American Lung Association Launches Woodstove Changeout Program in Cumberland County, Maine

The American Lung Association today announced the launch of the Cumberland County Wood Stove Changeout Program. The program, which works to improve outdoor and indoor air quality by removing old, high polluting, low efficiency wood stoves and replacing them with cleaner burning, more efficient EPA-certified wood, pellet or gas stoves, will cover residents of Cumberland County.

“Replacing older high polluting stoves with new ones is an important way for communities to reduce harmful particle pollution and improve air quality,” said Michelle Edwards, Cumberland County Wood Stove Changeout Program Coordinator, for the American Lung Association in Maine. “The American Lung Association has long been committed to reducing resident’s exposure to wood smoke and we are proud to continue these efforts in Cumberland County.”

Particle pollution is made of soot or tiny particles that come from coal-fired power plants, diesel engines, wildfires and wood-burning devices. These particles are so small that they can lodge deep in the lungs and trigger asthma attacks, heart attacks and strokes. They can even cause lung cancer, and early death.

Charlie Hews of South Portland is one of the people who will benefit from the program this year.  He said, “I’d been thinking about replacing my wood stove for some time and the voucher helped offset the costs of the new stove.”

Since 2010, the Lung Association successfully implemented 11 wood stove changeout programs throughout the Northeast, resulting in over 1,000 changeouts to EPA certified heating sources. The program lowers particle pollution emissions in the area and supports local retail stove businesses who are working with the American Lung Association. In Cumberland County, participating retailers are: Embers Stoves and Fireplaces, South Portland; Frost and Flame, Gorham; Goggins Energy, Portland; and McVety’s Hearth and Home, Yarmouth. The American Lung Association is collaborating with the Northeast Hearth, Patio and Barbeque Association on this effort.

Homeowners who live in Cumberland County and own a non-EPA certified woodstove can apply for a voucher. Vouchers are for $1000 toward a new EPA certified woodstove; $1500 if changing from a hydronic heater to an EPA certified woodstove; $2000 for an EPA certified pellet, gas stoves or heat pump, if changing from woodstove or hydronic heater and $3000 for income qualified participants (income qualified vouchers may use the voucher for EPA certified wood, pellet, gas stoves or heat pump). A $4000 voucher is available toward the replacement of an old hydronic heater with a new EPA Phase II hydronic heater or ENERGY STAR gas furnace or $5000 for hydronic heater replacement if income qualified; $300 for the retrofit of an existing woodstove with a new catalyst. 

Applications for the vouchers are available in‐store or online. Once people receive their voucher, they will have 30 days to enter into a purchase agreement with one of the participating retailers. The retailer then installs the new stove and recycles and makes the old stove inoperable. The number of vouchers is limited.

For more program details, go to Lung.org/woodstove or call 1-­800-­548-­8252.

For more about the American Lung Association, go to: www.lung.org.