The secret to burning "smokeless" and successfully resisting intrusive and unnecessary EPA standards

Editor's notes:  if the wood stove police can't see smoke,  they will not stop to investigate your burning habits.  And the secret to that  . . .    burning smokeless  . . . . .  is a healthy bed of ash  (2 inches or more),  and a continuous bed of hot, hot, coals.  In our stove,  I burn four 6 to 9 inch logs in the morning,  and,  again,  in the evening.  Once in a while,  I have to load the stove three times,  rather two.  My point is this:  keep the coals hot and the emissions are burned before they get out of the chimney.   It is not the stove that is the problem,  but the type of fire you maintain,  that is.  

Also,  buy or rent solar.  We have a 32 panel system for our 1800 foot home,  and our electric bill is around $30 per month.  Our new windows,  throughout,  help as well.  Without any heat,  our home stays 21 degrees warmer than outside,  during the winter months.  When the outside temp is 40,  the inside of our home is 61 degrees.  Heating to 70 degrees is no big deal.  Problem:  when the early spring arrives,  and the outside temp runs a low of 50 degrees,  plus or minus,  we cannot burn because the inside temp is simply,  too high. 

From the Daily Caller:

The EPA has finalized a 344-page rule to make wood stoves more environmentally friendly, meaning that millions of Americans will soon be forced to buy more expensive wood-fired stoves.

Republican lawmakers have opposed the rule, saying it would harm millions in rural America that rely on wood stoves to heat their homes every winter. With natural gas and electricity prices on the rise, wood stoves can be an economical choice for many living in the countryside.

“The EPA’s shortsighted regulatory overreach is once again hitting hardworking Montanans in their pocketbooks,” said Montana Republican Sen. Steve Daines.

Some 2.4 million American households rely on wood stoves for heat. When the agency proposed the rule last year, critics argued 80 percent of wood stoves in use would not meet tightened standards and consumers would never be able to buy them brand new — raising energy costs for millions of people during the coldest times of the year.