Retailers & Distributors Must-Knows

Retailers & Distributors Must-Knows    

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1. EPA only recognizes two classes of trade: manufacturers and “everyone else.”*
   *Everywhere the word “retailers” is used in NSPS, it also refers to distributors.
2. As the rule is currently written, anything not meeting the Step 2 requirements cannot be sold or manufactured after May 15, 2020.
3. After December 31, 2015 only products certified may be offered for sale in your store, if they are covered by this rule.
4. Some exemptions eliminated: Pellet heaters and uncontrolled single burn rate heaters are no longer exempt
5. A wood or pellet stove is considered certified if:
   • it has been certified at a laboratory after May 15, 2015 ( the effective date of the rule), or
   • it has been “deemed certified,” meaning it was certified at or under 4.5 g/hr before the effective date. 
6. A hydronic heater is considered certified if:
   • it has been certified at a laboratory after May 15, 2015, or
   • it has been “deemed certified” per recognition as such by the EPA or NY State.
7. A forced-air furnace (also known as a warm air furnace) has two different effective dates for Step 1 of the rule.
   • Small add-on units (i.e. <65,000 BTUs/hr) must be certified by May 15, 2016 to be manufactured and sold after that date
   • Larger units (i.e. >65,000 BTUs/hr) must be certified by May 15, 2017 to be manufactured and sold after that date (note: the manufacture and sale of larger units are not affected by the NSPS until after May 15, 2017)
8. The December 31, 2015 deadline and all parts of the NSPS do not apply to:
   • Coal-only stoves – note: no more wood/coal (multi-fuel) stoves allowed
   • Cookstoves – as long as they meet the new definition (see top of page 33)
   • Fireplaces – traditional – with non-gasketed doors
   • Camping stoves
9. Stoves shipped to retailers after May 15, 2015 have new owner’s manuals and catalytic stoves have temperature probes.
10. Pellet stoves certified after May 15, 2015 specify the grade of fuel used to test and instruct consumers to only use pellets that meet that grade.
11. All stoves certified after May 15, 2015 must post efficiency numbers and CO levels in addition to grams/hour in their manuals and on their websites.
12. Forced-air furnaces and hydronic heaters shipped after May 15, 2015 must include wood moisture meters and updated owner’s manuals.
13. Step 2, currently set to come into effect May 15, 2020, sets the following new emissions requirements for all covered product categories:
    • Wood and pellet stoves: 2.0 g/hr (if tested with crib wood); or 2.5 g/hr (if tested with cord wood)
    • Hydronic heaters: 0.10 lb/mmBtu
    • Forced-air furnaces: 0.15 lb/mmBtu