Wood-Burning Fireplace Ban Coming

In an effort to further clean up air quality, wood-burning fireplaces as of March 9 no longer will be legal in newly constructed homes within the jurisdiction of the Air Quality Management District. In many instances, they are already outlawed in remodels.

And starting in November 2011 the AQMD may limit burning wood in legal fireplaces on days when the air quality is forecast to be unsafe.

As part of the Healthy Hearths initiative, the AQMD approved funding to reduce the cost of purchasing and installing gas log sets in local area households.

Under the program, residents can receive a $125 discount toward the price of purchasing and installing gas log sets to replace wood-burning in existing fireplaces.

Details of the program, along with a list of participating dealers, are available on the district's website at www.healthyhearths.org.

After selecting a product a homeowner likes, the participating dealer will reduce the purchase and installation price by $125. Installation, which takes from 30 minutes to about an hour, is coordinated between the dealer and owner.

The program is open to residents of the South Coast Air Basin, including all of Orange County and the non-desert portions of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.

A list of eligible zip codes is available on the website. AQMD’s pilot program includes funding for 5,000 gas-log units. Units will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

There may be future funding opportunities if this program is successful.