# Religious exemptions to wood burning bans



## Mr A (Mar 16, 2012)

I am looking for a work around to burning restrictions.  I think a religious exemption would be easiest to get by the bureaucrats. I think Hindu might work. Any ideas? The rules are-
*Exemptions*​*These rule exemptions apply to both Stage 1 – No Burn and Stage 2 – All Burning Prohibited categories:*​
Homes where wood burning is the sole source of heat
Financial hardship waiver approved by the Air Pollution Control Officer – _must be renewed each burn season_
Devices that operate exclusively with natural gas or propane
Cooking devices
Ceremonial fires related to specific religious activities


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## pen (Mar 16, 2012)

So you want to know how to cheat?

pen


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## Mr A (Mar 16, 2012)

Fire is a basic human survival skill . We are being cheated by the government. These morons take away a kid's lunch and feed them pink slime. It wouldn't be cheating if I followed their rules.  I want a religion to convert to that allows me to burn whenever I want.


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## pen (Mar 16, 2012)

I'd say you had better be legit or else they will really show you a fine I'm afraid.

pen


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## BrotherBart (Mar 16, 2012)

A cat stove that looks like a big menorah. Hmmm... Interesting concept.


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## jimbom (Mar 16, 2012)

Cremation!  "Honey, it is your turn to make the fire."  May not be the best way around the rules.


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## metalsped (Mar 16, 2012)

Glorious state of CA for ya...


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## fossil (Mar 16, 2012)

Somebody wanna try to convince me that this thread shouldn't leave the Hearth Room and head to the Inglenook?


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## BrotherBart (Mar 16, 2012)

fossil said:


> Somebody wanna try to convince me that this thread shouldn't leave the Hearth Room and head to the Inglenook?


 
I started to move it after my reply and got distracted.


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## fossil (Mar 16, 2012)

Yeah...for want of an Ash Can, I think that's where it needs to go.  Fasten your seat belts, here we go.


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## BrowningBAR (Mar 16, 2012)

I approve of this thread on many levels. Go forth, my son, and heat your home. Your daily ceremonial fires are valid in my book. Take it a step further and become tax exempt.

Amen.


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## BrowningBAR (Mar 16, 2012)

PRAISE THE LORD! We have heat!


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## GAMMA RAY (Mar 17, 2012)

You can become a practicing Wiccan.


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## Gary_602z (Mar 17, 2012)

Don't pay your gas or propane bill then you should qualify under #1
#2 would be covered if you had my W-2!

Gary


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## Dune (Mar 17, 2012)

I pretty much agree with Gary. Rule 1. make the most sense and should be easy to accomplish.
Forewarning; you will get no sympathy if this solution is inconvienent. I have heated with wood exclusively for years (still).


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## Mr A (Mar 18, 2012)

Yea, when I had the sweep over we talked a bit about the restrictions. He mentioned the Air Board is biased, and issued no burn days when pollutant levels were well under the stated limits. There is a local organization challenging the bureaucrats. He also mentioned some friends of his are Wicca practitioners.


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## blacktail (Mar 18, 2012)

If it's your only source of heat then you're fine. Or you can move to an area where either nobody can see or nobody cares. One of the first things my neighbor told me when I moved in is that nobody out here cares if I burn during a ban.
Of course, I ALWAYS follow the rules, even  though nobody can see my house.


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## thinkxingu (Mar 18, 2012)

I think the rules are poorly worded and that you'd get by easy enough by claiming it's your main source of heat.  It doesn't say "your only source of heat" or "only choice of heating source," and who's to step on anyone else's toes when it comes to choice? 

S


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## basod (Mar 18, 2012)

My coworker grew up in Bernie, CA.  He told me about the retrofits they did in his area to remove old smoke dragons and replaced with NG/propane heaters.
Gov't run program of course that incentivized it.  With new EPA stoves you'd assume they'd take a second look at the issue but of course once the gov't has removed the people's choice and gained power they are never willing to give it away.

I've pondered your religious freedom aspect in the many ways it could be applied in the near future regarding other legislation (cap& trade) based on the "unquestionable science" of climate change/global warming. 
-Science without question is religion.


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## Mr A (Mar 18, 2012)

thinkxingu said:


> I think the rules are poorly worded and that you'd get by easy enough by claiming it's your main source of heat. It doesn't say "your only source of heat" or "only choice of heating source," and who's to step on anyone else's toes when it comes to choice?
> 
> S


I think "sole source" means "only source" Tell you what, I'm finding a lot of free wood since I just started looking this week, I would have my electric heat pump removed if it were not also my air conditioner in the 100+ summer.


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## Mrs. Krabappel (Mar 19, 2012)

basod said:


> ) based on the "unquestionable science" of climate change/global warming.


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## Highbeam (Mar 20, 2012)

Your only way out of the stupid burn bans is to make woodburning your only adequate source of heat. You need to read the law carefully, not the brochure, and you will find that wood being your only adequate source of heat is pretty easy. This requires a commitment to burn for heat and not just occasionally.

All you really need to do is temporarily disable your central heating system. Don't just flip off the breaker, actually remove the breaker so that it can't be turned on with the flip of a switch. You need a permit to reconnect the breaker and of course hire an electrician which both take time.

Then burn cleanly and invisibly. You don't want to be rubbing it in anybody's face. 

We have the same bans in WA. Put on by the same political, tree hugging, irrational, folks that publicly say all woodburning should be illegal it is just that they haven't figured out a way to make it happen yet.


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## begreen (Mar 21, 2012)

thinkxingu said:


> I think the rules are poorly worded and that you'd get by easy enough by claiming it's your main source of heat. It doesn't say "your only source of heat" or "only choice of heating source," and who's to step on anyone else's toes when it comes to choice?
> 
> S


 
Actually I think the wording does cover this:

Restrictions During a Stage 2 Burn Ban
"No burning is allowed in ANY wood-burning fireplaces, wood stoves or fireplace inserts (certified or uncertified) or pellet stoves, unless this is your only adequate source of heat."
Definition:
*"Adequate Source of Heat* -means a furnace or heating system, connected or disconnected from its energy source, designed with the ability to maintain seventy degrees Fahrenheit (70F) at a point three (3) feet above the floor in all normally inhabited areas of a dwelling. Garages are specifically excluded. We encourage resident to have a written woodstove exemption."


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## basod (Mar 21, 2012)

Question about your heat pump:
If it has emergency heat strips, disabling or claiming they failed would prevent it from being able to maintain 70F? Right...
You can buy digital thermostats that are primarily for AC units or for Heat Pumps with identical backplates.
The faceplates can be readily interchanged from AC to Heat pump if in the future you desired the heat pump over wood.
Turning the breaker off to the heat strips and redoing the panel schedule labeling to spare for this breaker would prevent the heatpump from maintaining 70.

I'd assume they do a physical inspection prior to issuing the permit so  you can show them the AC only T-stat, abandoned heat strips/breaker.
If they require complete removal of the breaker, it's easy an DIY project, and if you have to hire an electrician to do this it shouldn't be more than $50-70, just have them leave the spare in the bottom of the panel when they cover it back up incase needed in the future.


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## begreen (Mar 21, 2012)

What part of : *"*Adequate Source of Heat -means a furnace or heating system, connected *or disconnected* from its energy source" is not clear?


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## basod (Mar 21, 2012)

begreen said:


> What part of : *"*Adequate Source of Heat -means a furnace or heating system, connected *or disconnected* from its energy source" is not clear?


If you're claiming finacial hardship to "fixing the heat strips" then it is not an adequate source of heat. 
I'm curious who insepcts the adequate source of heat, and if they are knowledgable enough to determine it's functioning?

I was just throwing out ideas  - in all likelyhood someone has attempted this before.


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