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[w3_30]

Hey everyone,

I am new to the forum and new to wood burning although my father inlaw has been burning for 9 years.

Well here is the deal we bought a new house earlier this year that had the option of a wood burner. The wood burner that would have come with the house was 3 years old and the old owner wanted full price of a new one for that one. So I figured he could take that one and I will spend my $8500 on a brand new one. Well I have been burning for a month now and get home today and there is a not from the Zoning/Building Department. They say that the unit is not inspected, which it wasn't and not allowed in that location. Funny thing is I placed my new burner in the same locaation as the old one.

So question is what would you do in my situation and what are the options?

[tulenutn2o]

 u r going to take int in the shorts! Most existing installations would be grandfathered in and you'd be able to repair, but if removed for any reason, new rules apply. Are you tired of gov. regs. yet? I am.

[wrudoing]

Sounds about right ( Land of The Dictated) Maybe thats why he wanted new price he knew the red tape had some value, or the little people  thought they needed some additional zoning and are flexing there commy muscles?  My jerk reaction would be to tell them to kiss my white but and lawyer up.  But in reality you will probably be the one doing the but kissin.  Unreal!!!

[MattyNH]

Some town official got word of a new or changed  installation of a furnace..Id tell them to prove it first..Some people just need to mind their own damn business..Your doing nothing wrong..

[w3_30]

Thinking about the lawyer up. I hate when people try to tell me what I can do on MY property.

I will first make them prove that it is a new unit. If they can do that then I am going to look into the regulations on outdoor coal burners. If that does not work has anyone ever built a non-permanent building around a burner and called it an indoor unit?

[martyinmi]

What state/city/township are you in? I would think that if you had a hvac guy come in and document that it is your only source for heat , and you have small children living with you , that it will be very hard for them to prevent you from finishing up heating your home for this year at least. If nothing else, it would buy you some time. This fight that you are having hits very close to home for every one of us out here who are providing wood heat for our family homes. I guess if it were happening to myself or one of my family members or close friends, I would definitely  involve any and all of my congressmen, senators, and state representatives if at all possible.
 
 Please keep us posted.

   Marty

[wrudoing]

Did the person you bought the house from have problems? did you talk to him about the situation?  or did he just set the OWB that he paid for on his personal property like most of the rest of us did?

[yoderheating]

 Did you replace the whole installation or just the furnace? If it was just the furnace it would not need to be inspected like a complete install would. I would argue with them that you only repaired the existing system by replacing part of it.

[BoilerHouse]

On what grounds are they ruling that the unit is not allowed in that location - too close to a building? , too close to a property line?  Or is it just that it was never initially inspected?  If it is the later than perhaps it is a matter of some official showing up and signing off on the install.

[ijon]

Big fish in a little pond.

[rhugg]

This is a case where 'going hat in hand' is better than telling them to 'pound sand'.  It would be nice if you could take the angle that your new one is 2010 0r 2011 EPA tested/approved and you were making and upgrade.  You can make the argument that it is newer/more efficient/less smoke/safer even if you can't prove it.  Then ask what you can do to adhere to the law, I agree with BoilerHouse below.  So long as neighbor isn't complaining you should have a chance. 

If that doesn't work then it looks like you may explain that your only choice is to escalate via lawyers and board meetings. They really don't like people raising hell at the monthly township meetings.

Godd luck.

[Mrplow]

Inspections?  I didn't check with anything or anyone to see if it was ok to install my OWB.  Maybe my note is on the way...

[Scott7m]

Inspections?  I didn't check with anything or anyone to see if it was ok to install my OWB.  Maybe my note is on the way...

Lol.you guys would enjoy still living in parts of ky.  Little college inspectors be damned is what I hear a lot. It is actualy common here when any type of inspector show up on your property they end up Getting  escorted off via shotgun lol

[wrudoing]

So, what finally happened?

[Central_Boiler_3200_Owner]

In Pennsylvania we can burn ANY KIND of household trash we want to: plastics, osb etc...
However you cannot burn wood in an unapproved furnace if purchased after April 2011.

Yeah ... have to meet EPA regs...  One of only 5 states....

Hope you are not in one of the 5 with the wrong burner.

That's why we bought the 3200, only one that met the new regs.