There are a lot of wood and pellet stoves on the market today. Some are better than others, providing more or less efficiency, emitting various levels of emissions, and costing more or less to fuel and heat your home or shop with.
What changed in 2020?
The EPA’s March 2020 rule summary describes the May 15, 2020 compliance date for more stringent emission standards affecting new residential wood-heating devices. That date is now historical, rather than a deadline that is still approaching.
The same summary explains that the action did not apply to heaters already in use in people’s homes. That does not remove state or local requirements governing installation or operation.
Check the exact stove
Use the EPA Certified Wood Heater Database to match the manufacturer and model. Review the fuel, test information and certification record for that model instead of treating an older blog post or a broad brand claim as proof.
EPA emissions certification is separate from a safety listing and from permission to install a stove in a particular structure. Use the model’s installation manual and ask the relevant local authority about your proposed setup.
Original Optimum references and current models
This article originally discussed the 509-1 Optimum during the transition to the 2020 standards. The legacy Optimum listing remains a resource for owners; historical references do not establish the status or availability of a new unit today.
For current Flame Innovation models, review the Chinook and Mini Me pellet stove pages and their model-specific documentation. Our manuals and reports page links the relevant materials. Do not extend one model’s EPA certification to the entire catalog.
