Program helps Utahns convert wood-burning fireplaces and stoves to gas

CACHE COUNTY, Utah — A new state program will help Utahns convert their wood-burning fireplace or stove to gas. 

The Utah Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality created the program to help eligible Utahns cover the cost of converting their stoves or fireplaces. The Wood Stove and Fireplace Conversion Assistance Program could cover up to 95% of those costs.

An application for the Wood Stove and Fireplace Conversion Assistance Program became available Monday morning to Cache County residents. Residents have until 10 p.m. Tuesday to fill out the application.

For those in Box Elder, Davis, Salt Lake County, and Weber counties, an application period will open on Nov. 7 and another will open on Feb. 6.

Why does the program exist?

Joel Carmeson, an environmental scientist with the DAQ said the program was created “in order to reduce wintertime emissions from wood-burning, which is a significant source of particulate matter in the wintertime.”

The DAQ said the program is aimed at counties with poor wintertime air quality.

“It’s beneficial for those individuals who want to clear up the air quality and as well as the air quality in their homes,” Carmeson said.

Who qualifies?

People in Cache, Box Elder, Davis, Salt Lake County and Weber counties are eligible for the program.

Only people with houses that rely on wood burning as their primary or secondary source of heat qualify for the program. A secondary source means that wood-burning provides a “substantial” amount of home heating every winter.

The conversion is not available for people remodeling their homes and is not available to anyone outside of the listed counties.

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