Get rid of your Old Wood Stove before you sell your Salem Oregon Home

Starting August first 2010, your trusty old wood stove will need to be destroyed!

Under the guise of environmental protection the Oregon State Department of Environmental Quality has decided that wood stoves built before 1985 must be removed if the home is part of a real estate transaction. To be fair, wood stoves that are 25 years old or older are not as efficient as modern units and much of the heat that is produced is exhausted up the chimney.

Old wood stove headed for the scrap heap

Unfortunately, these regulations hit at a time when short sales and foreclosures abound and if a seller did have some wiggle room it may now be soaked up with the cost of the removal of the old wood stove.

If you do not know if the wood stove in your home or listing is ok or not there is some labels to look for:

Oregon DEQ Woodstove certification label circa 1984-1988

EPA certification label circa 1988 to present.

If you are selling your home or have a home listed and a wood stove or insert is present you may want to check for these labels. For more information check out the Oregon DEQs site: http://www.deq.state.or.us/aq/burning/woodstoves/questions.htm

Or you can always call your favorite Salem, Oregon home inspector who is always up on the latest government regulations: