Oregon - Woodstoves - Real Estate - and the DEQ. Be warned in advance!

I had Ron Cairns, owner of Albany stoves on the radio show last weekend. Ron alerted me to some significant changes coming down the road with regard to DEQ regulations on wood stoves.

In years gone by, when a home owner was selling a home with a wood stove, the term "Woodstove is Buyer's Responsibility" was a standard disclaimer that let the seller off the hook for an otherwise uncertified wood stove. No more!

Beginning in January, 2010, there is a new line on the standard Seller Property Disclosure Statement regarding wood stoves, and in August 2010 it will be ILLEGAL to sell a home with an uncertified wood stove installed.

Your options:

(1) Remove the wood stove
(2) Remove the wood stove and install a NEW wood (or pellet, or gas) stove that IS certified

Here's the problem.

It is a very difficult challenge to determine if your wood stove is CERTIFIED. Generally, if it was installed before 1984/85 when DEQ started doing the certifications (there is a permanent label on the stove) you can be sure it is NOT certified. There is a period of time when stoves may have been installed that were produced before the certification; and even though they are the same make, model, and otherwise identifical...No label - No Certification - No SALE!

Let me allow the expert to tell you; Here's a link to Real Estate Talk from 13 February, 2010 - Ron Cairns of Albany Stoves gives you the information better than I ever could:

http://www.kgal.com/mp3b/KGAL_2010_02_13_1000.mp3