South Saint Paul, MN Considering Ban on OWBs

[Philbert]

In today's paper.

South St. Paul looks to ban wood-fired boilers used to heat homes - TwinCities.com


South St. Paul looks to ban wood-fired boilers used to heat homes
By Nick Ferraro [email protected]
Posted: 02/21/2013 12:01:00 AM CST
Updated: 02/21/2013 03:20:56 PM CST

South St. Paul could become the next metro-area city to ban outdoor wood-fired boilers, which are considered by some as an economical way to provide heat to homes and a nuisance by others.

A number of cities have restricted or banned the burners in recent years, including Eagan, Inver Grove Heights and Stillwater, as a way to control air pollutants and smell they produce.

Although South St. Paul has not had to deal with complaints from neighbors as many cities have, "staff believes it is in the best interest to have black and white regulations related to these devices," City Planner Peter Hellegers wrote in a staff memo to the city council this week.

The proposed ordinance amendment would prohibit the boilers, which generally are located in sheds and pump heat to homes through pipes.

Because typical South St. Paul lots are 5,000 square feet or less and 40 feet wide, city staff concluded that setbacks and standards would not be effective, Hellegers said.

The council will consider adopting the ordinance at its March 4 meeting.

 

[blackdogon57]

Too bad they have to legislate common sense. OWB' s just don't belong in town.

 

[rmihalek]

I'm not familiar with how the OWBs operate, but it would seem to me that if there is a problem with smoke, the owner of the OWB could just load the unit more frequently with smaller loads of wood and let it run hotter and hopefully produce less smoke.

I know with my indoor wood stove, if I load up the firebox and shut the vents down to get a long burn, I can fill the neighborhood with smoke on a calm day. What I try to do is to add a few pieces of wood at a time, let it catch and then add more. Once it's full and roaring hot, then I'll start shutting the vents down for the overnight (or overday) burn.

 

[nathon918]

I'm not familiar with how the OWBs operate, but it would seem to me that if there is a problem with smoke, the owner of the OWB could just load the unit more frequently with smaller loads of wood and let it run hotter and hopefully produce less smoke.

I know with my indoor wood stove, if I load up the firebox and shut the vents down to get a long burn, I can fill the neighborhood with smoke on a calm day. What I try to do is to add a few pieces of wood at a time, let it catch and then add more. Once it's full and roaring hot, then I'll start shutting the vents down for the overnight (or overday) burn.

and also use more wood,
most people that install an owb is so they dont have to load it so many times like a stove
and an owb will make a hell of alot more smoke than a stove

 

[nathon918]

Too bad they have to legislate common sense. OWB' s just don't belong in town.

couldnt agree more

5000 sq ft lot is wayyyyy too small for an owb

 

[Como]

First you need to define what you mean by owb.

 

[stihly dan]

That is why people NEED to get gasification. If the smoke dragons run by (IDIOTS) only, not the conscientious owners, there may be none at all. Would they ban something that did not give off smoke? Now someone can't even run a gasification unit. That is the problem with economical OWB'S.

 

[Como]

That is why people NEED to get gasification. If the smoke dragons run by (IDIOTS) only, not the conscientious owners, there may be none at all. Would they ban something that did not give off smoke? Now someone can't even run a gasification unit. That is the problem with economical OWB'S.

View attachment 280834

Windhager Bio Cabin - would seem to fit the ordinance description.

 

[Encore]

I agree with others, OWB's don't belong in town.

There is a guy in a small town not too far from here who had one. A nice CB but it'd sure smoke up downtown when the blower kicked on.

Even though we are out of town, I still load mine at night. I get the most smoke the first burn or two after loading. By morning you have nothing but heat waves coming out of the chimney when the blower is on.

Now on the other hand, you have the guy up the road who ripped out his carpet, burning it in his backyard. That's a bad smell right there lol.

 

[John R]

Here we go with more government control, these a**holes have too much time on their hands.
People better wake up before it's too late.

 

[Fifelaker]

The berg I live in went through this about 4 years ago. A guy put one in and was fogging everything up. About six months into the debate the village plow guy seen me at the store and asked how long I have had my boiler. I told him 5 years he then told me "I have been turning around in front of your house all this time and never noticed it" I see very little difference between this and an indoor stove if burned correctly. And mine is a "Smoke dragon".

 

[Chris-PA]

I think the problem is partly that these OWBs are not in the house, so for some there is no fear of burning your house down by operating it like an idiot. Lack of fear means irresponsibility for those that only care about themselves. Clearly others know what they are doing and learned how to behave and operate them responsibly. But the more people you have the greater the percentage of idiots - which is the definition of a town, and so OWBs don't belong in town.