The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has begun offering training to educate those impacted by Oregon’s new woodstove laws, such as homeowners, home buyers, and the REALTORS® working with each. The following was written by Rachel Sakata of the Oregon DEQ.

Have a client who is selling or buying a home with an uncertified woodstove?

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is offering a free training presentation to provide answers to common questions you might have regarding the removal and destruction of an uncertified woodstove at the time of home sale.

As you probably already know, DEQ has requirements regarding uncertified woodstoves. The law helps people from unnecessary wood smoke pollution and went into effect in 2010. Uncertified woodstoves burn about 70 percent dirtier than certified woodstoves. These older polluting stoves may also have been installed improperly, posing potential fire hazard and safety concerns.

DEQ’s free training presentation answers the most common questions you might have. It can help you identify:

• if you have an uncertified woodstove;
• what devices are exempt from the removal requirement;
• how to remove and destroy the uncertified woodstove;
• how to notify DEQ;
• other general questions (penalties, who is responsible, etc.).

This training can be viewed individually or given to a group. DEQ can also provide a limited number of trainings in the Portland metro area to any large groups of interested REALTORS®.

This is a great way to refresh your knowledge of woodstoves and provide the latest information to your clients. For more information contact Nancy Cardwell at (503) 229-6610 or email woodstoves@deq.state.or.us.