The state is helping residents replace wood burning stoves to clean up the winter air – Cache Valley Daily

Ty and Skyl.er of Chim Chiminey install a gas fireplace in a Logan home on Wednesday Oct. 6, 2021

BRIGHAN CITY — The Wood Stove and Fireplace Conversion Assistance Program opened registration for eligible Box Elder County homeowners on Oct. 4. The financial incentives is meant to help households convert their wood stove or fireplace into a natural gas, propane fueled or electric appliance.

Ty Law, owner of Chim Chiminey Fireplace & Stove Shop – a Department of Air Quality (DAQ) authorized dealer located in Logan – is feeling the heat of the wood stove and fireplace conversion program.

“We are currently booked out until mid-November,” he said. “We also work in Box Elder County, Cache County, southern Idaho and along the Wasatch front.”

Law’s fireplace installation company is not the only one in the valley certified to install stoves for the state program. There may be others and they may be equally as busy.

Matt McPherson, the public information officer for Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), said there are other counties that will have a chance at the program.

“We try and space out the program so not every county is doing it at the same time,” he said. “We will have the same program for Cache County beginning Jan. 10, 2022.”

With wood smoke contributing to the wintertime inversions, the state is doing its part to reduce smoke. The wood stove exchange program was developed by the DEQ’s Division of Air Quality (DAQ) and is targeted to counties that experience poor wintertime air quality.

Registration: 

• Registration runs until Oct. 11 at 6:00 p.m.
• Award registrations are made on a first come, first served basis.

Financial incentives:

• Low-income households can receive up to $4,000.
• Homeowners can use the financial incentive to:
  • Convert an operational wood stove, including pellet, to a gas stove (natural gas, or propane).
  • Convert an operational fireplace to an electric heating appliance.

Eligibility: 

• Must have a 12-month history of wood burning for a significant amount of home heating.
• Applicants must be the legal owner of the home for at least one year.
• All purchases, installations and decommissioning work must be performed by a DAQ authorized dealer.
• One award per household.
• Homeowners must have a valid award in hand before beginning this program.
• Conversions do not apply to attached buildings, garages, commercial or rental properties.

Full eligibility requirements, income limitations, registration details and other information for each county can be found at stoves.utah.gov.