Burn-Ban Ready Fireplace Upgrades for the Puget Sound

The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency calls burn bans for King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties when the weather forecast and rising fine-particle pollution point to bad air. In King and Kitsap, a Stage 1 ban is triggered when the 24-hour fine-particle level is forecast to top 35 micrograms per cubic meter within 48 hours. In Pierce and Snohomish the trigger is above 30 within 72 hours, which is one reason those counties see more bans.

An open wood fireplace is off in every ban. Violations carry a $1,000 penalty, according to PSCAA, and a notice of violation goes to the property owner. Gas is different. PSCAA says natural gas and propane stoves and inserts are OK in both Stage 1 and Stage 2. The question for most homeowners is which upgrade fits the house, the budget and how often they actually want a fire.

Signs you need this

• Your fireplace sits unused through every winter ban
• An old stove or insert with no EPA label
• You want a fire on burn-ban days
• Gas already at the house, or room for a propane tank
• You are not sure whether your stove is certified

How we do it

1. Identify what you haveAt the free inspection we look for the EPA label on any stove or insert and tell you which bans it can run under.
2. Lay out the optionsWe price gas logs, a sealed gas insert and an EPA-certified wood insert side by side, with what each can do in a Stage 1 and Stage 2 ban.
3. Plan the workWe check the chimney, the gas route and the permits involved, and fix anything in the flue the new unit depends on.
4. Install and walk throughWe install the unit, light it with you, and show you how to check ban status before you light a fire.

What is the difference between a Stage 1 and a Stage 2 burn ban?

In a Stage 1 ban, no burning is allowed in wood-burning fireplaces, uncertified wood stoves or uncertified inserts. EPA-certified wood stoves and inserts may still be used, as long as they make no visible smoke. In a Stage 2 ban, no burning is allowed in any wood-burning fireplace, wood stove or insert, certified or not. Stage 2 can be called without a Stage 1 first. In both stages, natural gas and propane stoves and inserts are OK, according to PSCAA.

The only exception for wood is a home whose only adequate heat is the wood device and that holds an approved No Other Adequate Source of Heat exemption. A furnace that is simply expensive to run does not qualify.

How do I check whether a burn ban is on?

PSCAA posts current status on its Air Quality Burn Ban Status page at pscleanair.gov and offers email alerts. The burn ban phone line is 800-595-4341. Pierce County is split into three ban zones, Greater Pierce, South Pierce and Pierce Peninsula, so check the zone for your address. If a fire is already going when a ban is called, PSCAA's advice is not to add more fuel and simply let it burn out.

Which upgrade fits, and what does it cost?

Gas logs in your existing fireplace typically cost $500 to $2,000 and give you a flame on any ban day. A sealed gas insert typically costs $2,000 to $8,000, works in both stages and heats the room. An EPA-certified wood insert with a liner typically costs $3,000 to $7,000. It can run in Stage 1 with no visible smoke but not in Stage 2. If you want a fire every ban day, choose gas. If you want wood heat most days and accept sitting out Stage 2, a certified insert works.