look Take a 

at Your Wood Stove 

Second Look learn

Do you...

❑ Smell smoke in the house?

❑ Notice smoke coming from the

chimney?

❑ See more dust around the house

when you use the wood stove?

❑ Experience watery eyes and stuffy

noses with use of the wood stove?

❑ Have to constantly feed the stove

with wood?

If you answered “Yes” to any of these 

items, consider replacing your old 

wood stove.

The right way

Keep your home safer.

Have a certified technician

install and annually service

your appliance.

In the right appliance

Make your home healthier.

Upgrade to an efficient,

EPA-approved wood-burning

appliance.

Burn the right wood

Save money and time.

Burn only dry, seasoned wood

and maintain a hot fire.

Printed on 100% recycled/recyclable paper with a minimum 

50% post-consumer waste using vegetable-based inks.

EPA-456/F-11-002

www.epa.gov/burnwise

Learn Before You Burn DOES YOUR 

WOOD STOVE 

HAVE A

DOES YOUR 

WOOD STOVE 

HAVE A

LITTLE

SECRET?

LITTLE

SECRET?
benefits

help Retailers Can Help You

A hearth retailer can guide you through

the wood stove removal and replacement

process. With hundreds of stoves to choose

from, the variety and cost ranges are wide

— from $1,000 to $3,000 before installation.

Some local governments and agencies offer

incentives for replacement.

Professional Installation Matters

Improperly installed stoves or chimneys can

spill smoke back into your home or cause

a house fire. A hearth specialty retailer can

arrange professional installation by a trained

technician or one certified by the National

Fireplace Institute.®

Stoves and chimneys should be inspected by a 

certified chimney sweep once a year to prevent 

chimney fires. 

~Chimney Safety Institute of America

newReplace with 

New Technology

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA) recommends replacing old wood stoves

with modern heating appliances. This can

reduce smoke and dust, as well as cut heating

expenses. Making the switch can also help

make your home healthier and safer. There are

many cleaner-burning options, ranging from

gas to high-tech wood stoves certified by EPA.

oldOld Wood Stoves

are Dusty, Smoky and Inefficient

Wood stoves manufactured before 1990 are

inefficient. They waste firewood, pollute the air in

your neighborhood and home, and create dust

inside your home.

Smoky Stoves Affect Your Health 

Small particles in wood smoke are unhealthy for

you and your family. Even occasional exposure

to wood smoke can cause watery eyes, stuffy

noses, and chest tightness. Anyone may

experience these symptoms, but children, older

adults, and people with asthma or heart disease

are especially vulnerable. Particles can trigger

asthma attacks and have been linked to heart

attacks in people with heart disease.

Is your stove old? Stoves with solid metal doors 

are generally older and should be replaced and 

disposed of properly. New stoves are available in many sizes and styles. 

Look for the EPA label on the back that indicates it 

is certified.

REDUCE Air Pollution

• Decrease pollution by 70%.

• Improve the community’s air quality.

PROTECT Your Health 

•❑❑Decrease harmful particles inside your

home by 70%.

•❑❑Reduce your exposure to toxic pollutants

linked to serious health problems.

SAVE Money

•❑❑50% more efficient than older models.

• Use 1/3 less wood for the same amount of heat.

INCREASE Safety

•❑❑Decrease creosote buildup in your chimney.

• Reduce the risk of a home fire.

Benefits of New Stoves