*deadline extended through September 25, 2017*
Got an older Wood Stove that you’d like to replace with a newer, cleaner, more efficient model? If you do, now’s the time to check out the state’s 2017 Wood Stove Change-out Program.
The Baker-Polito Adminstration just announced it was releasing $450,000 in funding for the 2017 Commonwealth Wood Stove Change-out Program to help homeowners replace older, more polluting wood stoves with cleaner burning, more efficient stoves. Homeowners who buy new EPA-certified clean burning wood stoves through the program can get between $500 and $1,750 to help with the cost, and between $1,500 and $3,000 if they qualify as low-income. Either wood stoves or pellet stoves can qualify for the cost assistance, provided they meet the EPA standards.
Information about the Wood Stove Change-Out Program can be found online at www.masscec.com/woodstove The Wood Stove Change-out Program is administered by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center with assistance from the Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Energy Resources. Since 2012, the program has helped homeowners replace 1,400 wood stoves statewide.
EPA-certified stoves require one-third less wood on average than older models to produce the same amount of heat, while releasing 70 to 90 percent less particulate matter, which has been shown to exacerbate health conditions like asthma, heart disease and lung cancer. Residents installing new stoves can expect to save an average of $5,000 over the lifetime of the stove. Each woodstove switched out for a newer model is equivalent to eliminating the particulate emissions from five old diesel trucks<https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-11/documents/kit_2_fast_facts.pdf>.
While the majority of program participants purchase new woodstoves, over 40 percent opted for pellet stoves in 2016. In addition to burning very cleanly, these modern appliances automatically feed fuel into the fire, and many have built-in thermostats that allow owners to adjust the room temperature just as they can with central heating systems.
In this year’s program, standard rebates will range from $500 to $1,750, depending on the emission levels and type of stove purchased. Rebates from $1,500 to $3,000 are available for residents who meet certain income requirements. For the first time this year, the program will provide higher incentives for stoves that achieve a superior efficiency level.
To qualify for a rebate, a resident must have an operational, non-EPA-certified woodstove. To apply, the resident should visit a participating woodstove retailer or contact a participating stove professional such as a chimney sweep, who will handle the rebate application process on the residents’ behalf. Residents can find a local participating woodstove professional by viewing the list of woodstove dealers<http://www.masscec.com/woodstove> who have registered to participate.
Rebate applications will be accepted until August 21, 2017.