Dear Forms Committee: On OREF 046 – Woodstove/Wood-Burning Fireplace Insert Addendum, why isn’t there an ‘unknown’ option when asking the seller whether or not the woodstove or wood-burning fireplace insert is DEQ/EPA certified?

If a home has a solid fuel burning device, other than a cookstove, that is not certified by Oregon DEQ or the U.S. EPA, Oregon law requires the device to be removed and destroyed before (or within 30 days after) the home is sold. So “unknown” is not a viable option: someone has to determine whether the device has to be removed.  Since the seller is usually living in the home, the seller is in the best position to determine whether the device is certified.  DEQ provides additional information to help a seller determine if a woodstove or wood-burning fireplace insert is certified here.

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