EPA Certified Zero Clearance Fireplaces Buyer's Guide

In the 1980s, the EPA created regulations for wood stoves because cities were being consumed by pollution, a major source of which was wood stove emissions. Over the next thirty years, more regulations were put into place until wood stove pollution was under control.

As of 2020, wood stoves are required to limit pollution output from 2 to 2.5 grams per hour, based on one of two testing methods. That is a huge improvement from the nearly 8 gram an hour limit that was put in place during the late 80s. While these regulations put a damper on the wood stove industry in the beginning, and the final cost for consumers climbed a bit, there are many benefits that come from having an EPA certified high efficiency stove.

In this article, we will discuss all those benefits. A few of them include low particulate output, greater heat output, and less wood use. You can also enjoy the benefit of having the look of a built-in fireplace with the heat output of a wood burning stove.