Town may regulate outdoor wood boilers

High energy costs have residents looking at alternative fuels Warwick — The Town Board will hear residents’ concerns and suggestions on outdoor wood boilers, an alternative way to heat homes and water that is on the rise throughout the country and in New York State. Outdoor wood boilers consist of a fire box, surrounded by a water reservoir housed in what resembles a small shed outside of the residence. A short chimney sits on top of the shed. The boiler is built to burn for many hours without tending from its owner, according to a lengthy report issued by the New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer in October. It works by heating water that is then pumped through insulated underground pipes into the house’s heating system. It is controlled by a thermostat. The town has had two requests for permits to install outdoor wood boilers. One was approved two weeks ago, according to Supervisor Michael Sweeton, with the stipulation that it must comply with any local law the town eventually passes regulating the boilers within the next year. “Some municipalities have banned these outdoor wood boilers and some have regulated them,” said Sweeton. “There are some issues with health.” Sweeton said the town is taking a proactive approach to this, since people are looking for cheaper ways to heat their homes with oil and gas prices escalating. According to the Attorney General’s report, sales of outdoor wood boilers have increased threefold since 1999 when 600 were sold in New York State. In 2004, 1,880 were sold. However, that has only increased the complaints that come along with them. Neighbors complain that thick, acrid smoke causes a nuisance for nearby homeowners. The shorter smoke stack from the shed keeps the smoke low. Since these boilers are outside of the house, they are exempt from Environmental Protection Agency regulations that cover indoor wood stoves. There is no standard test to evaluate performance of these boilers either. Spitzer’s office recommends that federal regulations should be established to address the problems associated with the wood boilers. Until then, the report states the Department of Environmental Conservation could develop air quality regulations and municipalities should establish their own regulations, such as requiring permits before installing an outdoor wood boiler, especially in densely populated areas, establishing setbacks, and limiting proximity to sensitive neighbors, such as schools, hospitals, and certain residences. Vermont and Washington state have developed regulations for outdoor wood boilers. In Vermont, the boilers must be at least 200 feet from the nearest neighbor. The stack on the furnace must be higher than the roof line if the furnace is between 200 and 500 feet from a neighbor. Local ordinances must be complied with and operation of the boiler cannot create a nuisance. Dealers must provide buyers with a legal notice stating what type of wood must be used, along with other regulations. Both the buyer and seller must sign the notice. In New York, many municipalities are developing regulations for the boilers. Others have banned their use completely. The Attorney General’s report states that five towns have regulations on their books regarding setbacks, chimney height, population density and terrain, while 11 have banned their use completely. Sweeton said the town will look into regulating them in certain areas. “We are not looking to ban their use,” he said. “There are certainly areas where they don’t make sense. We’ll look at that.” The town will have its public hearing on the outdoor wood boilers on Thursday, Dec. 29, at 7:30 p.m.