Wood-Burning Boilers Banned in Lakewood?

Fears over air pollution in Lakewood have inspired a proposed nine-month moratorium on the approval of wood-burning boilers at Tuesday's .

The ban was introduced following complaints from neighbors who live near at least three residents who use the wood-burning boilers. The boilers operate like most other hot-water-based boiler systems, except that the heat is generated through burning wood as opposed to traditional gas.

The smoke produced from the burning wood is the primary concern, said Lakewood Mayor , who described the "solid fuel source burning appliances" as giant wood burning boilers that are traditionally used in rural settings. 

What should be a “rural heating strategy shows up in an urban setting with smoke billowing out all day long could cause problems with someone who is asthmatic or has other issues," he said.

While council sorts out the issue, no new boilers will be permitted in the city.

The goal of the moratorium, Summers said, is to learn as much as possible about these types of heating systems along with the safest way to implement them — without causing a nuisance or creating potential health risks. 

Lakewood Fire Chief pointed out that there was a time when systems such as these were not so uncommon.

"We actually had a position in the building department called smoke inspector," he said. "Those were removed from the code when most incinerators were taken out of service in the city by the EPA and coal fireplaces and furnaces stopped being used in the city. The big problem with wood-burning boilers is that they burn for 24 hours as opposed to just a few hours for smaller fireplaces.”

Summers said that is part of the problem.

“In order to get these to work, you’ve got to burn a ton of wood," he said. "There are also storage questions, rodents, maybe you’re bringing the ash borer in – there’s just a lot to understand.”

During the moratorium, no new wood-burning boilers can be installed.The three known appliances would be grandfathered in unless they are deemed unsafe. The known systems were installed in the last five years. When they were put in, “nothing in our code said they couldn’t do it.”

Ward 3 councilman Shawn Juris proposed the legislation along with Summers. Juris, who has a background in insurance, said the boilers make sense from a fuel savings perspective. 

“It’s not as much of a safety issue as it is a nuisance or quality of life issue for the surrounding residents," he said. "We also want to make sure that people who have bought houses near people who have a permit for something like this don’t suffer.”