Up to $4,300 offered for Utahns to replace wood stove, fireplace heating

SALT LAKE CITY — A wood stove and fireplace conversion project aims to help eligible Utahns upgrade their wood burning stove or fireplace, and offers an way  to help reduce winter pollution caused by wood burning.

The Wood Stove and Fireplace Conversion Assistance Program was initially announced for Cache County, and opens registration to Box Elder, Weber, Davis, and Salt Lake counties Nov. 7 at 6 a.m. and closes Nov. 8 at 10 p.m.

It is meant to help people in older homes who use wood burning and fireplaces as a significant source of heat to get safer and more effective heating systems. It targets counties that experience poor wintertime air quality as an effort to reduce pollution caused by wood burning.

There is no guarantee that homeowners who apply will receive the financial incentive, but low-income households can receive up to $4,300 and non low-income households can receive up to $3,000 to convert their wood stove to a natural gas or propane stove, or convert their fireplace to an electric heating appliance.

Those who meet the eligibility requirements and are selected will receive communication via email about their opportunity.

Our Wood Stove & Fireplace Conversion Assistance Program opens Nov. 7 for Box Elder, Davis, SL, and Weber county residents.

Eligible residents can receive up to $4,300 and have the opportunity to help reduce wintertime pollution.

Register here https://t.co/YI4V5CzcBR on Monday. pic.twitter.com/56VUsaHzy4

— Utah DEQ (@UtahDEQ) November 3, 2022

There are burning restrictions in place now, which could mean hefty fines for burning on no-burn days put in place in effort to control further pollutants when the air is unhealthy during the colder months when inversion settles in Utah’s air.

The American Lung Association reports that wood-burning emissions threaten lung health indoors and outdoors, potentially causing health effects like coughing, asthma, heart attack, lung cancer, and premature death.

According to the American Lung Association, wood smoke contributes to climate change, adding carbon dioxide and methane to the air as well as particle pollution. It can be a danger to peoples health, whether near the source indoors or even outdoors. It increases levels of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, and volatile organic compounds, gasses that contribute to ozone pollution.

The association recommends taking precautions to protect yourself from smoke and pollutants like those that tend to cause inversion in Utahs colder months.

Though the initial registration event for Cache County has ended, another wait-list registration will be open Feb. 27, 2023 at 6 a.m.