Karkut :
The Northampton Board of Health has adopted a regulation and instituted an
Inspection Program in order to reduce wood pollution in the city.
The so-called "Wood Smoke" Regulation (Copy enclosed) limits the opacity
( or density) of smoke from wood stoves (and other solid fuel burning de-
vices) to 40%.
The purpose of this letter is to inform you that from 3 : 40pm to 3 : 48pm
on January 30 , 1989 smoke in excess of the opacity limit was being
emitted from your chimney at 15 Hebert Ave (Map 38B Lot55 ) Northampton
This determination was made by certified observers from the Board of Health
We emphasize that you are not prohibited from using your wood stove , rather
we urge you to build small hot fires which result in less pollution.
The enclosed guidelines suggest wood burning practices which, if followed,
will enable you to comply with the regulation, while allowing a more
efficient use of your wood stove.
Please note that a follow-up inspection will be made within 14 days of the
receipt of this notice to determine compliance with the regulation.
If you have any questions concerning this notice or about wood stove oper-
ation, please do not hesitate to contact the Board of Health Office .
Thank you, in advance , for your cooperation with our efforts to reduce wood
smoke pollution in Northampton.
Very truly yours ,
Peter J .McErlain
Health Agent
Northampton Board of Health
CERTIFIED MAIL : P 688 859 776
EDUCING WOOD SMOKE POLLUTION a
Recently the Northampton Board of Health was made aware of a relatively new pheno-
menon of wood smoke pollution, that is air pollution resulting from the burning of
wood for residential heating.
Carbon monoxide, particulates and hundreds of chemical compounds can pollute both
indoor and outdoor air when wood stoves are used inefficiently. During periods of
adverse winter weather, the air quality, in Hampshire County residential areas
where a high percentage of wood stoves are used, can be as bad as the air in
large industrial cities.
While the ultimate long-range solution to this problem is the adoption of state
laws which set wood stove performance standards, the Northampton Board of Health
recommends the following practices as a means of increasing wood stove efficiency
and reducing wood smoke pollution.
BURNING WOOD EFFICIENTLY SAVES MONEY. REDUCES POLLUTION, AND IS SAFER
Be sure that the stave is properly located
s ande installed
asd llednanand
sthatdall inspected
re-
quirements have been met. The
by the building or fire inspector prior to initial use.
- Match the size of the stove to the size of the area
to be heated; too large a stove will have to be over-
dampened, which results in inefficient combustion.
- Burn only drv, well-seasoned wood, green unseasoned
wood has a lower heat potential and increases the
chances of creosote buildup in the chimney. Dry
hardwood offers the most heat pound per pound. Never
burn treated wood or trash in a wood stove since
they can give off toxic gases and burn erratically.
- Start a wood stove fire with paper and dry kindling
followed by small sticks; never use gasoline or
other flammable liquids in a wood stove.
Attach a stack thermometer to the stove's flue
pipe; the temperature of the flue gases exiting
the stove should be in the range of 300 to 400
degrees Fahrenheit for maximum stove efficiency.
Burn each new load of wood briskly for 10 to 20
minutes to drive off moisture and to reduce
creosote. Build small hot fires , large fuel
loads reduce fire box temperatures and tend to
smolder,increasing emmissions.
In order to reduce the entaission into the home
be sure that all stove/pipe connections are tightly
sealed and be sure to open the damper before open-
ing the fire box door.
- Check the stove and chimney regularly for creosote
buildup; clean as needed to remove the creosote/
fire hazard and to improve the draft.
Excess ashes should be removed from the stove daily
and stored in covered, heavy gauge metal containers.
- Try to avoid or at least reduce the use of the wood
stove during damp foggy weather when the lack of
air mixing and increased concentrations of pollutants
reduce air quality to unhealthy levels .
- For still greater heating efficiency/pollution re-
duction consider the addition of a catalytic con-
verter to existing stoves or the installations of
new more efficient stove with a built in cataly-
tic converter.
- Lastly be sure that your home is fully weatherized;
the installation of storm windows, insulation,
caulking and weather stripping can significantly
reduce the amount of wood needed to heat the home
and likewise reducing the amount of pollutants
emitted.
REMEMBER THAT EFFICIENT WOOD STOVE USE SAVES MONEY AND REDUCES POLLUTION
References:
1. "Burning Wood Efficiently" Commonwealth of Mass. Executive office
of Energy Resources
2. "Heating with Wood" U.S. Dept. of Energy DOE/CS-0158 May 1980
3. Recommended Practices for Reducing Air Pollutants from Home
Wood Stoves" American Lung Association
4. "The Wood Burners Encyclopedia" b CJ. Shelton and A. Shapiro 1976
Waitsfield, Vermont
5. "Wood and Coalburning Stoves: An Old Heating Solution can
Cause Pollution Problems? American Lung Assoc. Bulletin Vol. 68
No. S
6. "Wood Stove Operation Guidelines for Cleaner Air" U.S. EPA
Environmental Protection Agency EPA-6001 D-83-112 9-1983
For additional information
contact:
Northampton Board of Health
American Lung Association of Western Mass.
(413) 586-6950 extension 213
(413) 737-3506
IOSE:
NORTHAMPTON BOARD OF HEALTH
REVISED
REGULATIONS GOVERNING EMISSIONS FROM SOLID FUEL BURNING DEVICES
THESE REGULATIONS HAVE BEEN ADOPTED PURSUANT TO MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL LAWS
CHAPTER 111. SECTION 31C AS A MEANS OF REDUCING THE SMOKE EMISSIONS FROM WOOD
BURNING DEVICES IN THE CITY OF NORTHAMPTON.
INITIONS:
OPACITY: I5 A MEASURE OF THE DENSITY OF SMOKE, PER CFR, TITLE 40. PART 60.
OWNER: MEANS OWNER AND/OR THENPERSONDWHOEHASU DEVICE
OVERALL RESPONSIBILITYRFORTTHHEI
THE OPERATION OF
A SOLID FUEL BURNING DEVICE.
OLID FUEL
NING DEVICE: MEANS ANY FIREPLACE. FIREPLACE INSERT, WOOD STOVE WOOD HEATER; WOOD FURNACE,
COAL FURNACE' COAL STOVE OR SIMILAR DEVICE BURNING ANY SOLID FUEL FOR AESTHETIC.
COOKING. OR SPACE HEATING PURPOSES.
iULATION: SMOKE
PERIOD FROM ANY
SOLID
A 15 DEVICE MINUTEHSTARTUP STARTUP 40% OPACITY
PERIOD.
ORCEMENT: THIS REGULATION WILL BE ENFORCED BY THE NORTHAMPTON BOARD OF HEALTH BASED ON
OPACITY READINGS TAKEN BY OPACITY OBSERVERS. CERTIFIED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
PROVISIONS OF CFR TITLE 40. PART 60.
IALTY: THE OWNER OF ANY SOLID FUEL BURNING DEVICE OPERATED IN VIOLATION OF THESE REGU-
LATIONS SHALL BE PUNISHED FOR THE FIRST OFFENSE. BY A FINE OF NOT LESS THAN
FIFTY DOLLARS NOR MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS AND FOR A SUBSEQUENT OFFENSE,
BY A FINE OF NOT LESS THAN TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS NOR MORE THAN FIVE HUNDRED
DOLLARS. FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS PARAGRAPH EACH DAY OR PART THEREOF OF VIOLA-
TION OF THESE REGULATIONS WHETHER SUCH VIOLATION BE CONTINUOUS OR INTERMITTENT
SHALL BE CONSTRUED AS A SEPARATE AND SUCCEEDING OFFENSE.
PEAL: AN OWNER MAY APPEAL AN ORDER TO CORRECT A VIOLATION OF THESE REGULATIONS PRO-
VIDED THAT A WRITTEN REQUEST FOR A HEARING IS FILED IN THE BOARD OF HEALTH
OFFICE WITHIN 7 DAYS OF THE RECEIPT OF THE VIOLATION NOTICE.
FECTIVE DATE: FOLLOWING APPROVAL BY THE MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF QUALITY ENGINEERING (DEQE).
THESE REGULATIONS WILL BECOME EFFECTIVE ON THE DATE OF PUBLICATION.
REVISION EFFECTIVE: JANUARY 12. 1987
BOARD OF HEALTH
City • of Nrthampton
of
lainant
as
MASSACHUSETTS
BURNING EMISSIONS
COMPLAINT RECORD
Date
J
Time fLLL
3;320""^
se of Complaint
A�
dilW1
JAI
ation of Pre m ses %
ier
Opacity AVg•
cuPant�s) „•
it/ Time of Dag
Inspection Opacity Avg•
to of Insp of Day
of Re-Inspection _L4-:LL—,—E--"t' Time Opacity Avg. tp
Time of Day
ate of Re-Inspection 32
i
BSERVATIONS
ACTION TAKEN