GREENBUSH, MN -- Maine Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Air Quality announced that the Central Boiler Maxim outdoor wood pellet and corn furnace line has been approved to meet Phase II of Maine's Rule regarding outdoor wood boilers, joining the E-Classic 2300 that was Central Boiler’s first outdoor wood furnace to meet the rule.

This means Maine homeowners can purchase the Maxim now and know they will be in compliance of DEP emissions regulations. The Maxim wood pellet furnace has fewer emissions than indoor certified wood stoves and can be used to lower heating costs in an environmentally sound manner.

Rick Thibodeau owner of Independent Power in Greene, a Central Boiler E-Classic and Maxim dealer, will present information about the Maxim and EPA program qualified OWBs at the July 23 meeting of the Wood-To-Energy Task Force.  "We believe if the Task Force has information about the state-of-the-art technology, it will include these OWBs in its recommendations as a clean, efficient and safe viable heating option for Maine residents," says Rodney Tollefson, Vice President of Central Boiler.

Outdoor furnaces sold in Maine after April 1, 2008 must comply with Phase I of Maine's rule and furnaces sold after April 1, 2010 must comply with Phase II. Phase II has an emissions limit of 0.32 lbs/MMBtu. A Central Boiler Maxim furnace is over five times cleaner than the Phase II emissions limit, which could make it the cleanest residential wood-burning appliance ever produced, and it is over 92% efficient.

A Maxim furnace can heat your entire home and domestic hot water and operates for as little as one-fourth of fossil fuel heating costs. Located outside next to the home, like a central air conditioning unit, it will not make a mess or take up valuable living space inside your home. It can be used with any existing heating system and can heat up to a week on a single fuel load.

This is Central Boiler's second product line to meet Maine's 2010 emissions limit. Having two furnace lines that meet the Phase II limit almost two years in advance is a great achievement.

Outdoor wood furnaces are popular because of the safety they offer by removing the wood burning process from inside the home and the convenience of longer burn times. The fact that they can be used with various applications for whole house heating, such as in-floor radiant heat and/or to heat domestic water is another benefit they provide. No other type of wood heating appliance can offer all the advantages of an outdoor wood furnace. An economical, environmentally responsible heating alternative, outdoor wood furnaces use a totally renewable resource which, when burned results in no net increase in greenhouse gas emissions (carbon neutral). That means, heating your home with a Central Boiler outdoor furnace can greatly reduce your carbon footprint.

Central Boiler is a leading manufacturer of quality outdoor wood, wood pellet and corn furnaces. They have been manufacturing outdoor furnaces for 23 years. Central Boiler has a sales and dealer network established throughout the United States and Canada. For more information on the company and its products, please visit centralboiler.com.